Gone Medieval

Leprosy in the Middle Ages

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Episode notes

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It’s a condition that can have a devastating effect on those who catch it, affecting the skin, the eyes, the peripheral nerves and the respiratory tract in people of all ages.  It’s also a disease with a lot of stigma and myths attached to it, many of them dating back to the Middle Ages. The image of the medieval leper as an outcast from society is a familiar one—but is it accurate? To find out more Cat chats with Dr Simon Roffey, a Reader in Medieval Archaeology at the University of Winchester. Don’t forget to leave us a rating and review while you're here! For more Gone Medieval content, subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to the Android or Apple store  

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