For centuries, millions of Europeans suffering from leprosy were shunned by society, made to wear bells that signaled to healthy citizens they were nearby. The infectious illness, also known as Hansen’s Disease, was poorly understood, often believed to be
For centuries, millions of Europeans suffering from leprosy were shunned by society, made to wear bells that signaled to healthy citizens they were nearby. The infectious illness, also known as Hansen’s Disease, was poorly understood, often believed to be hereditary or a punishment from God. At its height, nearly one in 30 had the disease in some regions; by the 13th century, the number of leper hospitals active in Europe hit its peak at 19,000. Then, in the 16th century, the affliction fell into decline. Soon, it had virtually disappeared from the continent.
The pathogen responsible for leprosy was discovered in 1873 in Norway, squashing previous assumptions about its cause. The earliest written mention of leprosy, one of the oldest-known pathogens to plague humans, appeared in 600 B.C. in China. Historical records show it plagued ancient Greek, Egyptia