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5. Lepers have been freely introduced into countries free from the disease e.g. London, Paris, the United States of America, and whereas for the most part no precautions have been observed, in no instance has the disease spread to others.
C. To this may be added the important consideration that were the disease communicable by these means the length of the time during which each leper would be a source of danger being great, the disease would soon affect many of the population.
7. The above views are derived from the late Sir J. Hutchinson's work on the subject, but there are others to be added e.g. the extremely narrow limitation of leprosy in certain centres, often very small, although there is free communication between their inhabitants and the neighbouring population.
8. The disease is often confined in certain places with a mixed population to particular races or nationalities although social intercourse is unrestricted.
According to Hirsch, "China from the southern and eastern coast districts as far up as the mouth of the Yangtse-Kiang has been the headquarters of the disease from time immemorial," and the provinces most affected by it are Kwangtung, Fukien and Che-Kiang, and to refer to Hutchinson's views again we find him stating that leprosy has obviously spread along the shores of the Pacific in company with the Chinese immigration: wherever they go the disease appears and the explanation seems to be that wherever they go they carry their habits with them; especially do they establish themselves as cooks everywhere. They are skilful cooks and they can make use of many things which no one else would look at; decomposing fish and potted fish are among the delicacies in which they deal.
I have seen a fair amount of leprosy in Africa and some in China. In both countries the use of fish cured by salting, smoking, or drying by exposure to the sun is an established practice and the evidence for the fish hypothesis which has merely been glanced at in this note, seems to amount to a high degree of probability.
The Chinese regard leprosy as a contagious disease and they stand in great dread of it, on the other hand they do not regard small-pox as an infectious or contagious disease and have no fear or dread of it. The Chinese point of view is given in a note by Dr. Thomas of the Tung Wah Hospital, he states "I do not think leprosy has spread very rapidly among the Chinese. The Chinese people have a great dread of leprosy, and they will shun anyone who is reputed to be a leper. In fact, they consider many harmless skin diseases as leprosy, particularly leucoderma. They are firmly of the opinion that leprosy can be transmitted by sexual relations. They have no idea of the comparatively long incubation period of the disease, and I have had very many cases for consultation because
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5. Lepers have been freely introduced into countries free from the disease e.g. London, Paris, the United States of America, and whereas for the most part no precau- tions have been observed, in no instance has the disease spread to others.
C. To this may be added the important consideration that were the disease communicable by these means the length of the time during which each leper would be a source of danger being great, the disease would soon affect many of the population.
7. The above views are derived from the late Sir J. Hutchinson's work on the subject, but there are others to be added c.g. the extremely narrow limitation of leprosy in certain centres, often very small, although there is free communication between their inhabitants and the neighbouring population.
8. The disease is often confined in certain places with a mixed population to particular races or nationalities although social intercourse is unrestricted.
According to Hirsch, China from the southern and eastern coast districts as far up as the mouth of the Yangtse-Kiang has been the head quarters of the disease from time immemorial," and the provinces most affected by it are Kwangtung, Fukien and Che- Kiang, and to refer to Hutchinson's views again we find him stating that leprosy has obviously spread along the shores of the Pacific in company with the Chinese immigration: wherever they go the disease appears and the explanation seems to be that wherever they go they carry their habits with them; especially do they establish themselves as cooks everywhere. They are skilful cooks and they can make use of many things which no one else would look at; decomposing fish and potted fish are among the delicacies in which they deal.
I have seen a fair amount of leprosy in Africa and some in China. In both countries the use of fish cured by salting, smoking, or drying by exposure to the sun is an established practice and the evidence for the fish hypothesis which has merely been glanced at in this note, seems to amount to a high degree of probability.
ઃઃ
The Chinese regard leprosy as a contagious disease and they stand in great dread of it, on the other hand they do not regard small-pox as an infectious or contagious disease and have no fear or dread of it. The Chinese point of view is given in a note by Dr. Thomas of the Tung Wah Hospital, he states "I do not think leprosy has spread very rapidly among the Chinese. The Chinese people have a great dread of leprosy, and they will shun anyone who is reputed to be a leper. In fact, they consider many harmless skin diseases as leprosy, particularly leucoderma. They are firmly of the opinion that leprosy can be transmitted by sexual relations. They have no idea of the comparatively long incubation period of the disease, and I have had very many cases for consultation because
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