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leprosymore about leprosy

leprosy


  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Leprosy  \Lep"ro*sy\  (l[e^]p"r[-o]*s[y^]),  n.  [See  {Leprous}.] 
  (Med.) 
  A  cutaneous  disease  which  first  appears  as  blebs  or  as 
  reddish,  shining,  slightly  prominent  spots,  with  spreading 
  edges.  These  are  often  followed  by  an  eruption  of  dark  or 
  yellowish  prominent  nodules,  frequently  producing  great 
  deformity.  In  one  variety  of  the  disease,  an[ae]sthesia  of 
  the  skin  is  a  prominent  symptom.  In  addition  there  may  be 
  wasting  of  the  muscles,  falling  out  of  the  hair  and  nails, 
  and  distortion  of  the  hands  and  feet  with  destruction  of  the 
  bones  and  joints.  It  is  incurable,  and  is  probably 
  contagious. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  leprosy 
  n  :  chronic  granulomatous  communicable  disease  occurring  in 
  tropical  and  subtropical  regions  [syn:  {Hansen's  disease}] 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Leprosy 
  (Heb.  tsara'ath,  a  "smiting,"  a  "stroke,"  because  the  disease 
  was  regarded  as  a  direct  providential  infliction).  This  name  is 
  from  the  Greek  lepra,  by  which  the  Greek  physicians  designated 
  the  disease  from  its  scaliness.  We  have  the  description  of  the 
  disease,  as  well  as  the  regulations  connected  with  it  in  Lev. 
  13;  14;  Num.  12:10-15,  etc  There  were  reckoned  six  different 
  circumstances  under  which  it  might  develop  itself  (1)  without 
  any  apparent  cause  (Lev.  13:2-8);  (2)  its  reappearance  (9-17); 
  (3)  from  an  inflammation  (18-28);  (4)  on  the  head  or  chin 
  (29-37);  (5)  in  white  polished  spots  (38,  39);  (6)  at  the  back 
  or  in  the  front  of  the  head  (40-44). 
 
  Lepers  were  required  to  live  outside  the  camp  or  city  (Num. 
  5:1-4;  12:10-15,  etc.).  This  disease  was  regarded  as  an  awful 
  punishment  from  the  Lord  (2  Kings  5:7;  2  Chr.  26:20).  (See 
  {MIRIAM};  {GEHAZI};  {UZZIAH}.) 
 
  This  disease  "begins  with  specks  on  the  eyelids  and  on  the 
  palms,  gradually  spreading  over  the  body,  bleaching  the  hair 
  white  wherever  they  appear,  crusting  the  affected  parts  with 
  white  scales,  and  causing  terrible  sores  and  swellings.  From  the 
  skin  the  disease  eats  inward  to  the  bones,  rotting  the  whole 
  body  piecemeal."  "In  Christ's  day  no  leper  could  live  in  a 
  walled  town,  though  he  might  in  an  open  village.  But  wherever  he 
  was  he  was  required  to  have  his  outer  garment  rent  as  a  sign  of 
  deep  grief,  to  go  bareheaded,  and  to  cover  his  beard  with  his 
  mantle,  as  if  in  lamentation  at  his  own  virtual  death.  He  had 
  further  to  warn  passers-by  to  keep  away  from  him  by  calling 
  out  'Unclean!  unclean!'  nor  could  he  speak  to  any  one  or 
  receive  or  return  a  salutation,  since  in  the  East  this  involves 
  an  embrace." 
 
  That  the  disease  was  not  contagious  is  evident  from  the 
  regulations  regarding  it  (Lev.  13:12,  13,  36;  2  Kings  5:1). 
  Leprosy  was  "the  outward  and  visible  sign  of  the  innermost 
  spiritual  corruption;  a  meet  emblem  in  its  small  beginnings,  its 
  gradual  spread,  its  internal  disfigurement,  its  dissolution 
  little  by  little  of  the  whole  body,  of  that  which  corrupts, 
  degrades,  and  defiles  man's  inner  nature,  and  renders  him  unmeet 
  to  enter  the  presence  of  a  pure  and  holy  God"  (Maclear's 
  Handbook  O.T).  Our  Lord  cured  lepers  (Matt.  8:2,  3;  Mark 
  1:40-42).  This  divine  power  so  manifested  illustrates  his 
  gracious  dealings  with  men  in  curing  the  leprosy  of  the  soul, 
  the  fatal  taint  of  sin. 
 




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