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Article
February 1960

Diffuse Leprosy: Case in a Louisiana Negro

Author Affiliations

New Orleans

Senior Surgeon, U.S.P.H.S. Hospital (Dr. Walsh).; From the Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine and the Charity Hospital of Louisiana.; From the Department of Pathology, Louisiana State University School of Medicine and the Charity Hospital of Louisiana (Dr. Samuels).

AMA Arch Derm. 1960;81(2):210-224. doi:10.1001/archderm.1960.03730020046009
Abstract

It was in 1852 that Lucio and Alvarado described a form of leprosy as "Lepra manchada ó lazarina" which had been observed by them at the San Lázaro Hospital in Mexico City. Although their description was excellent, this form of the disease was essentially forgotten until it was restudied by Prof. Fernando Latapí. In addition to circumscribed, erythematous spots ("manchas"), chiefly on the extremities, which went on to vesiculation, superficial necrosis and scarring, other salient features were summarized by Lucio and Alvarado (p. 10) as follows: "In general, the loss of the eyebrows is of such value for diagnosis, that united with the diminution of sensitivity and the disease of the nasal mucosa which we will mention later, without there being any other alteration, one may be sure that an individual is attacked by the disease of San Lázaro and that this will very probably manifest itself in the spotted

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