The author of the Study of Medicine very properly observes, in reference to the frequent separating in many countries of those affected with this slighter disease from the healthy, that "although in most countries, where leprosy is a common malady, places of separate residence are usually allotted to those affected with it, under whatever modifications it may appear, this has rather been from an erroneous interpretation of the Jewish law, and an ignorance of the exceptions that are introduced into it."

M. Forskâl states, in confirmation of the assertion of Niebuhr, (1) "that one of the species of leprosy to which the Arabians are subject, is to the present day called Boak." The Arabs call a sort of leprosy, in which various spots cover the body,

Behaq; which is without doubt the same as is named bohac or behac, in the thirteenth chapter of Leviticus.

The

They believe it to be far from contagious, that one may lie with the person affected without danger. "On May 15, 1763," says he, "I myself first saw the eruption. called Bohak in a Jew at Mocha. spots of this eruption are of unequal size: they do not shine, are imperceptibly higher than the skin, and do not change the colour of the hair; the colour is of a dirty white, or rather reddish. This disorder is neither contagious nor hereditary, and does not cause any bodily inconvenience.' Hence," as Rosenmüller observes, appears why a person affected with the bohaq is declared in the above law not to be unclean."

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"it

The LEPRA NIGRICANS, which is the slighter variety of Tsorats, or contagious

and inveterate lepras, derives its name from the colour which the scales assume, --they

are not however really black; and the disease may be thus defined: " Scales glabrous, dusky or livid, without central depression; patches increasing in size, scattered or confluent, and contagious."

Celsus, and other ancient writers, considered this disease equally a superficial affection, as the aλpos, “Mexas, colore ab hoc differt, qui niger est, et umbræ similis : cætera eadem sunt." Therefore we are to conclude, that he deemed it, the colour excepted, to be the same disease in all its bearings.

There can be no doubt it is a misnomer, to term the eruption "black," as the Meλas so positively defines it. Celsus very properly qualifies the term "niger," which he applies to it, by adding "umbræ similis :" and Dr. Good assures us, that in such sense

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we are to understand the Jewish legislator; for the colour, as described by him, is rather darkling, obscure, or fuscous. 'The term used is cecha, whence the Latin cœcus: and it immediately imports obfuscous, or overcast with shade or smoke."

The slight account given by Moses of this variety (Berat-cecha) is however quite sufficient to identify it. "But if the priest look upon it, and behold there be no white hairs therein, and if it be not lower than the skin, but be somewhat dark, then the priest shall shut him up seven days."

"And, if it spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean."

Michaelis (1) says, "Precisely the same measures were adopted in the Island of Barbadoes, when the leprosy broke out

(1) Vide, Oriental Literature.

there. The patients were shut up for seven days; at the expiration of which time, it appeared whether the disease were the real leprosy, or only a coarser African itch, which is there called crocrow."

I shall now proceed to a brief consideration of the remaining variety: it is so fully described in the Sacred writings, that there is scarcely a word of explanation required. From its inveteracy, it may well be styled the leprosy, for LEPRA CANDIDA (Aeπра Mevkŋ) is, of all others, the disease that most completely undermines the constitution : taking that hold, which leaves little hope that the sufferer is ever to recover from its

devastating influence. It is defined as "having scales on an elevated base, which are glossy white, with a deep central depression, encircled with a red border; patches increasing in size; hairs on the patches, white or hoary, diffused over the body, and contagious."