A Study On The Control Of Syphilis In Inner Mongolia (1950-1965)

Syphilis is a kind of chronic and systemic infection caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum. Its danger is that this spirochete can invade the central nervous, cardiovascular, skeletal and other body’s systems, causing tissue and organ damage, loss of function, severe cases can be fatal. The disease spread to Inner Mongolia about in the middle of Qing dynasty. To the front half of the20th century, it was very widespread and had high infestation rate in the Inner Mongolia, especially in pastoral areas. As the infectious diseases, the prevalence of syphilis is closely related with the social system, cultural background, economic level, medical conditions. Apart from the above reasons, sex ratio imbalance which can marry and the difference of concepts and customs are included. The increasing spread of syphilis cause serious impacts to the local community, such as lead to local population sharp drop; economic stagnation or even recession and the people’s life is becoming more poverty. Facing to syphilis, the local people, especially pastoralists lack the clear cognition, they pay attention to the disease, and most people try to pray, or believe in destiny to get rid of disease problems. This period, Qing government of the Republic basically did not take measures to prevent syphilis in the Inner Mongolia region and failed to control the spread of syphilis in the local area. After the founding of People’s Republic of China, the new regime developed appropriate policies in the Inner Mongolia and launched a campaign to eliminate syphilis. Prevention and control work is the first to take a variety of forms on the masses of publicity and education, then organize forces to carry out inspection and prevention of symptomatic treatment, meanwhile conduct scientific research on the prevention and treatment of syphilis. The campaign has been so effective on syphilis control; significant changes have taken place in the local health; while the health care for women and children developed rapidly on this basis. In this campaign, the Communist Party of China and the people’s power implement political mobilization, especially giving syphilis political metaphor, guiding the people complained contrast to reveal the differences between the old and new regimes during syphilis prevention, Meanwhile they require the executor to follow the mass line and pay attention to the work methods of believing in the people and concerning about the masses. Therefore, the prevention and treatment of syphilis is not only to obtain such good control effect on the epidemic of syphilis, but also make people more support to local Communist Party of China and the new regime. Meanwhile prevention and control of syphilis in Inner Mongolia ran smoothly and achieved remarkable results to promoting recovery and development of the local economy and social progress.