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Article: The AIDS-Syphilis Parallel: Similarities and Differences
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- March 31, 1987
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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This is not the first time that America has had to struggle with
an incurable sexually transmitted disease. At the turn of the
century, the debate centered on syphilis, then an incurable disease
that could damage the heart and the brain and cause blindness,
paralysis, insanity and death.
Many of the issues surrounding AIDS-mandatory testing, education
about sexually transmitted disease, prevention, confidentialty and
even quarantine-were debated with syphilis seven decades ago and led
to a number of public health policies.
During World War I, for example, there was a great deal of
concern about the impact of syphilis on the U.S. Army. Instead of
providing condoms and sex education to the ...