The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-07-23
LEPRosY.
charaessristses OF the Disease In Ancient
IImes.
LEPRosY


This disease has always been peculiar
/ to warm climates, and in such, esDe-
/ cially in Egypt, and other regions of the
east, It is stin found agreeing in ali its
/ general symptoms with the descriptions
! of its ancient character as left IN the
Bible by Moses.
The disease seems to commence deep
in the system Of the body, and gener-
ally acquires q thorough settlement in
/ the person Of its victim before il dis
covers itself on the outward skin. It
may lie thus concealed even for q num-
Der Of years, especially when it is seated
in the constitution by birth, as it often
is, when it does not commonly unfold
it's outward symptoms until the child is
grown up TO years of maturity. After
It's appearance, too, Il does not proceed
with any rapid ruin Not until q num-
Der of years does it reach its fun per
fection Of disorder, and not until num-
Der more have passed away does this
disorder terminate in death. Aleprous
person may live twenty or thirty, or il
he receives the disease with his birth,
FORTY or even fifty years, but years Of
such drradful misery must they be. that
early death might seem to be better.
The horribly malady advances with
slow bat certain steps, from one stage of
evil to another, difusing its poison
through the whole frame while the prin-
ciple Of life is still suffered to linger in
the midst of the desolation, and one
after another the pillars of strength are
secretly undermined and carried away
till the spirit finds, ere yet she can es-
cape from its imprisonment, the house
of her earthly tabernacle literally
crumbling on every side into dissolu-
tiOn and dust. The bones and the mar
row are pervaded with the disease so
that the joints of the hands and feet
gradually lose their powers, and the
limbs of the body fall together in such
q manner as to give q most defOrmed
and dreadful appearance TO the whole
person. There is a form of the disor-
der known IN some places in which the
joints beginning with the furthest of
the fingers and toes one after another
separate and fall off, and the miserable /
sufferer slowly falls in pieces to the |
grave. Outwardly the leprosy discov-
ers itself in a number of small spots |
which generally appear first on the face |
about the nose and eyes, but after some |
time on other parts of the body till it is |
all covered over. At first these spots /
have the appearance of small reddish /
pimples, bnt they gradually spread in
as large as a pea or bean on the surface /
which they cover. When scratched, as 4
Their itchy character constantly solic-
its, thin moisture oozes out of them /
which soon dries and harfens into q
scaiy crust, so that when the disease
reaches its perfect state the whole body
becomes covered with q foul Whitish
scurf.
Particular directions we're given in
the law Of Moses TO distinguish the /
spot of the real leprosy, from others
that might resemble it in appearance.
These are contained In the thirteenth
chapter Of Leviticus. There are vari-
Gus kinds of leprosy, some more malig-
nant and loathsOme than others. Ac-
cording to the appearance of its spots it
is called by different name. There is q
white, black, and red leprosy. This
shocking disease Is contagious, 80 that
it is dangerous TO have much intercourse
with leprous persons. On this account /
it was wisely ordered among the Jews
that such should dwell alone 50 all the /
days wherein the plague should be IN
them, and should be held uncleau so
that no one might touch them without
deflement. Hence too, il was sostrictly
that the earliest appearance Of
anything like the spot of leprosy should
be immediately and thoroughly ex-
amined.
The leper in whom the plague was
really to exist was required
also to distinguish himself by having
his clothes rent, his head bare, and his
lip covered (all of which were common
signs Of deep sorrow, and to warn 9th
srs coming near him by crying out,
Unelean, uneleanl Lev. xiii. As, 46.
The leprosy is still more fearful as it
may be handed down IRON one genera
lion to another by birth. The leprosy
Of a father descends to his son, and
sven to his grandchildren of the third
md fourth generations, assuming in
Heed a milder form as It passes down,
Out still showing some OF its disagreea-
Die effects In each successive case. The
eprOsy was regarded among the Jews
rs a disease sent in g peculiar manner
rom the hand of God, and designed to
mark his displeasure against some great
iin found IN the person who suffered It's
affection. Ner was this idea without
lome support In the dispensations of
Judgment which their history recorded,
md in the especial sOlemnity with
which that disease is noticed In the
Ievitical Law.