302 Dn. Aikslie's Observations on the Lepra Arabum. 



son's Elephantiasis Tuberculata, and Elephantiasis Anaisthetos, I consider 

 them as the same disease in every instance, only differing a little in the 

 symptoms in different habits, owing to age, mode of living, peculiar state 

 of the body, &c. 



The appearances of tlie body on dissection do not throw much light on 

 the peculiar nature of the malady, furtlier than that I liave observed in such 

 cases the heart to be usually small, and the arterial system altogether 

 shrunk and collapsed : the liver I have in one or two instances found 

 indurated, and the gall bladder for the most part distended with viscid and 

 very dark coloured bilej the contents of the abdomen had, generally 

 speaking, an unusually pale and wasted appearance ; the bones, when laid 

 bare, were dry and brittle; the testicles, in one or two instances, were 

 almost entirely obliterated ; and, on opening the head, it has appeared to 

 me that there was a more than ordinary determination of the blood to the 

 membranes of the brain. 



Besides the Lepra Arabum, there are several other cutaneous or leprous 

 disorders but too common in India. The Lepra Gra^corum is much less 

 frequent, however, than that which we have made the subject of tliis paper : 

 the Hindus of Lower Lidia term it Venkiistam, also Shevutay cuday 

 mayghtim, from a notion that it is occasioned by the bite of a small red 

 reptile with numerous legs ; it is often to be seen in the Malay countries, 

 and there has the name of Sakit Bercildis, or scaly disease. 



The Elephas, or Barbadoes leg, I have already had occasion to mention. 



The Leiice of the Greeks (Aiux,;;) is the Vallay Icustam of the Tamools, 

 and the white Baras or Beres Abez of tiie Arabians ; in Duklini it is Siifaid 

 khdre ; and in Telliughoo, Telia kustam. Haly Abbas has exactly described 

 this affection in his Theoria (cap. xvi. lib. 8). It is but a trifling evil 

 compared with the Elephantiasis of the Greeks ; and does not appear to 

 have called forth much attention amongst modern medical writers. Celsus* 

 has placed it under the same head with Alphas and ]\.Ielas, considering the 

 three affections as different species of vitiligo : though certainly the Leitce 

 bears no resemblance whatever to the otlier two, which are nothing more 

 than slight and innocent desquamations of the scarf skin ; the one called 

 alphas, from its wiiite colour, tlie second melas, from its black. The first of 



Vide Celsus, lib. v. cap. xxviii. 



I 



