Synonyms.—Lepra. Elephantiasis Graecorum. Leontiasis. Satyriasis. French: La Lèpre. German: Aussatz.
History and Geographical Distribution
History.—There are those who consider India as the home of leprosy, a condition corresponding to the disease having been described in the Rig Veda, of date of 1400, B. C.
Others regard Egypt as the original focus, a disease similar to leprosy having been described in the “Ebers papyrus” of date of about 1300, B. C.
Any one reading chapter xiii, Leviticus, must be convinced that the disease there described as leprosy was of a different nature. We find statements to the effect that where the hair in the spot is white and the spot deeper than the skin of the flesh that it is leprosy; again, if there be a white or red rising it is not leprosy, but if lower than the skin it is leprosy.
According to Unna the term Zaarath had a theological rather than a medical meaning. At the same time other references in the Bible would indicate that leprosy was more or less prevalent among the Jews of that period.
It is very probable that the ancients confused leprosy with many other diseases where ulceration and nodular disfigurement were conspicuous features.
From the fact that leprosy was called the Phoenecian disease it would seem that Asia was the real home of the disease.
