Leprosy in 2016

[DrPaul]

This article was published in an Australian newspaper today. It is obviously not about the Chronicles per se but is clearly of interest.

www.smh.com.au/world/living-with-lepros ... mhwp8.html

The similarities between the real-life story of Yogeesh and that of Covenant hardly need stating.

[dlbpharmd]

Thanks for the link. I was under the impression that leprosy is curable now, but apparently not so in India.

[Horrim Carabal]

Thanks for the link. I was under the impression that leprosy is curable now, but apparently not so in India.

It's curable anywhere the 3 main antibiotics that cure it when used together are available.

[wayfriend]

(This seems like as good a place to post this as any.)

What history gets wrong

Due to the unsightly nature of the lesions that leprosy can cause, history tells us that lepers were treated as social outcasts. But Sk27 tells a story of acceptance. He was buried with the rest of the cemetery population rather than separately.

"The presence of a pilgrim burial in the cemetery of a leprosy hospital also challenges modern misconceptions regarding leprosy sufferers as outcasts and that the disease was linked to sinfulness," Roffey said.

The idea of sinfulness, and the misconception that leprosy was highly contagious, was largely influenced by Victorian medical historians with a segregationist agenda when regarding other colonies, Roffey said. The idea of contagion wasn't formed until the 14th century, when leprosy was receding. When Sk27 was alive, leprosy was regarded by some to represent Christ-like suffering before death, providing them with a passport to paradise.

"Our archaeological evidence supports this and indicates that far from being excluded as outcasts, they were treated very much like the religious," Roffey said. "The wider implications of our research ultimately is that it can help challenge long-held and false notions." [link]

[deer of the dawn]

I had also thought that leprosy (Hansen's Disease) is now curable, but it may be that the medicines are not available, are available but not affordable, or a long history with the disease with no treatment makes it difficult under the best circumstances (and Shadhara probably does not enjoy the best circumstances).

[Ur Dead]

The UN has a program for any country to receive both types
of MDT packettes. (the 6 mo. or 1 year cure or the 2 year cure for
the nastier version of Hansen disease)
All for FREE.

[Skyweir]

As it should be