“Penicillin, Propaganda, and the death of the Pro-Station in World War 2” Lecture on Thursday, April 21
As part of the Ruth and John Moskop History of Medicine Lecture Series, the Medical History Interest Group invites you to attend “Penicillin, Propaganda, and the death of the Pro-Station in World War 2” on Thursday, April 21, 2022. This lecture, presented by John A. Papalas, III, MD, Dermatopathologist, Eastern Dermatology and Pathology, begins at 4:30p.m. in the Evelyn Fike Laupus Gallery, fourth floor Laupus Library. The event will also be hosted on WebEx. Attend the event virtually at this link.
The Topic:
During WWI, syphilis (and venereal disease generally) became a major problem for the US army. As a result, the government trained medical officers not only to educate troops about venereal disease but to develop techniques to control the spread. One important measure was the venereal prophylactic station (also known as the pro station). Under threat of trial by court martial, soldiers having sex with prostitutes were required to immediately register at a pro station for the purpose of receiving a preventative treatment aimed at reducing the risk of transmission. In the pre-penicillin era the treatments for patients with documented syphilis could last for months. Soldiers receiving these treatments were considered unfit for service and were pulled from the ranks until cured, so preventing the infection was crucial. A great deal of propaganda was designed and printed for the military to remind men of the importance of visiting the pro station after a night on the town. The aim of this presentation is to explore the emergence and disappearance of the pro station and the propaganda material associated with it, both of which were rendered irrelevant by the advent of penicillin.
Dr. Papalas
The Speaker:
Dr. John Papalas is the Laboratory Director of the Pathology service at Eastern Dermatology and Pathology in Greenville NC. A Greenville native, he received a Bachelor of Science and of Arts degrees from North Carolina State University and he received his medical degree from the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. He completed both his residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology and a fellowship in Dermatopathology at Duke University Medical Center. He is Board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology and in Dermatopathology.
More Information:
This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.
Click to attend virtually: https://ecu.webex.com/ecu/j.php?MTID=m77a117e56a5174c7de8387a39987b792
Directions and parking information.
If you’d like to travel by bus from Main Campus, take bus 302 from the Main Campus Student Center to the Allied Health Sciences Building. Click here for the 302 bus schedule.
Lectures may be video recorded.
Learn more about the MHIG lectures and view an archive of previous recordings.