Comments on: Syphilis and gonorreah from posters the early days of antibiotics http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sat, 25 May 2013 20:56:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Lobster http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1212059 Lobster Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1212059 Yes, clearly it is better to die than to be itchy for months. Yes, clearly it is better to die than to be itchy for months.

]]> By: adamnvillani http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1211921 adamnvillani Wed, 14 Sep 2011 06:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1211921 "Some contagion may have been accidental" The native population of the Americas had already been devastated by smallpox more than two centuries before the two examples in the citation provided. From the link you provided: "Smallpox is highly infectious and does not require contaminated blankets to spread uncontrollably, and together with measles, influenza, chicken pox, and so on had been doing so since the arrival of Europeans and their animals. Historians have been unable to establish whether or not the Amherst plan was implemented, particularly in light of the fact that smallpox was already present in the region, and that scientific knowledge of disease at that time had yet to develop an understanding of infection vectors, nor in the case of smallpox a full acknowledgment of the protective effect of a cowpox infection." No doubt about it, the history of Europeans' and Americans' interaction with Native Americans is a shameful one on the part of the white people, full of slave-driving, stolen land, deliberate genocide, broken treaties, etc. But even if the early explorers had been the gentlest, kindest souls on earth who treated the Native Americans with the utmost respect, disease would still have spread like wildfire through the Western Hemisphere. “Some contagion may have been accidental”

The native population of the Americas had already been devastated by smallpox more than two centuries before the two examples in the citation provided. From the link you provided:

“Smallpox is highly infectious and does not require contaminated blankets to spread uncontrollably, and together with measles, influenza, chicken pox,
and so on had been doing so since the arrival of Europeans and their
animals. Historians have been unable to establish whether or not the
Amherst plan was implemented, particularly in light of the fact that
smallpox was already present in the region, and that scientific
knowledge of disease at that time had yet to develop an understanding of
infection vectors, nor in the case of smallpox a full acknowledgment of
the protective effect of a cowpox infection.”

No doubt about it, the history of Europeans’ and Americans’ interaction with Native Americans is a shameful one on the part of the white people, full of slave-driving, stolen land, deliberate genocide, broken treaties, etc. But even if the early explorers had been the gentlest, kindest souls on earth who treated the Native Americans with the utmost respect, disease would still have spread like wildfire through the Western Hemisphere.

]]> By: CLamb http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1211903 CLamb Wed, 14 Sep 2011 05:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1211903 It is a matter of debate amongst scholars whether syphilis first appeared in the new world or the old.  What is agreed upon is that it was first found in Europe at around the same time the new world was discovered. It is a matter of debate amongst scholars whether syphilis first appeared in the new world or the old.  What is agreed upon is that it was first found in Europe at around the same time the new world was discovered.

]]> By: Juta Stokes http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1211885 Juta Stokes Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:37:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1211885 I am disturbed by the lack of a question mark. I am disturbed by the lack of a question mark.

]]> By: Mister44 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1211834 Mister44 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 02:46:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1211834 For poison Ivy sufferers - ZANFEL is the ONLY way to go. OMG the stuff is a godsend. It's pricy - but worth it. I don't think the generic works nearly as well. For poison Ivy sufferers – ZANFEL is the ONLY way to go. OMG the stuff is a godsend. It’s pricy – but worth it. I don’t think the generic works nearly as well.

]]> By: Mister44 http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1211833 Mister44 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 02:42:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1211833 o_0 -  no it doesn't really - not in the least. It is some great design. Also - if you all value your sanity and begin checking your head for holes and bumps every 5 min  - do not google "syphilis skull". o_0 -  no it doesn’t really – not in the least. It is some great design.

Also – if you all value your sanity and begin checking your head for holes and bumps every 5 min  – do not google “syphilis skull”.

]]> By: Kibo http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1211346 Kibo Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1211346 <blockquote>[...] how did poison ivy get involved, unless that was just kind of a tasteless joke?</blockquote>It's part of Hallmark's new line of "Ha ha, I gave you something extra" birthday cards, which come coated with a mixture of poison ivy and smallpox.  I agree it's a tasteless joke, unless you get the ones that also have some raspberry jelly mixed in.  Those are yummy, at least until your tongue falls off.

