Shakespeare probably had syphilis and lost his hair as a result of it

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Article Date: 17 Jan 2005 - 9:00 PDT


Shakespeare may well have had syphilis, known at the time as 'French pox', says Dr J Ross, from the Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Boston, USA. Dr Ross says Shakespeare seemed to know a great deal about the disease.

Shakespeare was probably being treated with mercury for syphilis, it seems. He lost his hair, wrote with a trembling hand and later became withdrawn and unsociable - mercury poisoning can do this to you.

Treating syphilis with mercury was common during the 16th Century.

Ross believes Shakespeare wrote too well about syphilis in his final sonnets - his knowledge was too detailed for somebody who had just an average knowledge of the venereal disease.

You can read about Dr Ross' report on the Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

London was rife with syphilis during Shakespeare's time.

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