Renaissance Advances and Persisting Challenges
The Renaissance era (14th to 17th centuries) saw renewed interest in anatomy, pathology, and clinical observation. Physicians began to classify diseases more systematically, but leprosy remained poorly understood and incurable.
- Persistent Isolation: Leprosy patients continued to be isolated, often in dedicated hospitals or colonies.
- Topical Treatments: Physicians experimented with various topical ointments, including mercury, sulfur, and arsenic compounds. These substances were toxic but were used in the hope of killing the “bad humors” or the invisible cause of leprosy.
- Herbal Medicines: Herbs such as chaulmoogra oil—derived from the seeds of the Hydnocarpus tree—became increasingly popular in traditional medicine, especially in India and China. This oil was thought to have healing properties against leprosy.
- Surgical Interventions: Amputation of severely affected limbs was sometimes performed to remove necrotic tissue and prevent secondary infections.
Chaulmoogra Oil: The First Effective Traditional Treatment
Chaulmoogra oil holds a special place in the history of leprosy treatment.
- Used in Indian traditional medicine for centuries, it was introduced to Western medicine in the 19th century.
- Administered topically or orally, some patients showed improvement, though treatment was slow and side effects were common.
It remained one of the best available treatments until the 20th century, despite its limited efficacy.shutdown123