本土抑或舶来——十八世纪欧洲视野下的中国梅毒由来说

有关梅毒的起源问题,自15世纪末在欧洲暴发之初,便一直为欧洲学界所津津乐道,然中国医家似对此兴味索然,大抵寥寥数字表明此病起自岭南地区。有趣的是,18世纪的欧洲曾兴起一场关于中国梅毒究竟应始于"本土",还是"舶来"的探讨,此议题一直延续至20世纪中期,惜此段历史至今鲜为人知。本文即以18世纪法国御医阿斯特吕克的著作《性病论》为线索,回溯这场发生在西方的关于中国梅毒起源的探讨,并将其置于具体的历史情境中,探究其背后的原因,追索东西方在这场找寻疾病起源的历程中发生的种种交织与碰撞。

Native or Imported:The Origin of Chinese Syphilis from the Perspective of Europe in the 18th Century

The origin of syphilis has been discussed by Western writers since it broke out in Europe at the end of the 15th century.However,Chinese traditional physicians just noted that the disease originated in the Lingnan area and they showed little interest in it.Interestingly,this issue attracted the attention of Western writers in the 18th century.There was a discussion about whether Chinese syphilis was"native"or"imported",and it continued to the middle of 20th century.Unfortunately,this history is rarely known by people.Taking French Dr.Johanne Astruc’s work as a clue,this study attempts to examine the controversy on the origin of Chinese syphilis from the aspect of Western writers in the 18th century.It explores the issue in a concrete historical context,and pursues the intertwining and collisions between the East and the West in the course of searching for the origin of syphilis.