The Wilmington morning star., 1947-11-09

we KNOW us QlI11cult TO erase
a stigma that goes back to bibli-
cal times. But the point here is
that the modern disease of lep-
rosy isn't the same thing that
was meant in the bible.
"Leprosy" is described in the
thirteenth chapter of Leviticus.
But doctors have shown that the
symptoms related there have no
connection with the disease we
call leprosy. In fact, it seems
the biblical references were not
Ito any single disease, but to
many skin blemishes.
The bible speaks of "cleans-
ing" people with the affliction,
not of healing them. This shows
that the process was a ritual
publication. AS with all ancient
and primitive peoples, the old
Hebrews believed blemishes of
any kind were "unclean."
The word used in Leviticus
was "araath." When the old
testament was translated in O
Greek, the word ''lepra" w a
used to translate araath.
The Greeks used ''lepra" in
connection with a vague group
of skin diseases.
Now by the time the old tesla
ment was translated into Latin,
the real disease of leprosy was
known. But instead of using the
real word for it, the translators
carried the term "1epra" into
the Latin. The Ancients knew
that the bible did not condemn
leprosy.
However, tn terms "lepra''
and ~"leprosy" came to be ap-
piled to the specific disease. BY
this error, the illness was con-
fused with the biblical unclean-
illness.
In place of that confused word
"leprosy," doctors now use the
term Hansen's disease, after the
Norwegian scientist named Han
sen who isolated the term.
When my wife and l returned
from the PHILIPPINES and dis
covered she had the disease, we
weren't alarmed because we
knew the truth about it. l had
served on Pacific islands for
many years and. We learned
about leprosy there.
l asked for admittance to the
hospital to be with her, just as
any husband would want to be
with his sick wife. We're on in
years, and we've lived together
most of our lives. I wouldn't
know what to do without her.
My request was widely publ
cized. Most people seemed to
think I was being a martyr for
love. 1t was so silly, it was en-
barrassing.
Why, leprosy has been called
the 'least communicable of all
communicable Diseases" In
numberable persons have lived
in intimate contact with patients
for years without "catching'' the
malady.
Although a large number OF
married persons have contract
ed the disease, there are only
two possible cases on recor dni
the United States in which it
might have been transmitted
from one married partner to the
other. Even those two cases
have not been proved.
Government rules would n o t
allow me to be admitted to the
hospital. But I found a room in
Carville, a little distance away.
Visitors can be with patients Il
hours a day. Mrs. Hornbostel
has her own cottage, and I help
her take care of it. Except that
l must 60 to my own room at
might, we're living perfectly
normally.
Several other married couples
are living in this way, and a
large number have done so
since the hospital was founded
SO years ago. None have ever
contracted the disease from a
husband or wife who was a pa
tient. Nor have any doctors or
nurses at the hospital ever had
it, although they seldom use a
disinfectant other than soap and
water.
In addition to her correspond
ence, Mrs. Hornbostel writes a
column for the Star, the maya
zine published monthly by the
patients. Several of her columns
have been quoted by the Associ-
ated Press or by Individual
newspapers. Many persons out
side the hospital have subscri-
bed to the magazine, to learn
the truth about this most mis-
understood Of diseases.
For years before we came,
thiagazine, edited by Stanley
this magazine, edited by Stanley
Stein, has been radiating the
light of truth on Hansen's dis
ease is the most mildly conta-
gious of all communicable dis
eases-that nearly all sufferers
can get well if they submit to
treatment early-and that the
bible did not call this disease
unclean.