( 11 )
28. The periods of cohabitation, after the disease appeared, between man and wife
in the case of the 1,253 married lepers, or lepers who had been married, are divisible
as follows :—
Number of persons ...
1
Period
not
staled.
63
2
Less than
6 months.
30
3
from 6
months to 5
years.
308
4
For
more than 5
years.
517
5
Separated at
time of at-
tack, or hus-
band or wife
dead previ-
ous to attack.
335
6
Total.
1,253
The table provides, in columns 2, 3, and 4, a total of 855 cases in which cohabita-
tion continued after the disease appeared in either husband or wife.
Of these 855 cases, the histories expressly state, that in 831 the disease was not
communicated to the healthy husband or wife, and that in 24 cases both husband and
wife were lepers, or became lepers.
29. As this favours in some measure an opinion of the contagious nature of the
discaso, it is necessary to record the exact circumstances in regard to these 24 cases.
In 13 of them, I find that both husband and wife were acknowledged lepers at
the time of marriage; twelve of these cases of leper marriages having occurred in the
Almora Leper Asylum as part apparently of the system in force there.
Of the remaining 11 cases, the following is a detailed account, so far as it can be
rendered from the records provided :—-
No. 1.—The case of Nachal, 40 years of age, a sweeper, who married a woman
who had leprosy, and at the age of 24 became himself a leper. No one of his own
family had suffered from leprosy.
No. 2.—The case of Mirwa, aged 45, a Muhammadan weaver. His father and
elder sister were lepers, and he himself became a leper at 30 years of age. PL's wife
continued to live with him, and eventually suffered from leprosy.
No. 3.—The case of Dhuman, aged 55, a Hindu weaver. Has no recollection as
to the previous occurrence of leprosy in his own family. Became a leper at 45.
His wife continued to live with him, and suffered from leprosy.
No. 4.—The case of Dhalip, aged 50, a cultivator. No one of his own family
had been a leper. Became a leper at 48, and his wife was affected with the same
complaint one year afterwards.
No.5.—The case of Gauri Shankar, aged 36, Rajput. His elder brother was a
leper, and he himself became a leper at 32. His wife lived with him for two years
afterwards, and was affected with leprosy.
No. 6.—The case of Sitabu, aged 40, a Muhammadan woman. Her grandfather
and father were lepers, and she became a leper at 28. Her husband lived with her
for one year after she was affected, and he suffered from leprosy.
No. 7-The case of Bishúná, aged 45, cultivator. His grandfather was a leper.
His wife became a leper and died. Afterwards, at the age of 43, he himself was
attacked with leprosy.
No. 8.-The case of Maniá, aged 28, a sweeper. No blood relation affected,
Became a leper at 18, and afterwards his wife was affected with leprosy.
No. 9.-The case of Mali, aged 60, a cultivator. No member of his family pre-
viously affected. Became a leper at 40. .His wife continued to live with him, and was
affected, but whether before or after the husband is not stated.
No. 10.-The case of Sobah, aged 50, a cultivator. No blood relation had been a
leper. His wife's father died of leprosy. His wife was attacked with leprosy in 1870.
and he became a leper in 1871, at the ago of 46.