238 NATURAL HISTORY 
feet were the shells of that fish. We knew his parents, 
neither of which were lepers ; his father^ in particular^ lived 
to be far advanced in years. 
In all ages the leprosy has made dreadful havoc among 
mankind. The Israelites seem to have been greatly afflicted 
with it from the most remote times ; as appears from the 
peculiar and repeated injunctions given them in the Levi- 
tical law.^ I^or was the rancour of this foul disorder much 
abated in the last period of their commonwealth, as may be 
seen in many passages of the New Testament. 
Some centuries ago, this horrible distemper prevailed all 
Europe over ; and our forefathers were by no means exempt, 
as appears by the large provision made for objects labouring 
under this calamity. There was an hospital for female 
lepers in the diocese of Lincoln, a noble one near Durham, 
three in London and Southwark, and perhaps many more 
in or near our great towns and cities. Moreover, some 
crowned heads, and other wealthy and charitable personages, 
bequeathed large legacies to such poor people as languished 
under this hopeless infirmity. 
It must, therefore, in these days be, to a humane and 
thinking person, a matter of equal wonder and satisfaction, 
when he contemplates how nearly this pest is eradicated, 
and observes that a leper now is a rare sight. He will, 
moreover, when engaged in such a train of thought, natu- 
rally inquire for the reason. This happy change perhaps 
may have originated and been continued from the much 
smaller quantity of salted meat and fish now eaten in these 
kingdoms; from the use of linen next the skin; from the 
plenty of better bread ; and from the profusion of fruits, 
roots, legumes, and greens, so common in every fai^ily. 
Three or four centuries ago, before there were any enclo- 
sures, sown-grasses, field-turnips, or field-carrots, or hay, all 
the cattle which had grown fat in summer, and were not 
killed for winter use, were turned out soon after Michaelmas 
to shift as they could through the dead months ; so that no 
fresh meat could be had in winter or spring. Hence the 
See Leviticus, chap. xiii. and xiv. 
