[ExI] STDs

[Tom Nowell]

Dan wrote:
>Was there an age without STDs?  Your comment strikes me like "In an age >of the flu, staying locked in a clear room makes sense for many weaker >persons."  :)

>Regards,

>Dan

Well, there definitely was an age before HIV, and the coming of HIV altered people's sexual behaviour (less of the "swingers parties" and the wilder edge of the gay community than was seen in 1970s). There was an age before syphilis (didn't show up in Europe until circa 1500, which is why one leading theory is that Columbus' sailors brought it to Europe). Given how the descriptions of ancient diseases don't quite match those of modern diseases, it's hard to be sure if it's inaccurate recording of disease by ancient observers or if the diseases have genuinely mutated and changed in human history. The current "bird flu" that has people worried is nothing compared to the 1918 epidemic - diseases do change considerably.

Tom


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