The Scars of Venus

In the late 15th century, a deadly disease called Morbus Gallicus, or syphilis, spread rapidly throughout Europe. This historical study traces the achievements of the early venereologists as they struggled to understand and contain the spread of this early sexually-transmitted disease.

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In the last decade of the l5th century, a new and deadly disease called Morbus Gallicus, or syphilis, appeared and spread rapidly throughout Europe. The effects of syphilis were so severe that the disease, and those suffering from it, where regarded with horror and despair. The modern reader may not appreciate the fog of confusion which surrounded sexually transmitted diseases in earlier times. Those suffering from these diseases were often condemned as victims of their own "sinful lust of the flesh"; a judgmental attitude which hindered most of the early attempts at control and treatment. There were some doctors, however, who persevered in their attempts to understand the causes and discover treatments for syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases. This study presents the historical background and achievements of these early venereologists.