[Attitudes towards physical disability in the Middle Ages]. / Postawy wobec niepelnosprawnosci fizycznej w okresie sredniowiecza.

The article describes attitudes to disability and physically disabled people, taking into account the aspect of ethical and social location, what physically disabled meant in societies, and ways to solve the problems of disability. The article is based on studies of disability and historical sources. Christ's attitude shown in the Gospels changed the traditional cultures of the ancient treatment of disability in terms of it being seen as a penalty of the divine. The development of Christianity caused a gradual expansion of the ideas of charity, at the same time stepping up care and material support to all those physically disabled in need. Care of the disabled is based mostly on charity. Church activities supported, by the structure of the State and private individuals, was of paramount importance. Medieval society felt responsible for disabled people.

[Judging reliably. Medical authority and the ability to discriminate between the clean and the unclean]. / Vom zuverlässigen Urteilen. Arztliche Autorität, reichsstädtische Ordnung und der Verlust "armer Glieder Christi" in der Nürnberger Sondersiechenschau.

The article aims to explore the physicians' role at the Nuremberg "Sondersiechenalmosen" in the 15th and 16th centuries. Special attention is given to the question as to how the city's physicians, who claimed expert status superior to other healers and who had special authority to advise the authorities in keeping the city clean and healthy, declared and explained their problems in connection with the "examen leprosorum" on the occasion of the "Sondersiechenschau". From 1394 the city had opened its gates for three days in Holy Week leading up to Easter to offer clerical assistance, food and shelter to foreign lepers. This meant that people were cared for who would not usually have been admitted because they were foreigners as well as being leprous. The physicians' task within that charity was to discriminate between the leprous and foreign beggars, a task which caused serious problems when, in the 16th century, at times two thousand and more foreigners entered the imperial city during Holy Week. When, in 1571, the Nuremberg physician Kammermeister proposed to establish a "Collegium Medicum" in the city of Nuremberg, he described the procedure extensively. The authorities ignored the initial claim to establish a "Collegium Medicum" but requested each academically trained physician of the city to give a personal statement on the physicians' ability to seriously judge the foreigners who claimed to be leprous. Based primarily on these statements, the article hopes to shed some light on the Nuremberg "Sondersiechenalmosen", on the "examen leprosorum", and on the relation between medical judgement and medical authority in general.

Manifestaciones neurológicas de la lepra del rey Balduino IV de Jerusalén / Neurological evaluation of the leper king Balwing IV of Jerusalem

Introducción. Durante la Edad Media, los médicos fueron más conscientes de las manifestaciones de la lepra. El caso de Balduino, el rey leproso de Jerusalén (1161-1185), probablemente contribuyó a que en el mundo cristiano se incrementase el interés hacia esta enfermedad y la tolerancia hacia quienes la padecían. Revisamos las descripciones históricas de las manifestaciones neurológicas del cuadro clínico de este conocido rey. Desarrollo. Guillermo de Tiro proporciona una descripción de los primeros síntomas que presenta a los 9 años de edad, consistentes en hipoestesia en la mitad de su mano y brazo derechos, sin otras alteraciones cutáneas o nerviosas. Su cuadro clínico va empeorando y, al comienzo de la tercera década de la vida, la debilidad le impide caminar. Desarrolla una ceguera, en probable relación con una queratopatía secundariaa la afectación del VII par. Ataques repetidos de fiebre provocan un progresivo empeoramiento de su estado, y muere en Jerusalén,a la edad de 24 años, como consecuencia de la infección de sus úlceras. El primer signo de la enfermedad de Balduino es la anestesia; aunque no se describen lesiones cutáneas, es probable que sufriera una forma tuberculoide de lepra. La evolución posterior a una forma lepromatosa con grandes lesiones cutáneas hace pensar en un inicio con una forma borderline, inmunológicamente inestable. Conclusión. La biografía del rey leproso de Jerusalén proporciona interesantes descripciones de las manifestaciones neurológicas de su enfermedad. Además, da pistas acerca de los conocimientos que la medicina del siglo XII tenía de los síntomas de la lepra (AU)

