Affecting humans for 4,000 years, leprosy is not a pretty sight. St. Jorgen’s Hospital in Norway is one of world’s oldest medical institutions, establishing itself in the Middle Ages to treat lepers. Between 1850 and 1900 Bergen was the international capital of leprosy, with three hospitals and the largest concentration of patients in Europe. Dedicated to the 8,000 people who died of the disease in modern Norway, the Leprosy Museum started in 1970. Located in the former 18th century hospital, there are exhibits on Dr. Gerhard Hansen, the man who discovered the cure for leprosy, as well as the history and treatments of the disease. If you’re in a bit of a funk, just watch this 1960s Iranian documentary on a leper colony (especially after the 5:00 minute mark). Be thankful for what you got…or don’t got.
Leprosy Museum, Norway
