220 NATURAL HISTORY 
LETTER XXXVir. 
TO THE SAME. 
DEAR SIR, Seleorne, Jan. S, 177S. 
Th ere was in this village feveral years ago a miferable pauper, 
who, from his birth, was afflided with a leprofy, as far as we are 
aware of a fingular kind, fince it afFefted only the palms of his 
hands and the foles of his feet. This fcaly eruption ufually broke 
out twice in the year, at the fpring and fall ; and, by peeling away, 
left the fkin fo thin and tender that neither his hands or feet were 
able to perform their fundiions ; fo diat the poor objed: was half 
his time on crutches, incapable of employ, and languifhing in a 
tirefome ftate of indolence and inadtivity. His habit was lean, 
lank, and cadaverous. In this fad plight he dragged on a miferabls 
exiftence, a burden to himfelf and his parifli, which was obliged to 
fupport him till he was relieved by death at more than thirty years 
of age. 
The good women, who love to account for every defect in chil- 
dren by the dodlrine of longing, faid that his mother felt a violent 
propenfity for oyfters, which flie was unable to gratify; and that 
the black rough fcurf on his hands and feet were the fnells of that 
.fifh. We knew his parents, neither of which were lepers; his 
, father in particular lived to be far advanced in years. 
In all ages the leprofy has made dreadful havock among man- 
kind. The IfraeUtes fecm to have been greatly afflided with it 
from 