[...] how did poison ivy get involved, unless that was just kind of a tasteless joke?

It’s part of Hallmark’s new line of “Ha ha, I gave you something extra” birthday cards, which come coated with a mixture of poison ivy and smallpox.  I agree it’s a tasteless joke, unless you get the ones that also have some raspberry jelly mixed in.  Those are yummy, at least until your tongue falls off.

]]> By: Kibo http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1211343 Kibo Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:15:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1211343 "Bureau of Social Hygiene".  I had so much trouble loading one of those into the car at Ikea.  I have the Klørbfarch Bureau of Social Hygiene and the Gondlunk Footstool of Telekinetic Entropy here.  What I'd really like to get would be a Felfbulat Rug of Eternal Damnation.  That'd keep people from wiping their muddy boots on it. “Bureau of Social Hygiene”.  I had so much trouble loading one of those into the car at Ikea.  I have the Klørbfarch Bureau of Social Hygiene and the Gondlunk Footstool of Telekinetic Entropy here.  What I’d really like to get would be a Felfbulat Rug of Eternal Damnation.  That’d keep people from wiping their muddy boots on it.

]]> By: Finnagain http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1211244 Finnagain Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1211244 I want to party with this guy. Woot. I want to party with this guy. Woot.

]]> By: liquidstar http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1211122 liquidstar Tue, 13 Sep 2011 16:10:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1211122 I hate to break up the smallpox discussion, but this poster is not near as cute as we might like:  "Rates of syphilis infection across Canada have rocketed more than 900% between 1997 and 2006, according to data from the Public Health Agency of Canada."<a href="http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_health_news_details.asp?news_id=31662&news_channel_id=16&channel_id=16" rel="nofollow">http://chealth.canoe.ca/channe...</a>Antibiotics being what they are today (increasingly useless) I'd say this poster needs to go back up lol. I hate to break up the smallpox discussion, but this poster is not near as cute as we might like:  “Rates of syphilis infection across Canada have rocketed more than 900% between 1997 and 2006, according to data from the Public Health Agency of Canada.”http://chealth.canoe.ca/channe…Antibiotics being what they are today (increasingly useless) I’d say this poster needs to go back up lol.

]]> By: Bart http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1211121 Bart Tue, 13 Sep 2011 16:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1211121 Interesting timing on this, as a fully anti-biotic resistant gonorrhea has been discovered in this wild. With no antibiotic to cure it, you can expect gonorrhea to be making a comeback big time.  Over the years  recently, gonorrhea has been becoming increasingly resistant to the drugs used to treat it and this was simple a matter of time. Natural selection in action.  http://healthland.time.com/2011/07/11/scientists-discover-drug-resistant-gonorrhea-superbug/ Interesting timing on this, as a fully anti-biotic resistant gonorrhea has been discovered in this wild. With no antibiotic to cure it, you can expect gonorrhea to be making a comeback big time.  Over the years  recently, gonorrhea has been becoming increasingly resistant to the drugs used to treat it and this was simple a matter of time. Natural selection in action. 

http://healthland.time.com/2011/07/11/scientists-discover-drug-resistant-gonorrhea-superbug/

]]> By: TooGoodToCheck http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1211101 TooGoodToCheck Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:59:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1211101 uh, so, in general I agree with your statement about focusing on things that are actually likely dangers - I absolutely want public policy to be driven by QALYs and not the mediagenicity of a threat - but when we're specifically talking about events that transpired more than 200 years ago, I'm pretty sure that anyone involved is past saving. to be 100% clear:  - you said that the introduction of smallpox to the new world is a popular topic for discussion, while Syphillis to the old world is not.  - I compared the accidental transmission of syphillis to logging accidents: very bad, unintentional, worth learning a lesson from.   - I compared biological warfare via smallpox to axe-murder: very bad, utterly unconscionable, horrific, disgusting.  I'm aware that smallpox was bad enough that it might have done just as much damage without deliberate human assistance, and I don't consider that to be mitigating.  - if you want to focus on things that are likely to kill you, how did poison ivy get involved, unless that was just kind of a tasteless joke? uh, so, in general I agree with your statement about focusing on things that are actually likely dangers – I absolutely want public policy to be driven by QALYs and not the mediagenicity of a threat – but when we’re specifically talking about events that transpired more than 200 years ago, I’m pretty sure that anyone involved is past saving.

to be 100% clear:

 - you said that the introduction of smallpox to the new world is a popular topic for discussion, while Syphillis to the old world is not.

