As a man of great intelligence and talent, Benjamin Franklin was renowned throughout his lifetime. He was a renowned scientist, politician, and publisher.
His fame was not without controversy. He had numerous affairs and was a womanizer in his twilight years.
What was syphilis?
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It spreads when you have vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has it.
It’s caused by bacteria called Treponema pallidum. The bacteria enter your body through cuts in your skin or through mucous membranes.
When you have syphilis, a small sore develops on your genitals, mouth or lips (called a chancre). This sore is painless and goes away on its own in about six weeks.
After the first stage, you may have no symptoms at all and don’t know you have syphilis. This is called latent syphilis or “hidden” syphilis.
In this stage, syphilis can damage your heart, bones, nerves and organs. It can also cause blindness and brain damage.
It’s important to get treatment for syphilis before it gets worse. It can be hard to treat some stages of syphilis, but treatment can stop it from getting worse and keep you healthy.
Did Benjamin Franklin have syphilis?
Franklin was a printer, inventor, scientist and diplomat who played an influential role in the Revolutionary War and in shaping America’s founding documents. He helped to enlist the support of France for the war and was a key player in drafting the Declaration of Independence, the document that declared American independence from Britain.
The 81-year-old Franklin was Pennsylvania’s delegate to the Constitutional Convention, and he contributed significantly to drafting a new document that would be the foundation of the United States. He was also a member of the Second Continental Congress and a delegate to the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War.
During his early years in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin was a printer and newspaper proprietor. He was a member of many local civic groups, including the Philadelphia Fire Company and the Library Company. He was also a member of the American Philosophical Society, which he founded in 1743. He was a major figure in the creation of the Academy of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania.
Did Benjamin Franklin die of syphilis?
Benjamin Franklin was a famous inventor, printer, writer, scientist and Founding Father. He was also a politician and diplomat who fought for the rights of people in America.
As a politician, Franklin helped to unite the colonies for common defense during the Revolutionary War. He was a strong advocate of the American Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
He also drafted the Treaty of Paris that ended the war. He was also a leading figure in the constitutional convention that wrote the Bill of Rights and served as the first minister plenipotentiary to France, representing the United States.
During his time in England, Franklin had a number of sexual liaisons. One woman bore him a child, but he never publicly acknowledged the relationship.
Did Benjamin Franklin have a syphilis infection?
Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States, was a statesman, author, publisher, scientist, inventor and diplomat. He helped establish Philadelphia’s first lending library, hospital and college, served in the Second Continental Congress and drafted the Declaration of Independence.
Although his wife Deborah had no formal education, she possessed a wide range of interests, including literature, music, arts and politics. She was also a passionate womanizer who flitted between different women, often for no apparent reason other than to enjoy their company and a good time.
Eventually, Benjamin and Deborah had a son, Franky, who became their heir. They had a difficult relationship, though. But their disagreement over inoculation for Franky seems less likely to have been rooted in personal differences and more in the fact that Deborah wanted her son to be protected from disease.