Introduction. In the medieval period, physicians became more aware of leprosy symptoms and differentiated it from other similar diseases. Baldwin, the leper king of Jerusalem (1161-1185), probably contributed to an increasing interest and tolerance to this disease in medieval Christian states. We review historical descriptions of the neurological manifestations he developed. Development. William of Tyre gives us a description of first symptoms experienced by the prince when aged nine. He notices that half of his right arm and hand were partially numb. No skin or nervous lesions are described. By his early twenties, muscle weakness makes him unable to walk. He gets blinded, probably due to keratopathy related to facial nerves involvement. Repeated attacks of fever lead to progressive worsening of his disease. He finally dies in Jerusalem, aged twentyfive, probably due to a septicaemia from infected sores. The earliest sign of Baldwin’s disease is anaesthesia. Though skin lesions are not described, it is likely that at this point he had a tuberculoid form of leprosy. As his disease finally takes alepromatous form, we suspect that it began as a borderline, immunologically unstable form. Conclusion. Leper king Baldwin biography gives us interesting descriptions of neurological clinical features of leprosy. Besides, it helps us to discover twelfth century medicine knowledge about this disease (AU)

[Veganin's Leprosy Via Sacra]. / A Via Sacra da Hanseníase de Veganin.

Historical research was carried out with documentary analysis and oral history aiming at describing the biography and reviewing the painting of Veganin. Luiz Carlos de Souza was born in 1950 in Aimorés (MG) and at age of 16 years he was working in nursing at the Santa Casa de Misericórdia in Belo Horizonte. With 20 years he was hospitalized in Colônia Santa Isabel and is now known as " Veganin" . In Colônia worked in nursing, carpentry and painting. He painted in the style of Pop Art the tables's Via Sacra where shows the Passion of Christ with originality and social criticism. In his paintings he presents his resilience front of the disease and treatment. Died in Colônia Santa Fé (MG) in 1997.

A Via Sacra da Hanseníase de Veganin / La Via Sacra de la Lepra de Vaganin / Veganin's Leprosy Via Sacra

Foi realizada pesquisa histórica com análise documental e história oral objetivando descrever a biografia e analisar a pintura de Veganin. Luiz Carlos de Souza nasceu em 1950 em Aimorés (MG) e aos 16 anos foi trabalhar na enfermagem na Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Belo Horizonte. Com 20 anos foi internado na Colônia Santa Isabel (MG) e passou a ser conhecido como " Veganin" . Na Colônia trabalhou na enfermagem, marcenaria e pintura. Pintou no estilo da Pop Art os quadros da Via Sacra onde mostra a Paixão de Cristo com originalidade e crítica social. Nos quadros apresenta sua resiliência frente à hanseníase e ao tratamento. Faleceu na Colônia Santa Fé (MG) em 1997.

Historical research was carried out with documentary analysis and oral history aiming at describing the biography and reviewing the painting of Veganin. Luiz Carlos de Souza was born in 1950 in Aimorés (MG) and at age of 16 years he was working in nursing at the Santa Casa de Misericórdia in Belo Horizonte. With 20 years he was hospitalized in Colônia Santa Isabel and is now known as " Veganin" . In Colônia worked in nursing, carpentry and painting. He painted in the style of Pop Art the tables's Via Sacra where shows the Passion of Christ with originality and social criticism. In his paintings he presents his resilience front of the disease and treatment. Died in Colônia Santa Fé (MG) in 1997.

La investigación histórica se llevó a cabo con análisis documental y la historia oral con el objetivo de describir la biografía y la revisión de la pintura de Veganin. Luiz Carlos de Souza nació en 1950 en Aimorés (MG) y a la edad de 16 años estaba trabajando en enfermería en la Santa Casa de Misericordia de Belo Horizonte. Con 20 años fue hospitalizado en Colônia Santa Isabel y que ahora se conoce como " Veganin" . En Colônia trabajado en enfermería, carpintería y pintura. Pintó en el estilo Pop Art de los cuadros del Vía Sacra, donde se muestra la Pasión de Cristo con la originalidad y la crítica social.Los cuadros muestran su resistencia en relación la enfermedad y el tratamiento. Muerto en Colônia Santa Fé (MG) en 1997.

"Essentially Christian, eminently philanthropic": the Mission to Lepers in British India.

