Leprosy In Medieval And Islamic Societies: Different Cultures & # 8217 ; Responses To The Same Disease Essay, Research Paper

Notes: This was written by Noah Feinberg for history 139A at UC Davis with Prof. Findlen It recieved an & # 8216 ; A & # 8217 ; even though

I wrote it in a few hours. Hope it comes in ready to hand, it perchance might be used for a spiritual surveies category every bit good.

Secular medical specialty and its attitudes towards leprosy in medieval Christian and Islamic communities were

influenced by societal and spiritual traditions. Lack of existent medical cognition allowed these influences to impact the

apprehension and intervention of disease, every bit good as the position of the lazar in society. Medieval positions of Hansen’s disease in

Christian and Islamic societies illustrated these thoughts. Despite their different civilizations and faiths, there were some

similar and correspondent trains of idea in the apprehension of this disease, but different attitudes prevailed every bit good.

Treatment and apprehension of leprosy in European society reflected many Christian thoughts. Fear of contagious disease

and the unpleasant sight of the disease & # 8217 ; s symptoms led to the pattern of dividing the lazar from the remainder of society

( Palmer, p.80 ) . This pattern besides reflected the scriptural thought of the lazar found in Leviticus, which calls for the & # 8220 ; dirty & # 8221 ;

lazar to be cut off wholly from society. In some countries priests performed Levitical rites of dividing the lazar from

society ( Palmer, p.81 ) . Lepers had their ain particular infirmaries and churches outside of town and metropolis walls, and had to

frock in particular attire placing their affliction. Leper infirmaries were under civic control, but spiritual influence

manifested itself in these establishments. At a infirmary in Verona, Italy, legislative acts required incoming patients confess to the

infirmary chaplain to derive admittance ( Palmer, p.85 ) . Lepers could lose legal rights in some countries ; being considered already

dead, their married womans could remarry and they could lose control of their will ( Palmer, p.81 ) .

Ideas as to the cause and intervention differed, but there were two chief conflicting subjects sing the cause

found in mediaeval Christian society. One thought of the cause of Hansen’s disease was wickedness. Sin in this instance particularly meant lechery.

Many doctors accepted the thought that Hansen’s disease was God & # 8217 ; s penalty for sexual surplus, and described lazars as sexually

depraved. Leprosy was though to be spread venereally ( Palmer, p.82 ) . However, another thought of leprosy conflicted with

the evildoer scenario. The other thought regarded lazars as being singled out by God to endure in their earthly life, delivering

their wickednesss for the hereafter ( Palmer, p.84 ) . Again, scriptural case in point explained this position with the narrative of Lazarus and the

rich adult male: Agonies in this universe were compensated for in the following. ( Luke 16: 19-25, as reprinted in Palmer, p.84 ) . The

intervention lazars obtained frequently depended mostly on their religion either in medical specialty or faith. The Christian church

advocated righteous populating including vows, pilgrim’s journeies, emanations, and charity work to forestall geting the disease.

This emphasized the importance the church placed on mending the psyche over the organic structure ( Siraisi, p.8 ) . For those already

afflicted, praying for forgiveness and Acts of the Apostless of piousness offered possibility of a remedy. The most popular spiritual intervention

involved praying to certain saints, along with pilgrim’s journeies to their shrines with the hope that the saint would mediate

with God on their behalf. Lepers would eat and kip outside the saints grave, waiting to be cured ( Palmer, p.87 ) . If a

leper sought T

reatment from a doctor, it would normally dwell of venesection, drug, and regimen therapy to free bad

wits from the system.

Medieval Islamic society differed from European thoughts, but parallel subjects were apparent. Islamic society dealt

with leprosy in many similar ways as Christian society did. Avoiding contact with lazars was one such manner. Mohammed

the Prophet stated the Muslims should fly from a lazar as they would fly from a king of beasts. Another tradition stated that the

healthy should non be around lazars for long periods of clip, and & # 8220 ; should maintain a spear & # 8217 ; s distance from them. & # 8221 ; ( Dols,

p.895 ) . Another parallel subject was the thought that Hansen’s disease was God & # 8217 ; s penalty for immorality, but this thought was non

about as widespread and influential as it was in Christian Europe. Lepers in Islamic society besides had their legal rights

limited in similar ways as European lazars. Despite these similar subjects, there were many cardinal differences in

their topographic point in society, intervention, and apprehension of the disease.

Unlike Christian society, lazars did non ever face entire expatriate from the community, although in some countries

lazars were segregated in leprosaria ( Dols, p.898 ) . Lepers did non confront stigmatisation to the extent that European lazars

did. The Koran did non hold any transitions comparable to Leviticus, so Muslims did non hold a spiritual ground to make a

particular group for lazars and wholly expatriate the afflicted as the Christians did ( Dols, pp.913-914 ) . Islamic society & # 8217 ; s deficiency of

concrete societal strata and demand of belonging to groups as found in Christian society besides helps explicate why lazars did non

face such utmost persecution in Islamic society. Mild instances of Hansen’s disease could be treated in the place, reflecting the sense

of familial duty in Islamic society dating to antiquity ( Dols, pp. 914-915 ) . The medical intervention of Hansen’s disease was

different in Islamic society. Unlike most Christians in Europe, Muslims favored hot spring therapy for the disease.

However, many of these hot springs were shrines associated with spiritual divinities, reflecting the hope of Godhead

intercession to bring around the ailing lazar in Islamic every bit good as in Christian societies ( Palmer, pp. 903-905 ) .

In decision, intervention and apprehension of leprosy varied well in Christian and Islamic societies.

Christian Europe adopted Levitical jurisprudence in covering with lazars, act uponing doctors every bit good as citizens with the thought that

lazars must be expelled from society. Lepers in Europe were encouraged by the church to pray and atone in hope of a

godly remedy. Pilgrimages to assorted shrines of different saints besides reflected this thought. Muslim societies did non hold such

spiritual ardor in their traffics with the disease, and their deficiency of extremely defined societal groups allowed the lazar more

freedom in society. Islamic society & # 8217 ; s traditions besides placed more accent on the duty of the household in caring for

the afflicted. Pilgrimages to hot springs associated with spiritual existences played a big portion in the intervention of Islamic

lazars. Last, this was correspondent to pilgrim’s journeies to spiritual shrines in Christian Europe.

Bibliography

R. Palmer, & # 8220 ; The Church, Leprosy and Plague in Medieval and Early Modern Europe, & # 8221 ; Surveies In Church History, 19

( 1982 ) : 79-99

M.W. Dols, & # 8220 ; The Leper in Medieval Islamic Society, & # 8221 ; Speculum 58 ( 1983 ) : 891-916

Siraisi, Nancy G. Medieval and Early Renaissance Medicine: An Introduction to Knowledge and Practice. Chicago: The

University of Chicago Press, 1990