HF01-03: Medical Research on and Treatment of Venereal Diseases in the German Colonies, 1880-1920
Friday, May 3, 2024 2:04 PM to 2:11 PM · 7 min. (US/Central)
206
Abstract
History of Urology Forum
Information
Full Abstract and Figures
Author Block
Friedrich H. Moll*, Cologne and Duesseldorf, Germany, Thorsten Halling, Florian Mildenberger, Matthis Krischel, Duesseldorf, Germany
Introduction
Sex, gender and sexuality where enormous powerful in the connection with “race” and social class in German colonial history. Only in the last three decades, the violence of German colonialism has been explored by academic historians (Eckard 1997). The experiments of Robert Koch (1843-1910) on sleeping sickness have been a focus of research. Interestingly urologic topics, e. g. STD, s have rarely been studied in German colonial contexts (Walther 2015). In general investment in health was seen as crucial to the economic development of the colonies. Syphilis and gonorrhoea, although less deadly than other endemic or epidemic diseases such as yellow fever, sleeping sickness and bubonic plague, were some of the most widespread infections in German and other colonies.
Methods
We analyse secondary and primary sources (files form the Reichskolonialamt, textbooks on colonial hygiene, original articles) in a hermeneutical manner.
Results
Research at Paul Ehrlich’s lab led Hata Sahachiro (1873 -1938 ) and Paul Ehrlich (1854 -1915) to identify the efficacy of “compound 606” – originally targeted at sleeping sickness – against syphilis. The drug was produced under the trade name Salvarsan from 1910 and is credited as the "first antibiotic". Many colonial physicians actively conducted research on Salvarsan involving colonial populations in order to explore toxicity and adverse effects before widespread use in Europe.
Conclusions
German colonial physicians used and abused colonial populations to benefit treatment of venereal diseases in Germany. They also employed public health policies in the colonies to educate and discipline populations there. Assumptions about “race” played a similar role in this context to that of social class in Germany at the same time.
Source Of Funding
none
Author Block
Friedrich H. Moll*, Cologne and Duesseldorf, Germany, Thorsten Halling, Florian Mildenberger, Matthis Krischel, Duesseldorf, Germany
Introduction
Sex, gender and sexuality where enormous powerful in the connection with “race” and social class in German colonial history. Only in the last three decades, the violence of German colonialism has been explored by academic historians (Eckard 1997). The experiments of Robert Koch (1843-1910) on sleeping sickness have been a focus of research. Interestingly urologic topics, e. g. STD, s have rarely been studied in German colonial contexts (Walther 2015). In general investment in health was seen as crucial to the economic development of the colonies. Syphilis and gonorrhoea, although less deadly than other endemic or epidemic diseases such as yellow fever, sleeping sickness and bubonic plague, were some of the most widespread infections in German and other colonies.
Methods
We analyse secondary and primary sources (files form the Reichskolonialamt, textbooks on colonial hygiene, original articles) in a hermeneutical manner.
Results
Research at Paul Ehrlich’s lab led Hata Sahachiro (1873 -1938 ) and Paul Ehrlich (1854 -1915) to identify the efficacy of “compound 606” – originally targeted at sleeping sickness – against syphilis. The drug was produced under the trade name Salvarsan from 1910 and is credited as the "first antibiotic". Many colonial physicians actively conducted research on Salvarsan involving colonial populations in order to explore toxicity and adverse effects before widespread use in Europe.
Conclusions
German colonial physicians used and abused colonial populations to benefit treatment of venereal diseases in Germany. They also employed public health policies in the colonies to educate and discipline populations there. Assumptions about “race” played a similar role in this context to that of social class in Germany at the same time.
Source Of Funding
none
Sessions
History of Urology Forum
206