An article in the new issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases suggests that Shakespeare may have suffered from VD. Inhaling mercury vapor, one of the treatments for syphilis of the time, could have caused the tremor revealed in Shakespeare's signature, his hermit-like behavior later in life, and possibly even the Bard's baldness. Then there are the references in his writings. From a press release about the article:
Mentions of the "pox," the "malady of France," the "infinite malady," and the "hoar leprosy" in his writings seem to indicate that the Bard knew–perhaps from personal experience–how torturous venereal disease could be. "Shakespeare's knowledge of syphilis is clinically precise," said John Ross, MD, author of the study. A line in Sonnet 154, "Love's fire heats water," apparently refers to an STD causing burning urination.
Of course, Shakespeare could have just been writing about the concerns of the day, not his own. Link
