Syph / New World

[Soroush Ebrahimi]

Dear Jon

From your post I understood that you were implying that this disease was
introduced to Europe etc from the Americas.

There is good evidence to show that syph was in UK around 1260. So it is
likely that the Europeans took it the Americas.

Soroush
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jon van Hoffen]

Dear Soroush,

It was indeed my intention to say that Syph. was introduced from the
Americas. I have heard rumors before that this disease was around in the
'old world' before the Spanish brought it back from the new world (I've
heard it claimed it was found in the Egyptian pyramids too), but I have
never seen any evidence for this.
If you can provide more information it would be most welcome.
Do you, or anybody else, also have any information on the origin of
Gonorrhoea?

Jon

[Natasha Pelech]

Dear John and Soroush,

I too have heard of the archeological study that occured recently that
confirmed that Syphillius was common to Europe well before the interaction
of Columbus in North America. This discovery was made at the Augustinian
Friary in Hull, UK. http://www.hullcc.gov.uk/archaeology/hullmc.htm

Here is a more comprehensive site (one of my favorites), the web version of
a documentary on the history of syphillius:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/case_syphilis/ I particularly enjoyed this
documentary (the web version has some excellent pictures) because as a
young, non-medical Homeopath I have very little knowledge of syphillius.
Ever since I saw this documentary, I completely understand the pains and
destructive nature of the syphillitic miasm... When you seen the holes in
people's bones, it is not something you forget.

I found the history or progression of syphillius very interesting because
researchers theorize that is was originally a skin condition... Perhaps the
prescence of veneral syphillius is an indication of the level of suppression
due to medical treatment?

Sincerely,
Natasha

PS: Here is the best summary of this issue:
http://whatson.northnet.net.au/users/lo ... ar2002.htm
Syphilis not imported from the New World by Columbus' men after all?

"New researched based in the UK port city, Hull, now tends to indicate that
syphilis is a disease thousands of years old in Europe, and not
newly-arising in Europe and the East due to Columbus' sailors from 1492
bringing infection back from the New World.

Syphilis in its venereal/tertiary form was known in a Greek city in Italy
about 600BC (Metaponto?), and also at Pompeii. The major clues used for
research so far in the past are the uniquely grooved-teeth of the children
of any mother with a case of syphilis.

What is confusing is that the bacteria etc. causing syphilis only attack the
human venereal system when they are threatened by an unhelpful environment -
otherwise, syphilis can be an innocuous, non-lethal childhood
skin-rash-problem which once contracted, also immunises the later adult
against any form of venereal syphilis.

The new research on such problems has been prompted by discoveries at Hull
at the Magistrates Court Site, which presented remains of a medieval friary
managed by The Augustine Friars. This was the first Augustine friary
established in England, and was destroyed in 1539. The friars provided some
kinds of male nursing care and social welfare provision.

Early examination of the friary site revealed a skeleton dated circa 1216
bearing bone lesions typical of those arising from the tertiary stage of
syphilis. Other cases were found, and it seemed that some signs of syphilis
were found on 60 per cent of bodies examined at Hull. That is, the elite of
Hull suffered long-term from the disease, Hull also being a sophisticated
port with international contacts.

Meantime, the implication is that the Indians of the New World as met by
Columbus have been unfairly blamed for 500 years now for giving syphilis to
his sailors, so that they spread it through Europe, an outbreak noticed with
considerable alarm, disgust and fear especially amongst Spanish soldiers at
the 1495 siege of Naples, where many men developed loathsome ulcers of the
genitals.

It is also now said that the theory that syphilis originated in the New
World was only ever based on observations of five skeletons - while the new
theory on the age of syphilis in the Old World is now based on observations
of hundreds of skeletons.

One researcher working on syphilis in the New World in pre-Columbus days
suggests that it extended as far north as the Mississipi River. It is a
disease which adapts to different climates and human societies, and is
basically transmitted non-venereally, from skin to skin. Syphilis has been
around for thousands of years in human society, and only mutates into a
"sexually-transmitted killer" when itself under threat."
(This report based on a documentary screened in Australia on SBS TV on 3
February 2002).

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