Chicago's War on Syphilis, 1937-40
The Times, the "Trib," and the Clap Doctor
The story of an epidemic in 1930s Chicago
Cloth – $57
978-0-252-02147-3
Publication Date
Cloth: 03/01/1995
About the Book
The U.S. syphilis epidemic of the 1930s proved a harbinger for the AIDS emergency and other public health challenges. Suzanne Poirier tells the story of the Chicago Syphilis Control Program launched in 1937 by the Chicago Board of Health and the U.S. Public Health Service.From the start, the program faced severe limitations and sparked heated debate as the government, the press, and the public refused to confront the problem's underlying issues. Poirier's narrative presents vivid scenes and colorful characters, including Chicago's clap doctor, Dr. Ben Reitman. In an epilogue, the author discusses similarities between efforts against AIDS in the 1980s and 1990s and the handling and politics of the 1930s syphilis crisis.
About the Author
Suzanne Poirier is professor emerita of literature and medical education at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago. She is the coeditor of Writing AIDS: Language, Literature, and Analysis.Reviews
"An eye for colorful vignettes and anecdotes. On target! She recognizes the importance of her subject."--Thomas N. Bonner, author of To the Ends of the Earth: Women's Search for Education in Medicine
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