Syphilis: A Short Biography

Description

Syphilis is an illness with mythology. The story of its origin, dissemination and treatment have all been mired in confusion, a mix of reality and quackery. I have tried to put the organism as the principal protagonist of the story, firmly in an historical focus which centres more on its social impact than on its particular medical management. A diagnosis of Syphilis had personal and community consequence and its impact transcended into the arts. Despite the discovery of an effective treatment to which the organism has fortunately failed to mutate, the restrictions in available management have been social and a result of prejudice towards its victims. This may explain why it is once again on the global rise in places where access to the most basic antibiotics remains limited. This book uniquely considers the sociological sequel of infection, the wider influence extending beyond the physical that has become its legacy. Foreword Preface Acknowledgments Contents 1 Announcing the Disease: A Brief Chronology of Syphilitic Events Abstract 2 Fracastoro’s Poem and the Origins of Illness Abstract 3 The Protean Manifestations of Disease Abstract 4 In Search of the Organism and a Zauberkugeln (Magic Bullet) for Treatment* Abstract 5 Notable Victimhood: Syphilis and the Arts Abstract 6 Syphilitic Politics: Ethical Breaches, the Tuskegee Experiment and Beyond Abstract 7 Syphilocentricity in Brief: Disease in the Post-HIV Era Abstract Bibliography