Hansen's Disease?

[matheatre]

(marc)

We are officially back on the road, we did a show yesterday, it was good, but the memory of it has already faded and been replaced by an NPR report on Hansen's Disease. I understand the intention of calling it Hansen's Disease but really? Hansen's Disease?

Comments

[purplesquirrel]

Hanson's Disease would be better.

[fish0251]

I don't get it. What's wrong with "Hansen's Disease"?

Hansen's disease

[anonymous]

I think it's called that because Hansen might have been the person who discovered it. That's often how stuff like this gets named. I realize it sounds like Hansen may have had it, which may also have been the case!

Gail

[matheatre]

I dunno,

It just seems a strange idea to start repackaging diseases. I understand that Leprosy has strong connotations, but language is about establishing a common understanding.

Before today if someone said to me, "I have Hansen's disease." I would assume it to be something relatively benign, because if it was dangerous I would have heard of it.

Would I treat this person with more humanity and less fear? Definitely.

Would that put me at a greater risk of infection? I think so.

Leprosy/Hansen's Disease is a scary thing, because we still don't fully understand how it is transmitted and it is important for people to know what they're dealing with.

I think it is important to show the sick compassion, but with full understanding of what they actually have.