Syphilis, a Killer Who We Are Still Trying to Solve Did Columbus import or export Syphilis in the New World? Do we really know whom to blame for syphilis? An interesting thought on this, The Columbus & Evolution theories of syphilis. The evolution theory is that it is related to Yaws, a nonvenereal tropical disease of the skin, is the most primitive of all diseases. Please start at the bottom of page 4.
Knowledge of the past may prepare us for our future.
posted by thomcatspike on Jan 28, 2003 - 9 comments

Dammit, boys, what on earth is it going to take for you to stop barebacking, and to stop practicing unsafe sex in general?? Obviously not an HIV scare, so howzabout the report that syphilis is on the rise, thanks to the efforts of gay men? The problem's so bad that gAyOL has started staffing some of its chat rooms with safe-sex counselors. Look guys, I already lost the generation ahead of me--they're all dead because they loved the booty so much. I don't want to lose the one that follows me, too. So please, please, please don't be silly, put a rubber on that willy!
posted by WolfDaddy on Nov 1, 2002 - 71 comments

From NPR (The MetaFilter giveth, the MetaFilter taketh away...) Remembering Tuskegee
600 low-income African-American males, 400 infected with syphilis are monitored for 40 years. Even though a proven cure (penicillin) became available in the 1950s, the study continues until 1972 with participants denied treatment. Perhaps as many as 100 died of syphilis during the study (Allen, 1978). Additional resources.

Thirty years ago is not that long a time.
posted by y2karl on Jul 25, 2002 - 27 comments

Haunted House = No STDs! "As visitors make their way through a dimly lit, S-shaped maze, they view startling, full-color photos of canker sores and genital warts on male and female genitalia infected with syphilis, chlamydia or gonorrhea. An empty casket at the end sends a message that death awaits anyone who does not practice safe sex."
posted by adrober on Oct 30, 2001 - 8 comments

Déja vu
"A mysterious epidemic, hitherto unknown, which had struck terror into all hearts by the rapidity of its spread, the ravages it made, and the apparent helplessness of the physicians to cure it." — on syphillis, in the 16th centruy.

Highlights from the CBC's 1996 Ideas shows on AIDS in historical perspective, available in real audio for downloading or streaming. I remember stopping the car and listening to the whole thing four years ago: "The programs underline how a whole series of biological, psychological and social factors shape the public's perception of disease, and society's response to it. The strengths and limits of past approaches to detecting sexually transmitted diseases are explored, in order to shed light on approaches that could be used to control AIDS today."
posted by sylloge on Dec 1, 2000 - 0 comments