Treponematosis and Man's Social Evolution

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Abstract
Treponematosis is a disease of four syndromes, caused by Treponema pallidum, constituting a biological gradient in which endemic syphilis is firmly established between venereal syphilis and yaws. Medical history offers many instances of gradual conversion of one syndrome into another under the influence of changes in the environment. Many of these transitions were reversible.The thesis here advanced suggests that treponemal infection of man originated in Equatorial Africa as yaws in Paleolithic times, that it accompanied the hunter‐gatherers in their migrations, and that it changed to endemic syphilis in cooler and dryer areas. Endemic syphilis found an exceptionally favorable environment in the village, a social invention of Mesolithic/Neolithic time which spread over the world, the New as well as the Old. When urban civilization evolved in the Middle East, conditions were favorable for the parallel evolution of venereal syphilis. It is suggested that this transition from endemic to venereal syphilis has occurred in many places where village life has been exchanged for city life. Treponematosis is a flexible disease which has changed to conform with man's social history. In this view environmental factors, including climate and man's social habits, have produced the four syndromes.This contrasts with the conventional view which regards each syndrome as a distinct disease, caused by a different parasite and originating at some historical time by a process of mutation. An outgrowth of this commonly held view is the dispute about the place where the putative mutation into venereal syphilis took place, in the New or Old World, and whether the crews of Columbus and other explorers were involved. Reference is made to treponemal lesions in ancient bones. The distribution of this archeological material over the world simply indicates the age and ubiquity of the disease.Finally, the present status of venereal syphilis in Russia is compared with that in the United States. The comparison demonstrates how social factors are paramount in determining the character of treponematosis in each country.

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