Three settlements, three different locations within Sarawak had housed Hansenites since the early 18th century.
The Hansen’s disease, more commonly known as Leprosy or the lepers disease, has heard a myriad of cries worldwide ever since its discovery in the late 17th century.
Numerous variations of myths has been shared all across the globe pertaining this one disease – back to when it had no cure. It fuels myths such as “it is hereditary”, “You had lived a wayward living style”, “You have angered God”, “You have been curse”.
With those myths born a stigma where hansenites were looked at differently. A distressing stigma where a hansenite walk in public had to wear different clothing or a bell to distinguish themselves from what the people wear back then, perceived as ‘normal beings’.
Many centuries had passed since then, the Hansen’s disease founded and named after a Norwegian physician Dr Gerhard Armauer Hansen in the late 1880s – the disease is now curable.
Cousins’ to tuberculosis, both bacteria shared the same family name Myco Bacterium Tuberculosis while Hansen’s disease is known as Myco Bacterium Leprae. With this disclosure, in 1907 the revelation deepens, the birth of Leprosy Ordinance 1907 which states whoever has Hansen’s disease, or suspected of having it MUST be confine to a settlement. With this ordinance, those who resist would be issued a warrant of arrest for detention.
But what is the Hansen’s disease exactly?
The air-borne bacteria, though it is contagious, it is not as easy to contract. Speaking on the subject, President of Heritage Society of Rajah Charles Brooke Memorial Hospital, Angeline Jong said, “It is easier to catch a cold than leprosy,” she also shared recent studies which had found that with a wrong genetic composition is also what decrease the probability of catching the bacteria.
Once caught though, it looks to be a mere lesion or red-patch on the affected area. However it is not immediate, as the bacteria would first remain dormant for maybe weeks, depending on its activity, it can also remain dormant even after years.
The lesion often camouflage as an insect bite would get bigger by time, accompanied with lost of sensation as a result of nerve attack which results in the next myth of the Hansen disease, “Your nose/hands would fall off.” In reality, it is just loosing sensation that even a cut would not feel obvious.
The myth states ‘fall off’ – this is due to amputation needed once wounded as without proper care and treatment, the disease affects the nerve and the blood circulation thus the slow healing process; the wounded area will then develop into gangrene.
“If you suspect to have the disease, you have to quickly inform, take the Multi-Drug Therapy with immediate effect, then you would be cured!”, adviced Angeline on the matter.
The hideous cure old people used
Back when technology is not the centre of our lives, where civilisation relies on the next best thing, the Hansen’s disease when first founded had no cure as people were clueless even of its existence.
In search for ways to kill the bacteria, a hideous fruit from the chaulmoogra tree was discovered as a cure. As it was hideous, people associated its features to a bad skin, they dried the fruit, then extract the oil from the seed, ‘little’ but when injected to the affected area, it becomes a painful life-long journey of injections that works!
According to Angeline, the fruit were used even back in the civilisation of Egypt, China and India, an-ages-ago cure to eczema and psoriasis.
Nevertheless the cure was not a prolong solution as while there are those who had cured, there are also those who are resistant to the fruit’s essential oil.
The Multi-Drug Therapy
“Somethings got to be done!” , in the 1940s , the first drug to cure was discovered. Goes by the medical term Dapsone, it however did not last as the bacteria had form a resistance towards the drug.
Over the 20 years after, multiple research done and drugs being used were to no avail. Either it was smelly or it had already discontinued due to reasons.
It was then, they decided “Let’s combine Dapsone, Rifampicin, and Clofazimine”. World Health Organisation (WHO) introduced this entity called the Multi-Drug Therapy Regimen in 1981 which is currently the best drug used up till present time.
The disease however has no current vaccine, with early detection can be cured with the said therapy.
The horrifying Stigma
Stories spread from the disease, and how society looks towards these patients are still negatively strong. Hansenites often portrayed as debilitated or having disfigured features may look displeasing, nevertheless just like you and me, they are also human.
Walking through its history, many sufferers had been traumatise by a gift, even they refuse to believe. From the exterior, they may appear strong, deep down inside they are crushed. “I want to be normal too” are among the cries society do not hear from them. “I just want to walk outside and have a stable income job in a company” cried a Hansenite who is pushed from society due to their feature.
By the looks, they seem different – when mentally and emotionally, birth from their mothers are the same as anyone taking a journey on earth. They are, no matter what, the same as any of us.
The Heritage of Rajah Charles Brooke Memorial Hospital welcomes those interested in learning the history, cultural impacts and also about the disease itself to visit the site situated at Padawan. They are also keen to receive attachments from schools, colleges and universities.
