Syphilis in The Early Years of Turkish Republic: An Example of Bolu Sanjak in Yearbooks Between 1916 and 1925

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Syphilis is one of the most important epidemics seen in Ottoman lands along with world geography. The disease of syphilis, whose history dates back Ages in archaeological findings, began to pass in the late fifteenth century in the texts. This disease is mentioned in Ottoman texts at the beginning of the sixteenth century. Although syphilis is a previously known disease, it has been recorded to cause serious epidemics in our country in the mid-nineteenth century. As with other epidemics, the Ottoman State also engaged in an important fight against syphilis. Syphilis has been recorded as causing serious damage in Kastamonu and Bolu, along with Istanbul. In our study, the struggle against syphilis in Bolu and its vicinity in the last period of the Ottoman Empire will be demonstrated. MATERIALS and METHODS: In our study, within the framework of yearbooks which the first one in Bolu was published in 1916 and the second in 1925, we will discuss the struggle of syphilis with other epidemics. RESULTS: Bolu health administration, Bolu syphilis Hospital, which will later become the hometown hospital, mobile syphilis doctors, Bolu syphilis General Inspection Committee and drugs distributed with free examinations are the most important tools of this fight. In particular, the number of examinations and patients show the importance of the subject. CONCLUSION: Although there were years of war and famine, it is understood that diseases that closely concern the vast masses were effectively fought. When viewed from historical aspect, the Bolu yearbooks is remarkable for showing the struggle tools and determination of the struggle, although the statistics given are likely to be incomplete.