Atkin Natalie J
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.
Clin Dermatol. 2018 May-Jun;36(3):421-425. doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2017.11.004. Epub 2017 Dec 1.
For centuries, patients afflicted with the peripheral nerve damaging disease, leprosy-sometimes referred to as Hansen's Disease-were excluded from society and harshly stigmatized. Such stigmatization often stemmed from the belief that the disease was a punishment by G-d for wrongdoing. Leprosy's origins remain rooted throughout various European countries; however, the disease established its presence in North America around the late 18th century. In particular, major port cities that experienced high volume trade, such as New Orleans, were most susceptible to infection. In response to the ensuing Louisiana leprosy endemic, various medical pioneers established the first hospital in America dedicated solely to the treatment of lepers, the Carville Leprosarium. The World Health Organization's treatment recommendation, multidrug therapy, is one of many lifesaving discoveries made at the facility located nearly 70 miles north of New Orleans. Since opening in 1894, the Carville Leprosarium has treated hundreds of Americans infected with Mycobacterium leprae, the disease-causing agent responsible for leprosy.
几个世纪以来，患有周围神经损伤疾病麻风病（有时也被称为汉森氏病）的患者被社会排斥，并受到严厉的污名化。这种污名化往往源于一种观念，即这种疾病是上帝对恶行的惩罚。麻风病起源于欧洲各国；然而，18世纪末左右它在北美出现。特别是像新奥尔良这样贸易量大的主要港口城市，最容易受到感染。为应对随之而来的路易斯安那州麻风病流行，众多医学先驱建立了美国第一家专门治疗麻风病人的医院——卡维尔麻风病疗养院。世界卫生组织推荐的多药疗法，是在新奥尔良以北近70英里处的这家机构取得的众多挽救生命的发现之一。自1894年开业以来，卡维尔麻风病疗养院已经治疗了数百名感染麻风分枝杆菌（导致麻风病的病原体）的美国人。
