Gonorrhea historical perspective
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: ; Priyamvada Singh, MBBS [2]
Overview
The exact time of onset of gonorrhea as prevalent disease or epidemic cannot be accurately determined from the historical record. One of the first reliable notations occur in the Acts of the English Parliament. In 1161 this body passed a law to reduce the spread of gonorrhea. A similar decree was passed by Louis IX in France in 1256, replacing regulation with banishment. Similar symptoms were noted at the siege of Acre by Crusaders.
Historical perspective
- Gonorrhea is an ancient disease with Biblical Testament references. However, the exact time of onset of gonorrhea cannot be accurately determined from the historical record.[1]
- In 1161, One of the first reliable notations occur in the Acts of the (English) Parliament by passing a law to reduce the spread of "...the perilous infirmity of burning." The symptoms described are consistent with, but not diagnostic of, gonorrhea.[2]
- In 1256, A similar decree was passed by Louis IX in France ti reduce the spread of similar symptoms were noted at the siege of Acre by Crusaders.[3]
- In 1378, the term “the clap” was first introduced and likely descended from the name of the old Parisian district where prostitutes were housed (Les Clapiers)
- In 1879, gonorrhea was referred to as “the clap” by German bacteriologist Albert Neisser.[4]
Historical Perspective of Treatment
- Historically it has been suggested that thermotherapy, plant-based extracts (cubebs, copaiba), and metals (mercury and arsenic) were used as a treatment for gonorrhea.[1]
- Surgeons tools on board the recovered English warship the Mary Rose included a syringe that, according to some, was used to inject the mercury via the urinary meatus into any unfortunate crewman in the 19th century, Silver nitrate was one of the widely used drugs.
- In 1897, Silver nitrate was replaced by collodial silver after Arthur Eichengrün invented this type of silver which was marketed by Bayer.[5]
- In 1930s, the first reliable antibiotic (sulfonamides) prove effective against gonorrhea.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Genco, Caroline Attardo. Neisseria: molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis. Horizon Scientific Press, 2010.
- ↑ W Sanger. History of Prostitution. NY, Harper, 1910.
- ↑ P. LaCroix. The History of Prostitution Vol. 2. NY, MacMillan, 1931
- ↑ Unemo M, Shafer WM. Antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the 21st century: past, evolution, and future. Clin Microbiol Rev 2014;27:587–613.
- ↑ Bender, Max. "Ueber neuere Antigonorrhoica (insbes. Argonin und Protargol)." Archives of Dermatological Research 43.1 (1898): 31-36.
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