Syphilis and Subjectivity

Introduction; Part I: Structuring Syphilis.- Kari Nixon and Lorenzo Servitje.- 1. Medical Mappings of Syphilis in the Late Nineteenth Century; Monika Pietrzak-Franger.- 2. Stigmatization, Syphilis, and Prostitution: The Discursive Construction of Sex Workers, Disease, and Feeblemindedness; J.L. Schatz.- 3. Marriage, Motherhood and the Future of the Race: Syphilis in Late-Victorian and Edwardian Britain; Joanne Townsend.- 4. Suspect Bodies, Suspect Milk: Milk Sharing, Wetnursing, and the Specter of Syphilis in the 21st Century; Beatriz M. Reyes-Foster and Shannon K. Carter.- Part II: Novel Infections.- 5. Not-So-Great Expectations: Pregnancy and Syphilis in Sarah Grand’s The Heavenly Twins; Livia Woods.- 6. Unspeakable Horror: Outing Syphilis in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness; Nicole Cosentino and Wendy Ryden.- 7. “Everybody Has it”: Syphilis and the Human Condition in the Writings of Ernest Hemingway; Lisa Tyler.

“Professional historians of medicine (particularly of 20th century medicine) will be interested in this book thanks to its methodological approach, relying on a broad range of sources (including internet forums). Interest in the book goes beyond, as it will serve as a basis for a reflection on the conceptualization of the disease (scientific and medical, as well as societal, literary, and imaginary). This book is a key read in modern medicine rather than just history of medicine.” (Alain Touwaide, Doody’s Book Reviews, March, 2018)

Kari Nixon is Assistant professor for English at Whitworth University, USA. Her research focuses on the confluence of microbiology, germ theory, and social norms in the late nineteenth century.

Lorenzo Servitje is Assistant Professor in the Department of English and Health, Medicine, and Society Program at Lehigh University, USA. His work examines the mutual constitution of literature and medicine in the Victorian era, in addition to representation of medical discourse in popular culture.

This book demystifies the cultural work of syphilis from the late nineteenth century to the present. By interrogating the motivations that engender habits of belief, thought, and conduct regarding the disease and notions of the self, this interdisciplinary volume investigates constructions of syphilis that had a significant role in shaping modern subjectivity. Chapters draw from a variety of scholarly methods, such as cultural and literary studies, sociology, and anthropology. Authors unravel the representations and influence of syphilis in various cultural forms: cartography, medical writings, literature, historical periodicals, and contemporary popular discourses such as internet forums and electronic news media.