A Little Valentine's Day Venereal Disease

Awesome history professor William Johnston is giving a very timely lecture this afternoon about the historical impact of syphilis in early modern Japan. I know, mood killer, right? Seriously though, Johnston is really into this stuff (not in a creepy way), has written several books about various forms of sexual depravity in Japan, is a great speaker, and I'm sure it'll be worth the trek over to East Asian Studies house. Plus free refreshments to follow.

Love's Disease in East Asia: How Syphilis Went Native in Japan
Professor William Johnston
History Department

Date:	Thursday, February 14, 2008
Time:	04:30 PM - 05:30 PM
Location:	Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies: Seminar Room

Admission: Free and open to the public

Syphilis first arrived in Japan during the 16th century and had become an accepted part of life by the 18th. This was not, however, without a major impact on people's lives and Japanese culture in ways that since have largely been forgotten. At the time, however, the disease was one of the country's most common phenomena.