IIRC, loathsome disease frequently meant some sort of sexually transmitted disease (plus leprosy).
Its been a while but IIRC having a loathsome disease was grounds for divorce and falsely accusing someone of having a loathsome disease was libelous.
Presumably referencing the column What loathsome disease did King Herod die of?
I rather fancy it’s today’s Can use of ecstacy cause fatal fever? Plus: what “indignities” are grounds for divorce?
FWIW, I’m not a lawyer but I immediately thought that “loathsome diseases” must refer to STDs.
Unlike other communicable/contagious diseases, acquiring an STD was historically considered proof of some degree of “moral turpitude”. Depending on the circumstances, it might also be an indicator of marital infidelity.
So, rightly or wrongly, STD’s implied an element of fault, or wrongdoing, rising to intolerable “indignity”.
It seems harsh that a spouse having other communicable diseases, e.g. leprosy or tuberculosis, is in and of itself grounds for divorce.
But then, several years ago I was surprised to learn that in the past, some religious orders “discharged” members suffering from severe chronic disease, presumably on the grounds that caring for them would unduly burden the community.
Ah, didn’t see that one.