Basic HTML Version
22
1'he
PLAIN TRUTH
January
1972
V.D:s !ragic Role in Bistorr
T
HE ROLE
of venereal discase in
history has been dramatic,
though greatly underplayed. Plagues
of syphilis alone have been respon–
sible for millions of the world's crip–
pled, blind, insane and dead. How
venereal diseases got started is un–
known, but they have been passed on
through the centuries by sex-related
contact. Emperors, kings, noblemen,
poets, painters, ecclesiastics and
scholars, as well as the low-born,
have been infected.
Gonorrhea is amply described in
the records of most ancient civ–
ilizations - such as the ancient
Chinese, Assyrians, Egyptians,
Greeks, Romans and others. In the
ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum,
among erotic paintings, sculpture
and pottery are found inscriptions al–
luding to VD,
such
as a description
of a brothcl where thc most beautiful
women had a diseasc capable of pro–
ducing "cating ulcers." The Hebrews
also werc warned of VD in matters
of adulterous unions. "And thou
mourn at the last whcn thy flesh and
thy body are consumed" (Prov. 5:1-
11).
Syphilis Debate Unresolved
The origin of syphilis is a cause of
much debate. Somc researchcrs be·
lieve it has always been with
man, described generally in ancient
rccords. Since the disease is the
"G reat Tmitator," it is difficult to
prove one way or thc other. Others
insist the historical record doesn't
c/early
describe syphilis until the
time of Columbus. According to this
school of thought, which is thc most
popular, the crew of Columbus
picked up syphilis, or at least a
particularly virulent form of syphilis,
in the New World and brought it
back to Europe.
We
know that from
the early 1500's onward, syphilis
plagues swept over Europe, carried
with the conquests of war. The
crusades, exploration and trade,
quickly spread the virulent disease
( or at least a fierccr form) through
the Middle East, India, China and
Japan.
For sorne reason, when it first ap–
peared in Europe, syphilis was much
more deadly tban it is today. Mil–
lions were killed, severely crippled
or weakened (to other diseases) in
syphilis plagues. Each nation blamed
its enemies for the disease - hence,
"the French disease," "the Spanish
disease," etc.
VD has always been a major
crippler of the fighting effectiveness
of the world's armies - often more
so than thc actual cnemy. In 1495,
Charles VIII of France was forced to
lift the siege of Naples because so
many of his troops were incapaci–
tated by the disease. In dispersa!, his
mercenary army spread virulent
syphi lis al! over Eucope.
Thousands of troops were knocked
out of action in the War of 1812,
the Civil War, the Spanish-American
War, and aU thc wars of the
twentieth century. In World War I,
by 1918, 18,000 U. S. troops (equal–
ling one division) wcre out of action
each day because of VD. As a result
of the prevalence of VD among men
drafted during World War T, some
authoritics cstimated that possibly 10
percent of the U. S. P.OP.ulace was in–
fected with a venereal disease at that
time.
Pendulum Swing of Attitudes
for two centuries after the "Great
Pox" (in contrast to "small pox")
had struck in Europe, the general at–
titude was one of fear aod hopeless–
ness. Then people swung to the
f
rivolous. It became fashionable to
takc syphilis lightly - to even boast
of it. The nineteenth century was in–
fluenced by the Puritan ethic, and it
again became a disgrace to even talk
about it. This feeling lingers to this
da
y.
Many early cures were attempted,
of course, but few were really effec–
tive. Compounds of mercury were
used early but produced side effects
that were as dangerous as the disease.
A wood from the West Indies called
g11aiac
received brief popularity, as
did sarsaparilla and sassafras. Bis–
muth therapy carne after 1884, seem–
ingly partly effective. (It wasn't until
the latter part of tl1e last century that
syphilis and gonorrhea were dis–
tinguished as separate diseases.)
Then about 1910 an arsenic treat–
ment called salvarsan was used, but
relapse often occurred when treat–
ment was stopped. Blood failures,
hemorrhages and death f rom such
treatments were not uncommon. And
treatments were long and costly.
J
n the latter thirties, sulfa drugs
were popular, but by mid-World
War JI, they had become ineffective
on many cases of gonorrhea. Before
modern antibiotics carne on the
scene, thousands of babies were boro
every year in the U. S. with con–
genital syphilis. Many adults were
killed and crippled.
lt waso't until 1943 that Dr. John
Mahoney demoostratcd the effective–
nr~c;¡;,
,J.
rpmjr.,jJ};n.
'V?•
·w~.
l}'lR.'"
penicillin types have since been
developed, and thcy are the most
popular drugs used today. However,
... because of the recent rapid re–
sistaoce to peoicillin, dosages have
had to be increased many times over
to be effective. This contiouing trend
is a serious threat to the prospects
of absolutc cures in the future.
~===-~~~====~----====~===~~~==~======~--~~--------~-
Angeles and San Francisco areas, health
officials estímate that ten percent of the
young peoplc bctween 14 and 25 have
the disease.
Dr. Warren Ketterer, chief of vene–
real disease control for the California
Public Health Department, told a scmi–
nar in San Francisco that in sorne urban
sections of California at least 20 percent
of al! high school students will contract
a venereal disease before they get their
diplomas.
In 1970, the California State Depart–
ment of Public Health said in a report:
"One in 10 Californians under 25 will
have VD this year, and this age
group will have half of al! reported
cases."
Similar Pattern Across Natioo
These shocking figures present a sim–
ilar pattern across the United States.
Small-scale pilot checks of women at
neighborhood health centers have
turoed up around 10 perccnt positivc
reactions for gonorrhea; 4 to 10 percent
at family planning clinics, 2 percent at
prívate physicians.