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Summary of audience discussion: Because people write about 

 what is important to them, texts may be a useful source of informa- 

 tion regarding disease in past periods even if the purpose of the text 

 is nonmedical. If the described condition is really leprosy, the tex- 

 tual emphasis on peripheral, dermatological involvement is surpris- 

 ing. The fact that skin changes occur early appears to be an inade- 

 quate explanation since the comment regarding virility suggests 

 testicular involvement which occurs much later. Another limitation 

 is the fact that this manuscript is obviously a curse, and therefore 

 should not be expected to be a precise description of a disease. An 

 acute, lethal disease involving predominantly skin may be more 

 likely. A recent translation of the Egyptian Ebers Papyrus does not 

 mention lepromatous leprosy. 



Zagreb Paleopathology Symp. 1988 



