Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-07-28
LEpRosy or THE BIBLE.
Disease Not the Same as That So
Called TO-day.

AASS"sS Not INC same ms lnaU so
Called To-day.
DR.. l.. Duncan Buckley, physician to the
New York Skin and Cancer hospital, who
went to the relief Of John II. Early, the
ex-soldier, whose life was made miserable
for more than year because he was sup
posed to have leprosy while really he was
afflicted with comparatively trivial and
readily durable ailment, has written some
interesting things about leprosy. The
physician declares that leprosy bears no
comparison to either cancer or tuberculo-
sis in the mental distress which it should
cause in those afflicted. He adds that in
this climate it is really harmless affec-
ton to those who may come in contact
with it.
Sever since BiblicaA times,n says the
writer, s'the leper has been considered as
'unclean.' In certain localities. even up to
the present time, the afflicted person cries
ut or by bell or other means indicates
his presence, that he may be summed,
from the supposed fear OF injecting others.
The great dread OF the disease leprosy has
undoubtedly been furthered by many
writer's OF fiction. Such books as Ben
Hur' have had great influence.
ut may seem little startling, but after
careful, prolonged and repeated study Of
Leviticus, Chapter 10 and IA, and Of all the
other references to leprosy in the Bible,
am convinced that what we now know by
that name was not intended or included
in the descriptions given. am supported
in this view by one Of the brightest and
most learned Of the professors in the
Union theological seminary. SO that it is
improper to apply the term, the leprosy
Of the Bible,' to the disease under dis
cussion, lepra, or elephantiasis Graecorum,
as studied so thoroughly in Norway and
observed abundsntly in the east and more
or less over various parts OF the earth.
"This study OF the use OF the word
leprosy in the bible is most interesting
one. 1t may be instructing to note that in
several places the expression is used, q
leper white as snow. Now we know that
neither the tubercular nor the macular
leprosy ever presents white diseased sur
face, and these instances probably related
to psoriasis. Also in many places the
bible speaks Of the skin turning white
with white hair on it, referring to leuco-
derma, etc. Finally, the word zaraath,
translated leprosy in the Old Testament,
signifies shifting or stroke. In the Ger
man Of the middle ages, the same word
was translated aussasaig, indicating an
outcast or unfit to live with others.
1.-THE testimony which could be given in
regard to the on-contagiousness OF lep-
rosy is very great and from all parts Of the
world. Perhaps the most striking is that
furnished by FIR. Clement, whose death
was very recently reported from Honolulu.
FIR. Clement went from France in 1853
with FIR. Damien to devote his life to work
among the lepers in the settlement on
Molokai; he had thus been there for
forty-six years, in constant contact with
lepers, and finally died OF another cause,
without having contracted the disease"
Dr.. Buckley quotes DR.. William H.
WEIGH, OF Johns Hopkins hospital, as say
ing in connection with the Early case:
"Lsprosy is practically the least conta-
gious OF all the infectious diseases"