Holy medicine: Patron saints of wounds due to animal bites.

The cult (system of religious beliefs and rituals) of saints in Western Europe appeared in the 3rd century CE and gained momentum from the 4th to the 6th centuries. Its importance for European society in late antiquity and the early Middle Ages was undeniable; holy medicine was the only hope for sick people because the number of physicians was insufficient, and usually physicians were helpless in the face of most of the ailments that plagued society at that time. The number of saints had increased over the years, and people sought medical help from them through prayer and other religious practices. Some saints "specialized" in the treatment of various wounds, including skin diseases. Our research revealed many saints who were patrons of wounds and skin. They can be collected in three groups: patron saints against snakebites and dog bites; patron saints of the treatment of wounds, ulcers, burns, and frostbite; and patron saints against spreadable diseases such as ergotism, leprosy, and scabies. The large number of saints who were patrons against snakebites and dog bites shows the relevance and importance of the problem. In our research, we tried to find out whether the cult of saints led to the development of hospitals for the treatment of skin diseases like ergotism in the hospital of Brother St. Anthony or only in miracles of healing emphasizing the power of faith in the cure of diseases.

Wanda Blenska and the program of leprosy treatment in Uganda.

Wanda Blenska (1911-2014), a Polish physician, established a leprosy treatment center in the village of Buluba in Uganda in 1951, which lasted until 1993. Through her efforts, the village for lepers in Buluba, established in 1934, which had previously been a place of isolation conducted by the Little Sisters of St. Francis in Uganda, became such an important leprosy treatment and research center that eventually the facility was able to cooperate with similar centers in India and South Africa. It then became affiliated with research institutes in London and Amsterdam; the Borstel Research Institute near Hamburg, Germany; and the World Health Organization. Blenska developed a working relationship with the government of Uganda and contributed to changes in the government provision of health care for lepers by creating a network of leprosy treatment stations throughout the country. Through her efforts, public health education and leprosy prophylaxis became available for thousands of people, effectively changing the national attitude toward this disease. In 1994, one of the buildings of the St. Francis hospital complex in Buluba was named in her honor (The Wanda Blenska Training Centre).