Syphilis and AIDS in Belle Glade, Florida, 1942 and 1992
- Michael R. Grey, MD, MPH
Excerpt
George Santayana warned, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" (1). The venereal disease experience in Belle Glade, Florida, during the past 50 years is a striking case in point. In the 1940s, Belle Glade became the focus of intense scientific interest when an epidemic of syphilis occurred among the poor, predominantly non-white migrant farm-worker population living there. Fifty years later, Belle Glade again made headlines when it was found that this small agricultural community in the heart of the Florida Everglades had one of the highest incidences of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the
This 100-word excerpt has been provided in the absence of an abstract.
Note in Proof
The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgments: The author thanks Sally Geer for assistance in manuscript preparation; Dr. Henry Schneidermann for his critical review of manuscript drafts and thoughtful recommendations; and his colleagues in the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program at the University of Washington, particularly Dr. Thomas Inui, for their early comments, insight, and encouragement.
Article and Author Information
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Grant Support: The author completed most of the research for this article while a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar.
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Requests for Reprints: Michael R. Grey, MD, MPH, Occupational Medicine Program, Building 12, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030.
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Current Author Address: Dr. Grey: Occupational Medicine Program, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030.
- ©1992 American College of Physicians
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