Transactions of the Detroit Medical and Library Association

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1891 Excerpt: ... BY N. B. EMERSON, A. M., M. D., Honolulu, HaWaIIaN ISLaNDS. According to the revelations of science, leprosy is due to the presence in the tissues of a micro-organism called the bacillus leprae. It is the manner of the distribution of these and the special symptoms they occasion, according to the region they elect as their habitat in different cases, that determine the name by which the form of the disease is designated. (1) In the one case they so locate as to produce those protuberances which are called tubercles, in which event the case is said to be of the tubercular form. (2) Again when these bacilli are distributed along the nerve branches, they give rise to trophic and sensory symptoms--anaesthesia and atrophy--and such cases are said to be of the nervous or anaesthetic form. (3) There is thirdly a form called macular, of which the chief manifestations are patches of skin presenting a change of color. As to Location.--These spots or patches are most numerous, I should say, on the trunk, forearms, thighs, face, and legs, that being about the order of frequency. As to Size.--The leprous patches or macules vary in size from a pea to that of the hand or even larger, and those of large size are often of uneven contour. As to Color.--In a dark skinned race, the Hawaiian, for instance, there is at first a partial bleaching, a partial loss of color in the affected areas, causing yellowness, or grayness, which is most apparent in the periphery or border of the patch. I must not fail to note that in some cases the color of the LEPROSY. patches is a sort of yellowish pink, which may be intensified in certain stages perhaps of heightened blood supply--hyperaemia--into an almost absolute pink. But of this feature, time will not permit me to go further into detail...