Leprosy Patients And The History Of Leprosy In Russia

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Leprosy patients and the history of leprosy in Russia

History of leprosy

Leprosy (leprosy) is one of the most severe diseases known to mankind for a long time and well studied by official medicine. The history of leprosy dates back to the times of the Old Testament, patients with leprosy are described in the ancient Indian Vedas and the laws of Manu, medical books of ancient China and Egyptian papyri. For a long time, the only cure for leprosy was isolation. Patients with leprosy became outcasts, people did everything possible to protect the lepers from society, later specialized hospitals - leper colony - appeared for them.

From African countries, leprosy was brought to Greece, and from Greece it penetrated into Europe. The crusades in Palestine caused the spread of pathogens in Western Europe. By the 14th century, the incidence among Europeans reached its maximum, after which it gradually began to decline. Leprosy ceased to be widespread and remained only in certain regions: in the Mediterranean, in some regions of Russia and in Scandinavia.

Leprosy was brought to America by slaves who entered the country from the African colonies.

In the 1980s, 12-14 million people with leprosy were registered worldwide. Although modern medicine has sufficient funds to treat leprosy, for some countries, the fight against the spread of this disease remains an urgent problem. The disadvantaged countries in this regard include India, Indonesia, Brazil, countries located in Central Africa, Bangladesh. According to official statistics, more than 213 thousand people suffer from leprosy today, most of whom live in countries in Asia or Africa.

Leprosy patients

In ancient times, severe laws applied to patients with leprosy, which deprived them of almost all rights and contributed to the maximum distance from society. Moreover, the law was harsh in relation to representatives of any social class, he did not spare even the monarchs.

Patients did not have the right to inherit, could not be in public places (market, church, tavern), they were forbidden to wash in running water, eat with healthy people, touch their things. When talking with people, the patient had to stand downwind.

With the advent of leper colony, the living conditions of patients with leprosy became more civilized. Today, a leper colony is a medical institution whose duties include identifying carriers of infection, isolating them, treating leprosy, and taking preventive measures.

Leprosoria are most often located in rural areas, in regions where the disease is endemic. On the territory of this institution there is a hospital, an outpatient and an epidemiological department. People undergoing treatment live in separate houses, if they wish, they are provided with plots of land for agricultural work, as well as the opportunity to visit craft workshops.

Patients with leprosy are in the leper colony for months or years, depending on the severity of the disease. A separate area for living is provided for the service personnel right on the territory of the medical institution.

In some countries, leprosy patients are treated without hospitalization.

World Day Against Leprosy. Leprosy in Russia

World Leprosy Day falls on January 30th. Today, this disease does not cause such fear as in the old days. In America, all leper colony is already closed, here patients are treated only on an outpatient basis. There are several cases of leprosy infection in Russia every year. In our country, the system of leper colony is still preserved, but the number of patients is noticeably decreasing. Here you can meet people who were infected before the introduction of new methods of treatment for leprosy and those who are recently infected, those who are recovering quickly.

Leprosy in Russia was practically defeated after the introduction of treatment regimens based on the scientific works of Professor Nikolai Goloshchapov into practice.

Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist

Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".