Introduction - Historical Notes

Syphilitic patients and their doctors. Woodcut, 16th century.

Sexually transmitted diseases have a long history dating back to ancient times, and for thousands of years nothing could be done about them. They not only remained incurable, but ever-increasing sexual taboos eventually made them unmentionable. Especially the rapid spread of syphilis in the 16th century produced a far-reaching negative change in sexual attitudes. It was not until the middle of the 20th century, when antibiotics became widely available for an effective treatment, that the taboos gradually lifted, and today an open discussion of STDs has again become possible in most countries.

The following sections provide a brief summary of the history of STDs and the medical and social reactions to them.