RAT LEPROSY. 



By Walter R. BRiNCKEEHorF, S. B., M. D., 



Assistant Director Leprosy Investigation Station, United States Public Health and 



Marine-Hospital Service, Honolulu, Hawaii. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The leprosy-like disease of the rat is of great interest to lepro- 

 logists because of its close similarity to the disease leprosy in man. 

 Its practical importance to those engaged in the study of the human 

 disease is increased by the fact that it can be artificially propagated 

 under laboratory conditions from animal to animal and, still more 

 important, can be transferred from the species in which it occurs 

 naturally {Mus norvegicus) to a more tractable laboratory animal 

 (Mus albus). The brief description of the affection which follows 

 is intended to assist in its recognition and to stimulate the interest 

 of investigators in the disease, which presents problems replete with 

 interest to the study of pathology or bacteriology and of great 

 promise to those engaged in the investigation of human leprosy. It is 

 earnestly hoped that the investigation of this disease will be under- 

 taken in general medical research laboratories, as it is extremely 

 probable that certain of the most difficult problems presented by 

 leprosy in man can be studied in this disease of the rat, and if solved 

 there the information gained can be directly appUed to the solution 

 of the analogous problems in the human disease. 



REVIEW OF LITERATURE. 



The first publication on rat leprosy was made by Stefansky (1903), 

 who observed the disease in Odessa during an antiplague campaign 

 against rats. 



Rabinowitch (1903) found the disease among rats in Berlin and 

 confirmed the work of Stefansky. 



Dean (1903) discovered the disease independently in London, and 

 ia a later publication (1905) reports success in transferring the disease 

 by artificial inoculation. 



Tidswell (1906) reports a case of the disease in a rat caught in 

 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 

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