An affliction that causes ulcers and sores on the body, particularly the extremities, which often leads to gangrene and the rotting and eventual loss of the body part. This can affect any limb, and sometimes even the ears, but most often affects the tail.
Causes
Tail Rot is caused by a flesh-eating bacteria that usually spends its time breaking down fecal matter and other organic matter in refuse pits and compost. In it's normal form, it poses little harm to the Elis, unless handled with broken skin or sores.
The most notable mass occurrence of Tail Rot occurred when heavy rains flooded the city on one of the main islands, causing refuse pits to spill into the floodwater. The Elis fled the city for higher ground until the flood had mostly subsided, but returned to a city full of ankle deep stagnant water, which had been inundated with the bacteria, as had almost everything else in the city.
Symptoms
Tail Rot typically affects the tail first, as the bacteria spreads through the body. The hair starts to fall out and is replaced by crusty scabs on the tip of the tail. As the disease progresses, the tip of the tail begins to rot from the inside, and the ulcers and scabs move down the tail. Eventually the tip of the tail falls off.
At this point, the disease has progressed enough to possibly spread to the feet and hands. Starting with the tips of the fingers, or toes, ulcers and scabs form, and the disease then progresses much like with the Tail.
Prognosis
Tail Rot ends with the death of the afflicted. However, the disease doesn't kill quickly, and it can be many years of suffering before the afflicted dies. Some take their own lives. Others accept their fate and suffer through.
Social Prognosis
In the early days, the few afflicted with Tail Rot were simply segregated out of the city until they died from advanced disease. For a while during the plague, it was so common that this practice simply didn't happen. After the victims of the plague had mostly died, the afflicted were once again cast out to live in seclusion.
The camps of the afflicted are treated as social outcasts, physical contact is forbidden with them,
and they must rely on charity or what they can produce on their own to survive. The government allots a small plot of land to each camp, including a well, some field lands, a boarding house, and a fish pond in the allotment. The land is fenced and clearly marked.
Residents are not allowed to step more than three steps past the gate, and outsiders may not enter or take anything from the camp. They may leave donations within three steps of the gate, however.
When someone dies in one of these camps, a sign is posted and the body is retrieved, drenched in oil, and burned.
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