World Leprosy Day 29th January

World Leprosy Day
is on the last Sunday in January, this year the 29th.
World Leprosy Day encourages prayer, fundraising, awareness and donations to aid those who have the disease. Over 100 countries are taking part and 2012's focus is transformation, focusing on Mozambique, one of the least developed countries in the world.
Leprosy, also known as Hansen's Disease, is caused by the bacillus, Mycobacterium leprae. Although spread by droplets from the nose and mouth - like colds and flu - it is not highly infectious.
It is curable by use of multidrug therapy (MDT). MDT consists of 3 drugs: dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine.
The World Health Organization is aiming to eliminate leprosy from as many places as possible, by working to have leprosy care integrated into health services, committing resources and funding and removing the stigma of having the disease.
Leprosy was known in ancient civilizations as far back as 600 BC and it is very well documented in the Medical History of British India reports.

(Photo credit: www.idealeprosydignity.org)

Cholera and cricket

If you are searching for an entry point into the Medical History of British India project I can recommend the Indian Medical Review. Written in 1938 by Major-General E.W.C. Bradfield, Director-General of the Indian Medical Service, this volume covers hospitals and dispensaries, medical education, tuberculosis, maternity, medico-legal work, medical societies, pharmacy and drugs control. There is a fascinating section on medical research in India, describing work carried out on key diseases such as malaria, cholera and leprosy, and also giving the histories and activities of medical institutions, some of which feature in the Medical Colleges collection. The Indian Medical Review features at the start of this collection and is at shelfmark IP/QB.3. In his leisure time I have discovered that Earnest William Charles Bradfield was a keen cricketer, so not only did he contribute to the British Empire's spread of medical practices but also to its sporting ones. He played for the Europeans (India) team from 1906-1923 in several Bombay and Madras Presidency matches. I would love to see some footage or photographs of those games!