RESULTS OF INVESTIGATION FOR THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED IN LEPROSY

Abstract

In order to grasp the actual condition of the "physically handicapped" in leprosy, 1, 209 patients (755 cases of Lepromatous type and 454 cases of Tubercujoid type) were examinedwith the following results.
Among the examined, 940 cases (77.7%) were diagnosed as the crippled ; 295 cases (24.4%) having an impediment only in the upper evtremity, 54 cases (4.4%) only in the lower, and 591 cases (48.8%) both in the upper and the lower extremity.
The disturbance of upper limbs were seen in 1584 (65.5%), the claw finger in 5, 247(43.4%), 3, 141 of which showed the ankylosed finger. The wrist-drop was found in 143(5.9%), 864 (35.7%) showed the hands being lack of opposition in the thumb. 1, 024 (42.3%) showed the disturbance of lower limbs, 55 (22.7%) the ankle-drop, and 162 (6.6%) theamputated lower thigh.
The graduation table (in six classes) established by the Disabled Persons Welfare Law, was applied in 797 cases (65.9% to the amount), 69 cases (5.7%) to the first class, 157cases (12.9%) to the second, 302 cases (24.9%) to the third, and 269 cases (22.2%) to therest.
The combination of visual disturbances with disturbance of morility was very fequent in L-type casses. The handicapped was 833 in total, i. e. 68.8% of the examined. In these cases, 36 patients had only visual disturbances, 246 both disturbances of visual acuity and that of motility of limbs, and the rest only disturbances of extremity.