An imperial laboratory: the investigation and treatment of treponematoses in occupied Haiti, 1915-1934

This article examines anti-treponematoses work as part of US occupation public health policy in Haiti, a unique event in the history of international health. Yaws was highly prevalent in Haiti, but occupation doctors initially ignored it because of its close association with syphilis and stigmas att...

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Main Author: Antony Dalziel McNeil Stewart
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Casa de Oswaldo Cruz
Series:História, Ciências, Saúde: Manguinhos
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0104-59702017000401089&lng=en&tlng=en
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author Antony Dalziel McNeil Stewart
author_facet Antony Dalziel McNeil Stewart
author_sort Antony Dalziel McNeil Stewart
collection DOAJ
description This article examines anti-treponematoses work as part of US occupation public health policy in Haiti, a unique event in the history of international health. Yaws was highly prevalent in Haiti, but occupation doctors initially ignored it because of its close association with syphilis and stigmas attached to sexually transmitted disease. This changed when C.S. Butler asserted that yaws was “innocent” and that the two diseases should therefore be considered as one. Treatment increased as an anti-treponematoses campaign was now believed to hold great benefits for the occupation’s paternalist and strategic aims, even though it ultimately failed. This work reflected Haiti’s status as a public health “laboratory” which affected Haitian medicine for years to come and significantly influenced future campaigns aimed at disease eradication.
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series História, Ciências, Saúde: Manguinhos
spelling doaj-art-cf81cc3654c141b1b4785bc5338366ac2025-08-20T03:57:44ZengFundação Oswaldo Cruz, Casa de Oswaldo CruzHistória, Ciências, Saúde: Manguinhos1678-47582441089110610.1590/s0104-59702017000500013S0104-59702017000401089An imperial laboratory: the investigation and treatment of treponematoses in occupied Haiti, 1915-1934Antony Dalziel McNeil StewartThis article examines anti-treponematoses work as part of US occupation public health policy in Haiti, a unique event in the history of international health. Yaws was highly prevalent in Haiti, but occupation doctors initially ignored it because of its close association with syphilis and stigmas attached to sexually transmitted disease. This changed when C.S. Butler asserted that yaws was “innocent” and that the two diseases should therefore be considered as one. Treatment increased as an anti-treponematoses campaign was now believed to hold great benefits for the occupation’s paternalist and strategic aims, even though it ultimately failed. This work reflected Haiti’s status as a public health “laboratory” which affected Haitian medicine for years to come and significantly influenced future campaigns aimed at disease eradication.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0104-59702017000401089&lng=en&tlng=enHaitiUnited Statesyawssyphilismedicine
spellingShingle Antony Dalziel McNeil Stewart
An imperial laboratory: the investigation and treatment of treponematoses in occupied Haiti, 1915-1934
História, Ciências, Saúde: Manguinhos
Haiti
United States
yaws
syphilis
medicine
title An imperial laboratory: the investigation and treatment of treponematoses in occupied Haiti, 1915-1934
title_full An imperial laboratory: the investigation and treatment of treponematoses in occupied Haiti, 1915-1934
title_fullStr An imperial laboratory: the investigation and treatment of treponematoses in occupied Haiti, 1915-1934
title_full_unstemmed An imperial laboratory: the investigation and treatment of treponematoses in occupied Haiti, 1915-1934
title_short An imperial laboratory: the investigation and treatment of treponematoses in occupied Haiti, 1915-1934
title_sort imperial laboratory the investigation and treatment of treponematoses in occupied haiti 1915 1934
topic Haiti
United States
yaws
syphilis
medicine
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0104-59702017000401089&lng=en&tlng=en
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