The History of Syphilis Essay - 2220 Words

Throughout the ages, while the origins to this day continue to be debated, the strength and potency of the disease have rarely been in question. Syphilis, while not viewed as a huge threat due to a decreased number of cases in the mid-late 1990s, needs to be taken more seriously by the public because it is more dangerous than many realize, especially because it is extremely contagious, it is extremely elegant in the symptoms it produces, it has played a larger part in history than many would think, and there is a certain stigma which surrounds the disease, which in turn pushes individuals away from receiving the necessary testing. There is little at face value that would alert an educated individual to the severity and the danger of†¦show more content†¦Two main hypotheses exist as to the origin of the disease. The first proposes that Syphilis had existed in Europe and Asia for years, arguing that the diseases had either laid dormant for years, went unnoticed, or only rece ntly had mutated into a virulent strain. This is known as the Pre-Columbian theory (Kent ME, Romanelli F 2008). While no direct evidence has yet to be found, much of the evidence that does exist quietly hints that the second theory (known as the Columbian Theory) is more embedded in truth (Kent, Romanelli 2008). This second proposal encapsulates a much more dynamic view of the world at the time, and includes the facts that are known. Even though Syphilis could easily have existed in the world for years before Columbus, the fact that the first documented case of Syphilis occurred merely years after Columbus famous journey suggests that these two events share an inextricable link. The Columbian Hypothesis argues that the collision of cultures that occurred as a direct result of Columbus journey was not restricted to materials and practices, but also to organisms (this exchange is now referred to by historians and other scientists alike as The Columbian Exchange). While the Europea ns brought with them diseases such as smallpox, typhus, measles, and influenza, according to the theory, Columbus and/or his explorers contracted syphilis from the natives, and carried it unknowingly back to the OldShow MoreRelatedHistory And Progression Of Untreated Syphilis931 Words   |  4 PagesApproximately 400 of the men had syphilis and 200 did not at the start of the study. The purpose of the study was to record the history and progression of untreated syphilis, which at the time had no treatment. However, later in 1947 when a treatment (penicillin) was found and proven effective against syphilis, the men were never told nor given the medication. It was withheld from them. As a result, many of the participants, their wives, children and others had been infected and untreated. AsRead MoreSyphilis : A Thin Spiral Organism Of The Treponema Species1490 Words   |  6 PagesSyphilis Fact Sheet Karyanne Castle 1. Etiology/Pathophysiology/Incidence/Prevalence: †¢ Etiology: Syphilis is an infectious disease caused by T. Pallidum, a thin spiral organism of the Treponema species of spirochaetales. Syphilis is almost always caused by sexual contact with infected lesions, but can rarely be spread through nonsexual personal contact, infection in-utero, blood transfusion, or organ transplantation. †¢ Incidence/Prevalence: The invention of penicillin has drastically decreased theRead MoreSexual Transmitted Disease : Syphilis1423 Words   |  6 PagesTRANSMITTED DISEASE: SYPHILIS Kassia, KLK, Khuu Introdution Syphilis is a contagious disease spread by direct sexual activity, including oral and anal intercourse. Syphilis can transport through unprotected sex and from a festering mother to child. â€Å"Syphilis causes genital ulcer and facilitates HIV entry and shading† (Shimelis, et al, 2015). Early symptoms of syphilis are having painless ulcers, or sores, in the mouth or genitals (â€Å"MedlinePlus,† n.d.). The secondary stage of syphilis can last up to 2-6Read MoreTuskegee1630 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ The Tuskegee Research Study on Syphilis Stephan J. Skotko University of Phoenix January 13, 2010 HCS-435 Ethics: Health Care and Social Responsibility Edward Casey Every person or family member who has faced a medical crisis during his or her lifetime has at one point hoped for an immediate cure, a process that would deter any sort of painful or prolonged convalescence. Medical research always has paralleled a cure or treatment. From the beginning of the turn of the 20thRead MoreEssay on tuskegee syphilis study1502 Words   |  7 PagesThe Tuskegee Syphilis Study was an unethical prospective study based on the differences between white and black males that began in the 1930’s. This study involved the mistreatment of black males and their families in an experimental study of the effects of untreated syphilis. With very little knowledge of the study or the disease by participants, the Tuskegee Syphilis Study can be seen as one of the worst forms of injustices in the United States history. Even though one could argue that the studyRead MoreRacism And Research : The Tuskegee Syphilis Study1294 Words   |  6 PagesRacism and Research: the Case of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study In the article Racism and Research: the Case of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, by Allen M. Brandt, he discusses a few mains point. The main points of the article is Racism and Medical Opinions, the origins of the experiment, how they selected the subjects, and the HEW final report. In the first point, Racism and Medical Opinions, many of the scientist believed that even with all the â€Å"education or philanthropy† the black Americans can’t beRead MoreThe Tuskegee Study Of Untreated Syphilis1579 Words   |  7 Pages The Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male: Research Ethics Tenzin Choeying Lehman College NUR 302 Ways of Knowing Nursing Research Faculty: Dr. Linda Scheetz 10/12/2016 In 1932, US public health service launched most shameful and hideous non-therapeutic experiment on human being in the medical history of the US. The practitioner on the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment promised free medical care to over hundreds of African American desperately poorRead MoreEthical Issues in Modern Medicine1094 Words   |  4 Pagesthe Guatemalan syphilis experiment and the Tuskegee experiment both were two unique experiments. Recently, the United States apologized last year for the experiment, done in Tuskegee which was meant to test the drug penicillin. However, Two years before that, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius made an apology for the experiment conducted in Guatemala. With that said, the researcher rejects the case that a utilitarian could make the case that the Guatemalan syphilis study was moreRead MoreTuskegee Syphilis Essay750 Words   |  3 Pagesconclusions of the controversially famed, Tuskegee Syphilis Study. During the early to mid 1900’s, medical treatment options for common illnesses today, such as syphilis, were for the most part, unsuccessful. The Tuskegee Syphilis Study served as an experiment that was aimed to aid the production of a Syphilis cure. The purpose of this experim ent was to extend the knowledge of scientists and doctors throughout the country about the development of syphilis in colored people. The U.S. Public Health ServiceRead MoreThe Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment Essay1547 Words   |  7 PagesTuskegee Syphilis Experiment The Tuskegee Syphilis experiment (The official name was Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male) began in the 1930’s. It was an experiment on African Americans to study syphilis and how it affected the body and killed its victims done by Tuskegee Institute U.S. Public Health Service researchers. The initial purpose of the Syphilis study â€Å"was to record the natural history of syphilis in Blacks† (Tuskegee University, â€Å"About the USPHS Syphilis Study,† par