Leprosy : $b in its clinical & pathological aspectsHansen, G. Armauer (Gerhard Armauer)
Science
Leprosy : $b in its clinical & pathological aspects
Hansen, G. Armauer (Gerhard Armauer)
Leprosy
_Chaulmoogra_, which the medical department of Madras has used with
success, is the oil pressed from the seeds of Gynocardia odorata,
Lindl. Hydrocarpus odoratus, Lindl. The oil is given internally (2
grs. in an ounce of milk) twice daily, and externally, there is rubbed
in a mixture of oil 1 part, and olive oil 16 parts, followed some
hours after by a bath. We are told that the progress of the disease is
stopped by a persevering use of the oil. The skin becomes smoother and
more elastic, the patient becomes more energetic, the discolorations
disappear, and so too does the anæsthesia, either partly or completely.
Ulcerations heal, but promptly break down again. Besides the treatment,
a generous diet is given, especially vegetables, milk and meat; spices
and spirits are not allowed. Dr. Arjoon says that the tuberous form
heals more easily than the mixed leprosy, and that anæsthetic leprosy
is the most obstinate. When the disease is inherited there is no hope
of a cure, and it is only in early cases that a cure can be expected.
Further, he thinks that the permanence of the cure is doubtful.
In the Lungegaard’s hospital three tuberous and two anæsthetic patients
were treated with chaulmoogra oil. The treatment was continued from
eight months to a year, but the results were, as with the other
remedies, _nil_.
Father Etienne sent to the Lungegaard’s Hospital from Port of Spain,
Trinidad, a quantity of pills containing a vegetable, Hoang-nan, which
he had received from some missionaries in Ting-King. He had used the
pills for three years in leprosy with surprisingly good results. In
several patients all the external symptoms of the disease disappeared,
and he had good hopes of their complete cure. His report seeming
to guarantee the remedy, it was given a trial in the Lungegaard’s
Hospital. After prolonged use it proved to be absolutely useless, and,
since no more has been heard from him, Father Etienne has probably been
disappointed with his later results.
Father Damien also received from Ting-King a supply of pills for the
cure of leprosy, which were, no doubt, of the same nature. He found
them to consist of alum. sulph., pts. 1.5, Realgar 2.5, and Hoang-nan
2.5.
Hoang-nan belongs to the _Euphorbiaceæ;_ the cortex contains a powerful
poison which is the active remedy. At first Father Damien believed
the remedy to be of some benefit “to us poor lepers”--he was then a
leper--but further experience showed him that the remedy was, like so
many others, unsatisfactory.
The last remedy to be mentioned is one which once attracted much
notice, and on which the French academy allowed Dr. Gibert to write a
report. The remedy is _Assacou_ or _Ussacou_, Brazilian names of the
tree _Hura Braziliensis_, Martin, of the family _Euphorbiaceæ_. It is
considered very poisonous.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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