l62 PROC. COTTESWOLD CLUB vol. xiii. (3) 



was most widespread in the Middle Ages that the malady 

 was both infectious and contagious, and in fact this belief 

 lay at the root of all the regulations that were passed ; and 

 yet Simpson says of the study of leprosy : 



" The investigation of the cause of the disease has, 

 more than in any other department of medicine, been 

 marked by belief without evidence and assertion without 

 facts." 



Brunelli said (and he was no mean authority) : 

 " L'opinione era contagiosa e non la malattia." 



In support of Brunelli's view it may be urged that — 



a. As I have said before, the limits of the diffusion 

 of leprosy are often very narrow and very clearly 

 defined. 



b. It may be seen in some parts of the world where 

 two races of men are living with complete inter- 

 course, and yet one race will be affected with 

 leprosy, and the other will be immune. 



c. I believe it is a fact that the cases are very rare 

 where there is even suspicion that one member of 

 a family has communicated it to another. 



d. Cases are innumerable where there are leprous 

 marriages with leprosy on one side only. 855 

 such cases were counted in the N.W. Provinces in 

 India, and in only, I think, two out of the number 

 did the free person become tainted during the 

 period of observation. A Parliamentary Report was 

 drawn up in 1867, consisting of answers sent from 

 Consuls and other officials in all parts of the world 

 to a series of questions framed by the College of 

 Physicians, and almost unanimously they reported 

 against the contagion theory. 



e. I believe there is no case on record where a nurse 

 or a physician in a leper-hospital has taken the 



