Victorian Syphilis

[Howard Brown]

In Philadelphia, at the Mutter Museum, photos such as these in the link exist on the "AIDS of the Victorian Period".

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3D42%26um%3D1

Its possible that "Blotchy Face" Man's blotches were in fact signs of syphilis...incurable in 1888.

[Howard Brown]

From the LVP....a photo of a woman with congenital syphilis.

Paul Butler will remember that in the game "Sherlock Holmes and Jack The Ripper", there is a scene where Holmes visits a Jewish woman ( Mrs.Levy) whose little boy has a face similar to this to which Holmes remarks on his "mark of syphilis".

http://www.websters-online-dictionar...oto/A28137.jpg

This is the picture that shocked me- this little boy looks like the typical 'Cockney Urchin'/'Artful Dodger' type,
but his snub nose (called "saddle nose") is actually caused by Congenital Syphilis!

Here's his dad:
http://www.websters-dictionary-onlin...oto/A28136.jpg

Archaic

[SirRobertAnderson]

Originally Posted by How Brown

Its possible that "Blotchy Face" Man's blotches were in fact signs of syphilis...incurable in 1888.

Interestingly skin disorders are a side effect of mercury poisoning....

I believe A.P. Wolf theorized that Thomas Cutbush might have had blotchy skin as a result of treatment of a venereal disease.

[Howard Brown]

Bob:

I believe its a matter of Cutbush simply thinking he had syphilis...and took bichloride of mercury based on his erroneous belief. Something may have materialized recently that counters what I mentioned, but I think its a matter of Cutbush thinking he had it and not actually having it.

Nevertheless, thats a helluva mistake in judgment on T.C.'s part...

[SirRobertAnderson]

Originally Posted by How Brown

Bob:

I believe its a matter of Cutbush simply thinking he had syphilis...and took bichloride of mercury based on his erroneous belief.

I'd suggest that someone that thinks they've been "contaminated" by a woman, but in fact is healthy, makes a nise candidate for the Ripper, even more so than the standard vanilla "revenge on a whore for giving him the syph" suspect.

Just a thought.

Here's an interesting web site I just found; omission of your name is a serious oversight which I have emailed the admin to correct.

http://www.poxhistory.com/

[Howard Brown]

Bob:

Coincidentally... just the other evening I had a broad smile when I learned that Apeface ( that person on the 5 dollar bill and penny ) had syphilis. Nina told me..... I wonder if the scoundrel got it from a man.

I wasn't aware that Der Boss had been claimed to have syphilis. I'll have to check that out.
Thanks for contacting them about the omission of my name...its the thought that counts....but I never had that sort of thing, but I've had chicken pox and a couple o' pimples.

I agree that ....thinking you have it ( if you are not all there upstairs in the first place) is equal to having it and suffering the effects of that disease.