How was syphilis treated on the Lewis and Clark expedition? How do we know this?
1 Answer
Lewis and Clark anticipated venereal disease could be a problem on their expedition. In their medicine chest they packed several drugs used at the time to help combat syphilis and gonorrhea, including mercury-laden calomel, copaiba, and mercury ointment.
Explanation:
Lewis and Clark anticipated venereal disease could be a problem on their expedition. In their medicine chest they packed several drugs used at the time to help combat syphilis and gonorrhea, including mercury-laden calomel, copaiba, and mercury ointment.
The problem with these drugs were while these drugs were believed to be toxic to the bacteria causing syphilis they are also toxic to humans.
We know this because of journals in the journals of Lewis and Clark such as this one from Lewis:
"Goodrich has recovered from the Louis veneri [sysphilis] which he contracted from an amorous contact with a Chinnook damsel. I cured him as I did Gibson last winter by the uce of murcury."
