The present report refers to the heart-weight of lepers. The material treated are the records upon 1225 lepers dissected in the Zensei-Byoin (leprosorium at Higashi-murayamamura, Tokyo) during the past 30 years from 1909 to 1938. Those suspected of heart diseases are omitted; thus 1045 cases (822 males and 255 females) ranging from 15 to 75 years of age remained for the investigation. The hearts were all dissected after the Virchows method within 24 hours after death.
The results obtaind are summarized as follows:
1) The weight of leprous hearts is on the average 238.5 ±2.1g. in male and 24.7±3.9g. in female, the diferense between both sexes being 24g; that is the female heart is smaller in weight by about 10% than the male in lepers.
2) The leprous hearts are usually smaller in weight by about 30g. in male, and by about 11g. in female in comparison with the healthy one.
3) The age, at which the heart-weight of lepers reaches to the maximum, is from 55 to 59 in both sexes.
4) The hearts in cases of lepra tuberosa are generally smaller in weight than those of lepra maculo-nervosa. In cases of lepra tuberosa the heart weight is 236.4g. in male, 211, 8g. in female, while in cases of lepra maculo nervosa 255.9g, in male, 242.0g. in female.
5) There exists a close correlation between heart-weight and body-length or weight;
6) A close correlation is found between the heat-weight and the duration of the disease as well as the age, at which the onset of the disease is noticed. The earlier the onset or the longer the duration of the disease, the lighter is the heart weight in general.

View full abstract

In this paper statistical observation is made in the weight of spleen of lepers dissected in the Zensei-Byoin (The leprosorium at Higashi-murayama- mura, Tokyo) during the past thirty years from 1909 to 1938. Out of 1252 cases 176 are excluded due to apparent pathological changes of the spleen. Thus 1076 cases (850 males and 226 females) are taken for the purpose of this study. The spleens are removed ordinarily within 24 hours after death. The data obtained are shown in the tables; the results could be summarised as follows.
1) The weight of spleen is on the average 209.5g. in male and 180.8g. in female. It shows that the difference between male and female in the spleen-weight is 28.7g.; in other wards, the spleen of females is smaller in weight by about 14 percent than that of males.
2) In the both sexes the spleen of lepers is usually greater in weight by about 71g, than that of healthy persons.
3) The age, at which the spleen reachs to the maximum in weight, is from 20 to 24 years in both sexes.
4) The spleen is generally greater in weight in cases of lepra tuberosa (213.9g. in male, and 198.2g. in females) than in cases of lepra maculosa (157.9g. males, and 109.7g. females).
5) Between the spleen-weight and the body-weight or length there is found no correlation.
6) It is noticeable that a close correlation is demonstrated between the spleen-weight and the duration the disease. The later the disease begins, the lighter is the spleen in weight.
7) The variation is greater in the weight of spleen than in that of other organs such as the brain and heart.

View full abstract

The present report refers to the liver-weight of lepers. The materialare selected from the 284 cases dissected in Zensei-Byoin (leprosorium atHigashi-murayamamura, Tokyo) during thirty years from 1909 to 1938, anKuryu-Rakusen-Yen (National leprosorium) during seven years from 1932 to1939. The materials which were suspected to have special diseases in theliver or other predominant complications were excluded from considerationthus 1033 cases (808 malesand 225 females aged from 15 to 75 years) remainingfor the investigation. The livers are examined within 24 hours after death.
The results obtained could be summarized as follows:
1) The weight of the liver of lepers is on the average 232.8g, inmale, and 1137g. in female.
2) In both sexes, the liver of the lepers are usually greater in weight by18.5g. than non-leprous persons.
3) The age, at which the liver of the lepers reaches to the maximum, is from 30 to 34 in male, and 25 to 29 in female.
4) The liver in cases of lepra tuberosa are generally greater in weightthan those of lepra maculose and nervosa. In cases of lepra tuberosa theliver-weight is 1249.8g. in male and 1166g. in female, while in cases of lepramaculosa and nervosa 1150.7g. in male and 1009.6g. in female.
5) There exists a close correlation between the liver-weight and body-length or weight. In cases in which the height or weight of the body islarger, the liver-weight is correspondingly larger.

View full abstract