Treponematosis and Anthropology
Authors: ELLIS HERNDON HUDSON
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1963)

Special Article1 June 1963Treponematosis and AnthropologyELLIS HERNDON HUDSON, M.D., F.A.C.P.ELLIS HERNDON HUDSON, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-58-6-1037 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptFor many years I have argued in favor of the view that the endemic nonvenereal forms of treponemal infection were widespread in the past, as they are at present, and that it was simply improvement in personal hygiene accompanying the advance of civilization which wrought the transformation from a childhood to a venereal disease. This is the so-called unitarian (or unicist) concept, which emphasizes the evolutionary relationship of yaws, pinta, endemic syphilis, and sporadic syphilis, and regards them all as varieties of treponematosis, caused by one parasite, Treponema pallidum (1).Currently, some writers call these 4 syndromes "the treponematoses," a...References1. HUDSON EH: Treponematosis, in Oxford Medicine, Oxford University Press, New York, 1945. Google Scholar2. MCBURNEY CB: Stone Age of North Africa, Penguin Books, Baltimore, 1960. Google Scholar3. CLARK G: World Prehistory, an Outline, Cambridge University Press, New York, 1961. Google Scholar4. LINTON R: Tree of Culture, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York, 1955. Google Scholar5. LEAKEY LS: Man's African origin. Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 96: 495, 1962. CrossrefGoogle Scholar6. SHAPIRO HL: Man, Culture and Society, Oxford University Press, New York, 1956. Google Scholar7. CALDER R: After the Seventh Day, Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, 1961. Google Scholar8. DAVIDSON B: Lost Cities of Africa, Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 1959. Google Scholar9. HAMLIN H: Geography of treponematosis. Yale J. Biol. Med. 12: 29, 1939. MedlineGoogle Scholar10. HUDSON EH: Non-Venereal Syphilis, E. & S. Livingstone, Edinburgh, 1958. Google Scholar11. TAYLOR G: Environment and Race, Oxford University Press, London, 1927. Google Scholar12. DEBENHAM F: Discovery and Exploration, Doubleday & Company, Garden City, 1960. Google Scholar13. KRIEGER AD: Earliest cultures in the western United States. Amer. Antiquity 28: 138, 1962. CrossrefGoogle Scholar14. KENYON KM: Archaeology in the Holy Land, Frederick A. Praeger, Inc., New York, 1960. Google Scholar15. DORN HF: World population growth. Science 135: 283, 1962. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar16. HAUSER PM: Demographic dimensions of world politics. Science 131: 1641, 1960. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar17. HACKETT CJ: Transmission of yaws in nature. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 40: 159, 1957. Google Scholar18. BJERRE J: Kalahari, Hill & Wang, New York, 1960. Google Scholar19. MURRAYMERRIWEATHERFREEDMAN JFAMML: Endemic syphilis in Bakwena reserve of Bechuanaland protectorate. Bull. WHO 15 (no. 6): 975, 1956. MedlineGoogle Scholar20. COON CS: Story of Man, 2d ed., Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York, 1962. Google Scholar21. HACKETT CJ: Syphilis and yaws among Australian aborigines. Med. J. Aust. 1: 733, 1936. CrossrefGoogle Scholar22. RAMSAY GC: Influence of climate and malaria on yaws. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 28: 1925. Google Scholar23. MERRIWEATHER AM: Extravenereal treponematosis in Bechuanaland protectorate. Trans. Roy. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 47 (no. 3): 242, 1955. CrossrefGoogle Scholar24. WILLCOX RR: Njovera: endemic syphilis of southern Rhodesia. Lancet 1: 558, 1951. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar25. MATHURIN L: Personal communication. Google Scholar26. MCFADZEANMCCOURTWILKINSON JAJFAE: Treponematoses in Gambia, West Africa. Trans. Roy. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 51 (no. 2): 169, 1957. