[Leprosy and human rights: trends in Japan and in the world].

Leprosy, or Hansen's disease, has long been regarded as an incurable and dreadful contagious disease. The patients have been forcefully hospitalized and deprived of many basic human rights. Their family members have often been discriminated against due to stigma associated with this disease. Soon after the Second World War, a specific remedy called "multi-drug therapy" (MDT) was discovered and leprosy became a relatively easily curable disease. Despite this medical development, it took time to change the policy and legislation of forceful hospitalization of leprosy patients. The stigma surrounding leprosy and consequent discrimination have continued. In Japan, it was only in 1996 that the legislation requiring forceful hospitalization of leprosy patients was repealed. The Government decided to provide remedies to the former patients who had suffered from this policy. At the United Nations, the General Assembly adopted a resolution to eradicate discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members. It is hoped that discrimination associated with Hansen's disease will soon be overcome by the efforts of all concerned, particularly doctors and nurses who are specialists of this disease.

[Leprosy and medicine II--progress and establishment of an absolute isolation policy].

The leprosy policy of Japan began from when the government enacted "law No. 11 (The leprosy prevention act)" in 1907 (Meiji 40) and several leprosy sanatoriums were built to receive previously homeless patients. Then, with the rise of totalitarianism, the isolation policy of Japan gained national support under the slogan "Patient Relief", which would become a major factor behind the enactment of "Leprosy Prevention Law" in 1931 (Showa 6) by which the leprosy policy was changed to one of absolute isolation aimed at the internment of all leprosy patients. From recent research on the leprosy policy of Japan, the internment of all leprosy patients, isolation for life, social defense, and neglect of patients' human-rights had tragic results in many cases. However, there is little research which can reply clearly to the question of whether the leprosy policy of Japan was really original and what factors led to the formation of the absolute isolation policy. This paper focuses on the relation between leprosy policy and treatment, and from this, I make clear the similarities, or peculiarities, of the isolation policy between Japan and the rest of the world, while clarifying the factors associated with the progress of the absolute isolation policy. The processes involved were historical and medical historical in that the relation between the formation of a national health system and the progress of the isolation policy of Meiji Era, the proposal of the isolation policy by Dr. Keizo Dohi, Dr. Shibasaburo Kitasato, and Dr. Masatsugu Yamane; the practical application of this policy by Dr. Kensuke Mitsuda, and the decision to enact this policy and its support by the Health and Medical Bureau and the Department of the Interior, as well as many other factors, all contributed to the final implementation of the absolute isolation policy.

[Leprosy and medicine I--proposal of an isolation policy and its background].

The leprosy policy of Japan began from when the government enacted "law No. 11 (The leprosy prevention act)" in 1907 (Meiji 40) and several leprosy sanatoriums were built and the patient who wanders about was received. Then, in rise of totalitarianism, the isolation policy of Japan gained national support under a slogan "Patient Relief", and it would become the big factor to which enactment of "Leprosy Prevention Law" in 1931 (Showa 6) and leprosy policy changed to segregation which aimed at internment of all leprosy patients. From today's research on the leprosy policy of Japan, it is internment of all leprosy patients, whole life isolation, social defense and neglect of patients' human-rights and led to many tragedy of patient. However, there is little research which can reply clearly to the question of whether the leprosy policy of Japan was really original and what the factors of led to the formation of the segregation policy. This paper focuses on the relation between leprosy policy and medicine, and from this, I make clear the similarity, or peculiarity of the isolation policy between Japan and the vest of the world, and clarify the factors of progress of the absolute isolation policy. The processes are historical and medical historical the verification of the relation between the formation of the national medicine and the progress of the isolation policy of Meiji Era, the proposal of the isolation policy by Dr. Keizo Dohi, Dr. Shibasaburo Kitasato, and Dr. Masatsugu Yamane, and the application by Dr. Kensuke Mitsuda, the decision to enact this policy and its support by the Health and Medical Bureau and the Department of the Interior, as well as many factors.

[The history of Yunosawa village and the policy of leprosy of Japan III].

There was a village which was called Yunosawa, lots of leprosy patients lived, existed from 1887 to 1941, Kusatu town, Gunnma Prefecture, Japan. It was the only place continued securing self-government to the last as area was free from the isolation policy of State in prewar days there. The aim of this study will make clear the dynamism of "The protection from the tension of the society of leprosy patient currently persecuted" to "The defense of the society from the leprosy patient who is a source of infection". In this study, explained the history of the Yunosawa village and the shift of the policy of leprosy by State had relation to the village. In addition, showed worth of free medical-treatment area here.

Os melhores anos de nossas vidas / The best years of our lives

Histórias de preconceito, abandono e superação contadas pelos moradores de Santo Angelo, uma cidade erguida para o tratamento de hansenianos. O testemunho humano revela as marcas do tempo em que a internação era compulsória. Condenados ao isolamento, encontraram no amor e na revolução, na música e no cinema as principais armas para enfrentar seus dramas pessoais.

Memories and history of Hansen' s disease in Brazil told by witnesses (1960-2000)

Resultado preliminar de pesquisa sobre memória e história da hanseníase, desenvolvida pela Fundaçäo Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz) e Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), através de depoimentos de quem padeceu da doença ou atuou contra ela. Apresenta as opçöes metodológicas adotadas pelos autores, um sucinto histórico da hanseníase no Brasil e dados a respeito do estágio em que se encontra a pesquisa, com extratos de depoimentos que constituem o acervo gerado. (AU)

Report of the Philippine Leprosy Commission

Thepresent method of cotrolling leprosy by segregation of the bacteriologically positive leper is the one best adapted to the conditions prevailing in the Philippine Islands. The basic principle of segregation is that the positive leper is isolated for the public good and not as a matter of charity for the individuals concerned. This measure unavoidably involves the sacrifice of certain personal rights. In view of this, the restrictions upon the individuals affected should be made as lenient as is consistent with the purpose of control. The government should use all reasonable means to insure that the rights of segregated lepers are properly safeguarded. The methods of segregation employed should be such as to allow them to live in as nearly normal an environment as possible. The government should appropriate sufficient funds to provide segregated lepers with the ordinary necessities of life or the meands for obtaining a livelihood. The foregoing discussion has brought out the following points: (a) Leprosy is an infectiondisease which is transmitted through more or less intimate contact. (b) The source of the infection is the bacteriologically positive leper. (c) Children are especially susceptible to infection. For practical purposes in control work adults may be regarded as immune, although cases in which adults have acquired the disease have been reported. (d) Under conditions as they exist in the Philippine Islands the segregation of bacteriologically positive lepers is and must continue to be the basic measure for the control of leprosy. The form of segregation employed should be that which will afford the necessary protection for the public and interfere as little as possible with the rights of the leper.