Released in 1976 by CBS Productions, “Armauer Hansen / Discoverer of the Leprosy Bacillus” tells the story of Armauer Hansen’s groundbreaking research led to worldwide recognition of Leprosy, changes in medical practices, and improvements in hygiene and isolation of patients. In the 1860s, leprosy (aka Hansen’s Disease) was a widespread and mysterious disease, affecting many fishermen and farmers in Norway. Dr. Hans Henrik Arow Hansen, assigned as an assistant physician at a leprosy hospital, was determined to find the cause, challenging the widely held belief that the disease was hereditary. He studied patients’ living conditions, conducted research, and questioned whether leprosy might be contagious. After years of study, in 1873, Hansen discovered the presence of rod-shaped bacteria in infected tissues, identifying them as the cause of leprosy. By the end of the century, leprosy had been nearly eradicated in Scandinavian countries, marking a significant milestone in medical history.

00:00: mysterious ancient disease spreads in the north, affecting mostly fishermen and farmers. Many of them end up at St. Jorgan Hospital. The disease has puzzled people for centuries. It may have come from the Orient through merchants of Greece and spread through Europe and Africa. Vikings likely brought it to Norway.

0:32: The medical community in Bergen focuses on halting the spread of the disease, which is identified as leprosy.

1:15 : The year is 1860. Dr. Hans Henrik Arow Hansen is assigned as an assistant physician at the leprosy hospital and becomes responsible for the care of seriously ill patients.

1:43;

There’s no cure for leprosy, and patients suffer, becoming more deformed and scarred over time. Most physicians believe the disease is hereditary.

2:03:Hansen questions if leprosy could have another cause, such as improper food, climate, cleanliness, or contact transmission. He begins his investigation.

2:47:Hansen asks the same questions in his research: family history, when symptoms first appeared, and the victim’s activities before the disease struck.

3:34:

Hansen’s work doesn’t receive much enthusiasm from colleagues, especially Dr. Danielson, the chief physician, who remains convinced leprosy is hereditary.

4:01:At this time, medical advancements are being made, and germs are being discovered as causes of some diseases. Hansen wonders if leprosy could be caused by a germ.

5:00:

Hansen continues his research, reading about other discoveries like those of Louis Pasteur, and he visits patients to study their living conditions, which are often poor.

5:53:

He grows more convinced that leprosy is contagious, but no clear cause has been found.

7:00:

In February 1873, a patient with infections enters the hospital. Hansen studies part of the diseased ear, taking it to the lab for further analysis.

8:07:Hansen finds that after adding distilled water to infected cells, they burst, revealing hundreds of rod-shaped pieces under the microscope.

8:46:

Hansen identifies these rod-shaped pieces as the cause of leprosy. The discovery is groundbreaking.

9:33 :The discovery of the leprosy bacillus is accepted worldwide, and Hansen’s findings lead to improvements in cleanliness and isolation of the sick. By the end of the century, Hansen’s Disease is virtually eradicated in Scandinavian countries, marking a significant milestone in combating ancient diseases.

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