Leprosy stories
I always enjoy David Olusoga’s articles, and was particularly interested in his column on leprosy (Hidden Histories, June), but as I’ve often found the magazine rather Anglocentric, forgive me for adding a Welsh dimension. The Welsh term for leprosy is y gwahan glwyf,
which means ‘the separation disease’. It was certainly in use in the late medieval period, when bishop William Morgan included it in his masterful 1588 translation of the Bible. As early as the time of 10th-century lawmaker Hywel Dda, lepers were forbidden to inherit their fathers’ property.
There are many examples in north Wales of ffenestr y gwahan glwyf built into the walls of old churches, to enable lepers to partake of mass while separated from the main congregation.
Huw Evans, Y Rhyl
Crossword confusion
The answer to 8 across in June’s crossword is wrong: the western allies’ mission to break the Soviet blockade of West Berlin in 1948– 49 was known as the Berlin Airlift, not the Berlin Airdrop. The distinction is important: in an airdrop, the cargo is pushed out of the rear of the plane and arrives by parachute; in an airlift, the aircraft land at their destination and discharge their cargo on the ground.
Joseph Nicholas, Tottenham
Editor replies: Thanks to Joseph and the many other readers who wrote in about this. Apologies for the error. The ‘correct’ answer here was ‘airdrop’, and I hope you still managed to complete the crossword – if, perhaps, through gritted teeth.