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New study blames Columbus for syphilis spread
Yahoo ^

Posted on 01/14/2008 5:31:47 PM PST by Sub-Driver

New study blames Columbus for syphilis spread

By Julie Steenhuysen 13 minutes ago

New genetic evidence supports the theory that Christopher Columbus brought syphilis to Europe from the New World, U.S. researchers said on Monday, reviving a centuries-old debate about the origins of the disease.

They said a genetic analysis of the syphilis family tree reveals that its closest relative was a South American cousin that causes yaws, an infection caused by a sub-species of the same bacteria.

"Some people think it is a really ancient disease that our earliest human ancestors would have had. Other people think it came from the New World," said Kristin Harper, an evolutionary biologist at Emory University in Atlanta.

"What we found is that syphilis or a progenitor came from the New World to the Old World and this happened pretty recently in human history," said Harper, whose study appears in journal Public Library of Science Neglected Tropical Diseases.

She said the study lends credence to the "Columbian theory," which links the first recorded European syphilis epidemic in 1495 to the return of Columbus and his crew.

"When you put together our genetic data with that epidemic in Naples in 1495, that is pretty strong support for the Columbian hypothesis," she said.

Syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum, starts out as a sore, but progresses to a rash, fever, and eventually can cause blindness, paralysis and dementia.

Most recent evidence of its origins comes from skeletal remains found in both the New World and the Old World. Chronic syphilis can leave telltale lesions on bone. "It has a worm-eaten appearance," Harper said in a telephone interview.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 1492; ageofsail; ancientautopsies; bejel; christophercolumbus; columbus; columbusday; epidemics; godsgravesglyphs; helixmakemineadouble; middleages; pandemics; plagues; renaissance; syphilis; thesniffles; treponemaldisease; yaws
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To: nicmarlo

thanks for the link.


41 posted on 01/14/2008 6:55:54 PM PST by HoosierHawk
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To: river rat

No problem. This strikes me as pretty old news - I’ve been telling people for years that syphylis is a New World disease, but I’m not sure where I learned it (I was glad to see the citation from the 20s confirming that). Odder still, about a month ago I got into an arguement about this very thing. Fourtunately I’d had more to drink, so I won.


42 posted on 01/14/2008 7:02:58 PM PST by stormer
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To: Michael.SF.

A steward, I assume.


43 posted on 01/14/2008 7:03:32 PM PST by RobbyS
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To: HoosierHawk

yw. I think it’s interesting to see what the facts were before the facts became ‘PC FACTS.’


44 posted on 01/14/2008 7:04:52 PM PST by nicmarlo (I hereby declare my support for Duncan Hunter. 1/10/08; late to the party, but I have arrived!)
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To: river rat

One of the things that races trade is their special infections. We have only a few indicators of the total effect on human history, or, moe broadly, what they call evolution. How many kinds have been wiped out simply by a disease to which a population was not resistent. Certain, the Mexican population was decimated by disease during the 16th Century.


45 posted on 01/14/2008 7:10:51 PM PST by RobbyS
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To: Sub-Driver
So, the white man brought smallpox to the New World.

And the native Americans sent back syphillis.

Looks like a fair exchange to me...

46 posted on 01/14/2008 7:23:41 PM PST by okie01 (THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: Ignorance on Parade)
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To: Sub-Driver

Most interesting.


47 posted on 01/14/2008 7:42:08 PM PST by Ciexyz
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To: Sub-Driver

No. It was the American Indian’s fault. Europeans are owed an apology.


48 posted on 01/14/2008 7:44:13 PM PST by Tribune7 (Dems want to rob from the poor to give to the rich)
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To: pbear8; Michael.SF.; RobbyS

Correct. Gaetan Dugas.


49 posted on 01/15/2008 9:02:29 AM PST by Froufrou
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To: Riverman94610; stormer

Wrapped in a tobacco leaf, perhaps?


