LEPRA

(Yunanca köken — orijinale bakınız.) The leprosy; a disease of the skin, characterized by scaly patches, nearly of a circular form. The cuticle becomes reddish and scaly; at first upon some one spot, often u|>on the knee, nnd thence grad comfortable,ually spreads and over most the unseemly body, which in appearance.becomes still' Friction,and un warm baths, sulphur baths, and afterwards slightly stimulating ointments, such as pitch ointment, or weak citrine ointment, with light and moderate diet, and careful abstinence from wine and stimulants, are the principnl means of cure. This disease appears to have been of much more frequent occurrence in ancient than in modem t.tin -: but it is generally believed that the lepers mentioned in the snered:iiul profane authors were afflicted with a dta rise resembling more that known by the name of elephantiasis than leprosy. [s. 673]