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar27. GRIN EI: Endemic treponematoses in the Sudan. Bull. WHO 24 (no. 2): 229, 1961. MedlineGoogle Scholar28. CUTLER JC: Survey of venereal diseases in Afghanistan. Bull. WHO 2 (no. 4): 689, 1950. MedlineGoogle Scholar29. RAJAM RV: National program for control of venereal diseases. Indian J. Derm. Vener 21: 29, 1955. Google Scholar30. DRIVER HE: Indians of North America, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1960. Google Scholar31. HAAG WG: Bering Strait land bridge. Sci. Amer. 206: 112, 1962. MedlineGoogle Scholar32. HITTI PK: Near East in History, D. Van Nostrand Company Inc., Princeton, 1961. Google Scholar33. BRAIDWOOD RJ: Near Eastern prehistory. Science 127: 1419, 1958. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar34. MUMFORD L: The City in History, Harcourt, Brace & World, New York, 1961. Google Scholar35. GRIN EI: Endemic syphilis and yaws. Bull. WHO 15 (no. 6): 959, 1956. MedlineGoogle Scholar36. POLLOCK JS: Sibbens or Sivvens—Scottish yaws. Trans. Roy. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 47 (no. 5): 431, 1953. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar37. HUDSON EH: Endemic syphilis—heir of the syphiloids. Arch. Intern. Med. (Chicago) 108: 1, 1961. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar38. GUTHELUGER TA: Epidemiological aspects of non-venereal "endemic" syphilis. Dermatologica (Basel) 115: 248, 1957. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar39. WILLCOX RR: Evolutionary cycle of treponematoses. Brit. J. Vener. Dis. 36: 78, 1960. MedlineGoogle Scholar40. COCKBURN TA: Origin of the treponematoses. Bull. WHO 24 (no. 2): 221, 1961. MedlineGoogle Scholar41. HEYERDAHL T: American Indians in the Pacific. Geo. Allen & Unwin, London, 1952. Google Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Cedar Grove, WisconsinRequests for reprints should be addressed to Ellis Herndon Hudson, M.D., Cedar Grove, Wisconsin. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByThe Depiction of Smallpox and Other Dermatologic Lesions on the Surfaces of Ancient Terracotta Statues from Mali, West AfricaSyphilis in an Italian medieval jewish community: A bioarchaeological and cultural perspectiveEpidemic of venereal treponematosis in wild monkeys: a paradigm for syphilis originPresence of dental signs of congenital syphilis in pre-modern specimensWho acquires infection from whom and how? Disentangling multi-host and multi-mode transmission dynamics in the ‘elimination’ eraTreponemal disease in the Old World? Integrated palaeopathological assessment of a 9th–11th century skeleton from north-central SpainPaleoepidemiological and biocultural approaches to ancient disease: the origin and antiquity of syphilisTemporal and Spatial Distribution of Treponemal Infection in South Florida: An Epidemiological ApproachWhen Is Syphilis Not Syphilis? Or Is It?The Endemic TreponematosesTreponema pallidum Infection in Primates: Clinical Manifestations, Epidemiology, and Evolution of a Stealthy PathogenThe origin and antiquity of syphilis revisited: An Appraisal of Old World pre-Columbian evidence for treponemal infectionOn the Origin of the Treponematoses: A Phylogenetic ApproachRegional, social, and evolutionary perspectives on treponemal infection in the Southeastern United StatesHistological identification of syphilis in pre-Columbian EnglandSyphilis 2001 a palaeopathological reappraisalSYPHILIS 100 YEARS AGO: PARALLELS WITH THE AIDS PANDEMICDisease Ecologies of North AmericaA new world of infectious diseaseGenital chlamydial infection: A role for social scientistsScarlet FeverSyphilis in anthropological perspectiveSyphilis in anthropological perspectiveThe introduction of venereal disease into Tahiti: A re‐examinationFrambösieHuman paleopathology and some diseases in living primitive societies: A review of the recent literatureRace, ethnic group, and diseasePINTA OR PINTA-LIKE LATE SYPHILODERM?Treponematosis and African Slavery 1 June 1963Volume 58, Issue 6Page: 1037-1049KeywordsHygieneInfectious diseasesPediatric infectionsSexually transmitted diseasesSyphilisTreponema pallidum Issue Published: 1 June 1963 PDF DownloadLoading ...