50 posted on 01/15/2008 9:03:51 AM PST by Froufrou
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To: Soliton; djf

The Syphilis Enigma
(episode from PBS’s “Secrets of the Dead)
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/case_syphilis/index.html


51 posted on 01/15/2008 9:10:49 AM PST by VOA
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To: Sub-Driver

Strange. I heard this many years ago.


52 posted on 01/16/2008 4:04:16 PM PST by forkinsocket
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Italian Skeletons Reveal Old World Diseases
Discovery News | 4-13-2004 | Rossella Lorenzi
Posted on 04/13/2004 8:22:18 PM EDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1117092/posts

Origins of Syphilis [It was waiting for Columbus and his crew in the New World]
Archaeology.org | January/February 1997 | Mark Rose
Posted on 10/06/2007 9:04:49 PM EDT by shield
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1907630/posts

Nature 229, 409 (05 February 1971); doi:10.1038/229409a0
Syphilis and Neanderthal Man
D. J. M. WRIGHT
Department of Venereology, Guy’s Hospital Medical School, London SE1
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v229/n5284/abs/229409a0.html

BONE changes in Neanderthal remains which, it has been suggested1, might be caused by rickets are not unlike those seen in certain treponemal diseases, notably congenital syphilis. Examining the Neanderthal collection at the British Museum (Natural History), I noted several features compatible with treponemal disease.

[and, barely related]

Plague returns as deadly threat
Reuters | 15 Jan 2008 | Reuters
Posted on 01/16/2008 6:56:30 AM EST by BGHater
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1954491/posts?page=44

Lead poisoning made Beethoven grumpy
The Chicago Sun-Times | December 7, 2005 | Jim Ritter
Posted on 12/07/2005 7:05:48 PM EST by neverdem
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1536013/posts

Islam Based on Epileptic Prophecies, says Book From Iran-Native Neuropsychologist
ummahnewslinks | 12/11/2006
Posted on 12/12/2006 11:01:11 PM EST by dennisw
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1752648/posts


53 posted on 01/16/2008 11:25:31 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/__________________Profile updated Wednesday, January 16, 2008)
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1836274/posts?page=11#11


54 posted on 01/16/2008 11:26:21 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/__________________Profile updated Wednesday, January 16, 2008)
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To: martin_fierro; blam; StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 24Karet; 3AngelaD; ...

· join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic ·

 
Gods
Graves
Glyphs
Cheech and Chong flashback. Thanks Blam.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.
GGG managers are Blam, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
 

· Google · Archaeologica · ArchaeoBlog · Archaeology magazine · Biblical Archaeology Society ·
· Mirabilis · Texas AM Anthropology News · Yahoo Anthro & Archaeo ·
· History or Science & Nature Podcasts · Excerpt, or Link only? · cgk's list of ping lists ·


55 posted on 01/16/2008 11:27:49 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/__________________Profile updated Wednesday, January 16, 2008)
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To: VOA

Thanks VOA.


56 posted on 01/16/2008 11:31:43 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/__________________Profile updated Wednesday, January 16, 2008)
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To: SunkenCiv

We all know Ronald Reagan was responsible for the spread of AIDS
/s


57 posted on 01/16/2008 11:33:26 PM PST by ValerieTexas
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To: Billthedrill
Ping to a groundless libel on sailors.
58 posted on 01/16/2008 11:41:03 PM PST by dighton
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To: Sub-Driver

maybe payback for bringing smallpox to the americas?

Seriously, though, what I have read on the subject is that smallpox devastated indian populations in many cases before they even saw a white man. Far less if any resistance to smallpox in indian populations compared to european populations that had been dealing with it for who knows how long.


59 posted on 01/16/2008 11:48:09 PM PST by WoofDog123
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To: Sub-Driver

Poor Columbus. Whether his crew brought it from the New World to Europe or vice versa, they were the conduit.


60 posted on 01/16/2008 11:57:41 PM PST by skr (How majestic is Thy Name, O Lord, and how mighty are Thy Works!)
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