 - I compared the accidental transmission of syphillis to logging accidents: very bad, unintentional, worth learning a lesson from. 

 - I compared biological warfare via smallpox to axe-murder: very bad, utterly unconscionable, horrific, disgusting.  I’m aware that smallpox was bad enough that it might have done just as much damage without deliberate human assistance, and I don’t consider that to be mitigating.

 - if you want to focus on things that are likely to kill you, how did poison ivy get involved, unless that was just kind of a tasteless joke?

]]> By: riceagain http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1211069 riceagain Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1211069 Damn, that looks like a North Korean propaganda poster Damn, that looks like a North Korean propaganda poster

]]> By: Ambiguity http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1211065 Ambiguity Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1211065 <blockquote>To say that syphilis gets less attention than smallpox is like pointing out that there are a lot of accidental deaths in the logging industry, but somehow it's the axe murderers that get all the attention.</blockquote>Not saying that I agree with your analogy, but it could be argued that many more lives would be saved by focusing attention on things that are likely to kill you, as opposed to those that just make sensational headlines.

To say that syphilis gets less attention than smallpox is like pointing out that there are a lot of accidental deaths in the logging industry, but somehow it’s the axe murderers that get all the attention.

Not saying that I agree with your analogy, but it could be argued that many more lives would be saved by focusing attention on things that are likely to kill you, as opposed to those that just make sensational headlines.

]]> By: Ambiguity http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1211062 Ambiguity Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:24:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1211062 I don't know about that. At least smallpox can kill, which kind of puts you out of your misery. Poison ivy just makes you suffer, and if you're like me -- European descent without much immunity -- that can entail melting flesh for months... [Eidt -- sorry, should have been a reply to Lobster.] I don’t know about that. At least smallpox can kill, which kind of puts you out of your misery. Poison ivy just makes you suffer, and if you’re like me — European descent without much immunity — that can entail melting flesh for months…

[Eidt -- sorry, should have been a reply to Lobster.]

]]> By: Joseph http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1211045 Joseph Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:10:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1211045 These posters and many more WPA-era wonders are available via the Library of Congress' American Memory website.  Check http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/wpaposters/wpahome.html These posters and many more WPA-era wonders are available via the Library of Congress’ American Memory website.  Check http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/wpaposters/wpahome.html

]]> By: TooGoodToCheck http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1211019 TooGoodToCheck Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:49:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1211019 I'd guess that intent figures heavily in to that.  Although some contagion may have been accidental, there were also deliberate attempts to use smallpox as a weapon http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_warfare#18th_century To say that syphilis gets less attention than smallpox is like pointing out that there are a lot of accidental deaths in the logging industry, but somehow it's the axe murderers that get all the attention. I’d guess that intent figures heavily in to that.  Although some contagion may have been accidental, there were also deliberate attempts to use smallpox as a weapon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_warfare#18th_century

To say that syphilis gets less attention than smallpox is like pointing out that there are a lot of accidental deaths in the logging industry, but somehow it’s the axe murderers that get all the attention.

]]> By: Lobster http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1211005 Lobster Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:37:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1211005 When all is said and done, I'd much rather have poison ivy than smallpox. When all is said and done, I’d much rather have poison ivy than smallpox.

]]> By: Ambiguity http://boingboing.net/2011/09/13/syphilis-and-gonorreah-from-posters-the-early-days-of-antibiotics.html#comment-1210999 Ambiguity Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=117197#comment-1210999 A little off-topic perhaps, but I've always found it interesting that the carrying of smallpox to the new world is a never-ending topic of discussion, but the fact that gold and tobacco wasn't the only things that the Europeans brought <i>back</i> is usually overlooked. The new world is great and all, but poison ivy and syphilis? I could live without those... A little off-topic perhaps, but I’ve always found it interesting that the carrying of smallpox to the new world is a never-ending topic of discussion, but the fact that gold and tobacco wasn’t the only things that the Europeans brought back is usually overlooked.

The new world is great and all, but poison ivy and syphilis? I could live without those…

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