A
Tale of Two Spirochetes*
by
Robert C. Bransfield, M.D.
*Virginia Sherr, M.D., F.A.PA. and Gregory Bach, D.O. are recognized for providing
editorial review.
Mr. A was born in
Day Massacre." He was imprisoned for tax evasion and prohibition
violations.
While incarcerated in
concluded, in 1946, that he had the mentality of a 12 year old child.
He died of a
cerebral hemorrhage in 1947.
Mr. B was born in
episodes of "blindness", eye pain, hazy vision,
Parkinson's syndrome, extreme paranoia, frequent hand washing, sexual
inhibition, explosive rage, hypochondriasis, narcissism,
depression, and anxiety. He clearly was homicidal. He committed suicide in a
bunker in
The study of physical and mental
disease from a historical perspective is an area of growing interest. How much
impact has the microbe had upon the course of human history? Have microbes in
any way contributed to crime and/or war?* We could
speculate
forever about who may have been inflicted and whether there was any
causal link to their behavior, without any conclusive answers. A more important
question, however, is how much impact the microbe will have upon the future?
Those possibly affected by syphilis
include: Peter the Great; Napoleon; Stalin, and Idi Amin. Historically, the European aristocracy
were treated for syphilis with silver, which caused a blue tinge to the
blood resulting in the phrase, "blue blood."
From clinical experience, there is a
clear link in some cases between aggression and infectious disease, which
affects the brain. In some individuals, this may result in
explosive rage, various acts of aggression, suicide, and homicide.
These incidents are recognized to significantly impact upon a limited number of
individuals, however the full social impact may not be
fully appreciated until it affects powerful individuals.
Throughout history, soldiers often
returned from war with new and unusual diseases which were sometimes
acknowledged to have an infectious basis. Certain regions of the world are
associated with a higher incidence of violence and social strife. Could
microbes endemic to these regions contribute to violence? The
Balkans, for example, have long been a region of
social unrest. World War I began in
returning from the on-going military action in
Regardless of the cause of their
aggressiveness, Al Capone and Adolf Hitler lived in
an era when weapons were relatively unsophisticated, yet Hitler killed
millions. Since
his death, there has been frightening technical advances in
biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons. How long can we afford to ignore the
link between infectious disease and violence?