474 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1720. 



much more frequent; not but that the far greater number of those who were 

 formerly said to be leprous, were really venereal, seems to be very evident; for 

 since that disease has been separated from the leprosy, it has drawn off such 

 vast numbers, that the leprosy is become as it were a perfect stranger to us. 



Those that are acquainted with our English history, well know the great 

 provision that was anciently made throughout all England for leprous persons, 

 insomuch that there was scarcely a considerable town but had a lazar-house for 

 such patients. In a register belonging to one of these houses, I find there 

 were in Henry the 8th's time, six of them near London, (viz.) at Knight's- 

 bridge. Hammersmith, Highgate, Kingsland, .the Lock, and at Mile-end ; but 

 about 40 years before, I find only four mentioned; and in 1452, in the will 

 of Ralph Holland, Merchant-Taylor, registered in the Prerogative Office, 

 mention is made of only three, which, with his legacies to them, are as follow. 

 Item lego Leprosis de Lokes, extra Barram Sti Georgii 20s. Item lego Leprosis 

 de Hackenay (which is that at Kingsland) 20s. Item lego Leprosis Sti Egidii 

 extra Barram de Holborn 40s. From which it is worth while to observe, that 

 the Lock beyond St. George's church, and that at Kingsland, are at this time 

 applied to no other use than for the entertainment and cure of such as have 

 the venereal malady. 



Some of our learned antiquaries have been much at a loss for the cause why 

 the leprosy should be so common in those early times, and so little known 

 among us now: but I believe the reason will be impossible to be assigned, un- 

 less we allow, according to the proofs which I have already brought, that the 

 venereal disease was so blended with it, as to make up the number of the dis- 

 eased. It seems to have been the same thing with those in France, as with us: 

 for the author of the history of that kingdom, which was lately published here 

 in two volumes in octavo, tells us that the house of the fathers of the mission 

 of St. Lazarus, was formerly an hospital for leprous people; but that disease 

 having ceased in this last age, since the pox has been distinguished from it, 

 these lazar houses have been converted to other uses; and it may not be 

 foreign to my purpose to notice, that the writ de Leproso amovendo, contained 

 in the register of writs was, according to Coke upon Littleton, to prevent 

 leprous persons associating themselves with their neighbours, who appear to be 

 so by their voice and their sores ; and the putrefaction of their flesh : and by 

 their stench. The method then to prevent this noisome and filthy distemper, 

 the leprosy, after the usual method, was castration. It is certain that eunuchs 

 are rarely or never troubled with the leprosy, according to M. le Prestre, a 

 counsellor in the parliament of Paris, (Centur. 1. Cap. 6. de separatione ex 

 causa Luis Venereagj) whose words are to this efi^ect. " Antipathy resists the 



