With These Weapons: Syphilis War

This 1939 American Social Hygiene Association film chronicles the battle against syphilis, tracing its historical scourge from medieval Europe to modern science. It highlights early detection via blood tests like the Wassermann and showcases pre-antibiotic treatments—mercury rubs, arsenic compounds like Salvarsan, and bismuth injections. Emphasizing public health efforts, it credits scientists like Ehrlich and Wagner-Jauregg, framing the fight as a triumph of human ingenuity over a relentless foe.