Medical theory and surgical practice: coping with the French disease in early renaissance Portugal and Spain

The outbreak of what was commonly known as the 'French disease' (morbus gallicus) -and is traditionally identified with syphilis-, soon became a significant social and health problem throughout the Old World. Initially perceived as a new pestilence, its transmission by contagian, mostly through sexual contact, and its chronic and progressively incapacitating features were, however, soon generally accepted. Yet, the long and disconcerting course of the disease -characterised by successive clinical stages separated by asymptomatic periods- and the inability of physicians to find any suitable treatment for it, made other health practitioners such as surgeons, either university or apprentice training, and empirics- introduce to the health marketplace many allegedly successful therapeutic innovations.Peer reviewe