Īlbert Ludwig Sigesmund Neisser in 1879 discovered the causative organism, Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The confusion existed till 1838 when Phillippe Ricord after studying 2500 patients, categorically proved the existence of two different entities – syphilis and gonorrhea. There were discordant views, suggesting that the inoculation was done on another patient and not on Hunter himself and that the patient had syphilis before the inoculation.
Hunter drew conclusions from a famous experiment in which he inoculated himself with the material from a patient with gonorrhea and acquired syphilis. Great surgeons such as Ambroise Pare and John Hunter considered gonorrhea and syphilis to be manifestations of the same disease. Ĭonfusion regarding the relation between gonorrhea and syphilis arose with the arrival of syphilis in Europe in the late 15 th century. The French king Louis IX passed a similar law in 1256 AD. This remains the earliest known legal records of the disease and dates back to around 1161 AD.
Īlthough the actual cause remained obscure, English parliament passed a law to halt the spread of “the perilous infirmity of burning” so as to ensure that gonorrhea was brought to a decline and ultimately removed from the society. STIs including gonorrhea had caused many deaths during the Crimean war (A.D 1854–1856). Historical evidence suggest that the Roman soldiers fighting with Julius Caesar (100–40 B.C) suffered from gonorrhea. Throughout the history, wars were associated with outbreaks of STIs. The basic biology of the female reproductive tract was mistakenly thought to breed diseases since it was believed to provide adequate warmth and moisture for microbial growth. In those days, men were considered as victims and women as the cause. This name translates as “rabbit huts,” referring to the small huts in which the prostitutes lived. Some others are of the opinion that the word “The Clap” is derived from French brothels, known as “Les Clapiers,” where the disease was quite rampant. Others believe that the name is derived from the ancient treatment of “clapping” an infected penis on either side with a big book to remove pus. The disease was also referred to as “The Clap,” referring to the “clapping” sensation experienced by the infected person during urination. The Greek physician, Galen (131–200 AD) coined the term “gonorrhea” and he referred to it as “an unwanted discharge of semen” (gono: seed, rhea: flow). He used to catheterize patients with urethral strictures. Gonorrhea was termed “strangury” by Hippocrates (460–375 BC) who claimed that it resulted from the “pleasures of Venus.” Celsus (25 BC–50 AD) was well aware of gonorrhea and its complications. It is believed that the mention of “an issue of seed” in the Book of Leviticus in the Old Testament and the precautions suggested refers to this disease. A disease resembling gonorrhea was described by the Chinese emperor, Huang Ti (2600 BC) in his textbook. There is some conflict of opinion regarding its exact origin, but according to the general consensus, the disease has been present from the ancient times. Gonorrhea is one of the oldest sexually transmitted infections (STIs) known to humankind. In this review, we have attempted to provide an overview of the historical aspects of the disease. History of gonorrhea dates back to the history of mankind.