The early history of the Mission to Lepers in India is an interplay between politics, religion, and medicine in the context of British imperialism. The Mission pursued the dual but inseparable goals of evangelization and civilization, advancing not only a religious program but also a political and cultural one. These activities and their consequences were multi-faceted because while the missionaries pursued their religious calling, they also provided medical care to people and in places that the colonial government was unable or unwilling. Within the context of the British imperial program, the work imparted Western social and cultural ideals on the colonial populations they served, inculcated patients with Christian beliefs, and provided medical care to individuals who had been expelled from their own communities. Physical healing was intimately tied to religious salvation, spiritual healing, and the civilizing process.

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

There was a village which was called Yunosawa, lots of leprosy patients lived, existed from 1887 to 1941, Kusatu town, Gunma 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, the effort of residents and Christianity persons' activity are drawn in this paper. Moreover also drew what is desired how it is going to live under adverse circumstances, and showed worth of free medical-treatment area here.

Saints protectors from leprosy: historical hints of suggestive therapy?

A short overview of several saints, venerated in Christian tradition as protectors from leprosy, is offered as an introduction to a more substantial debate on the possibility and sense of analyzing historical sources and the use of their interpretation for modern medical practice. A possible psychoneuroimmunological mechanism has been advanced to relate some of the healings of leprosy reported in historical materials.

Psoriatic arthritis in a fifth-century Judean Desert monastery.

Psoriatic arthritis is a greatly underreported seronegative erosive arthropathy, due to the ambiguous lesions it leaves on bone in all but the most severe cases. For a confident diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis to be made, sacroiliac and intervertebral joint fusion must be present together with erosive lesions of the peripheral skeleton including most especially the terminal interphalangeal joints. In modern times it is only a small percentage of cases who experience such debilitating disease, which may explain who so few cases of psoriatic arthritis can confidently be identified from past populations. This report describes this pathological condition as observed in the comingled skeletal remains of nine males and one female from the tomb of Paulus in the Byzantine Monastery of Martyrius, in the Judean Desert. Visual study was complemented using radiographic techniques along with scanning electron microscopy. Two adult males show characteristic lesions of psoriatic arthritis, demonstrating the form known as arthritis mutilans. A third individual shows less widespread erosive lesions which may signify a pauciarticular example of psoriatic arthritis, as is true of most cases in modern times, or the remains may represent Reiter's disease. During the Byzantine period the earlier practise of expelling those with disfiguring diseases (biblical leprosy) evolved into a philanthropic, caring philosophy where the sick were housed and fed out of charity, often within monasteries. The presence of these cases of psoriatic arthritis within such a Judean Desert monastery confirms earlier suggestions that psoriasis was one of the diseases included by those in the ancient eastern Mediterranean under the umbrella term of biblical leprosy.

[Biwasaki Leprosarium--a century of dedication].

Biwasaki Leprosarium, or Biwasaki Tairo Hospital, was established by Father Jean Marie Corre, a French Priest, in 1898. He was born in Brittany France, 1850. After being ordained to the priesthood, he came to Nagasaki, Kyushu, in 1876. He was just twenty six years old. He was greatly moved at the sight of the Hansenites and other sick people around the Honmyoji Temple in Kumamoto, Kyushu, which is one of the well-known temples in Japan. They were making a bare living by the charitable contributions of the pilgrims who visited the Temple, in those days. Fr. Corre moved from Nagasaki to Kumamoto. First, he built a church in Tetori, Kumamoto, and rented a house near the Honmyoji and began to look after the needs of the Hansenites. In 1896, he bought a large lot at Biwasaki in the Shimasaki area, Kumamoto, where is not far from Honmyoji. He remodeled some houses into the so-called sanatorium and started to accommodate those suffering from Hansen's disease. At the outset, he had the cooperation of nuns and church workers to look after the patients' needs. Furthermore, Fr. Corre appealed to Rome for the help and/or support in 1898 in order to expand this kind of project, and five nuns were dispatched in the following year from the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in Rome. And since then the sisters have devoted themselves assiduously and faithfully to help the Hansenites as far as possible and they are still doing this. However, in 1963, a fire broke out from one of toilets and made a clear sweep of the whole building.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)