FYI January 31, 2020

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On This Day

1747 – The first venereal diseases clinic opens at London Lock Hospital.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), are infections that are commonly spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex and oral sex.[1][5] Many times STIs initially do not cause symptoms.[1] This results in a greater risk of passing the disease on to others.[6][7] Symptoms and signs of disease may include vaginal discharge, penile discharge, ulcers on or around the genitals, and pelvic pain.[1] STIs can be transmitted to an infant before or during childbirth and may result in poor outcomes for the baby.[1][8] Some STIs may cause problems with the ability to get pregnant.[1]

More than 30 different bacteria, viruses, and parasites can be transmitted through sexual activity.[1] Bacterial STIs include chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.[1] Viral STIs include genital herpes, HIV/AIDS, and genital warts.[1] Parasitic STIs include trichomoniasis.[1] While usually spread by sex, some STIs can be spread by non-sexual contact with donor tissue, blood, breastfeeding, or during childbirth.[1] STI diagnostic tests are usually easily available in the developed world, but this is often not the case in the developing world.[1]

The most effective way of preventing STIs is by not having sex.[2] Some vaccinations may also decrease the risk of certain infections including hepatitis B and some types of HPV.[2] Safer sex practices such as use of condoms, having a smaller number of sexual partners, and being in a relationship where each person only has sex with the other also decreases the risk.[1][2] Circumcision in adult males may be effective to prevent some infections.[1] During school, comprehensive sex education may also be useful.[9] Most STIs are treatable or curable.[1] Of the most common infections, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis are curable, while herpes, hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS, and HPV are treatable but not curable.[1] Resistance to certain antibiotics is developing among some organisms such as gonorrhea.[10]

In 2015, about 1.1 billion people had STIs other than HIV/AIDS.[3] About 500 million were infected with either syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia or trichomoniasis.[1] At least an additional 530 million people have genital herpes and 290 million women have human papillomavirus.[1] STIs other than HIV resulted in 108,000 deaths in 2015.[4] In the United States there were 19 million new cases of sexually transmitted infections in 2010.[11] Historical documentation of STIs date back to at least the Ebers papyrus around 1550 BC and the Old Testament.[12] There is often shame and stigma associated with these infections.[1] The term sexually transmitted infection is generally preferred over sexually transmitted disease or venereal disease, as it includes those who do not have symptomatic disease.[13]

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Born On This Day

1785 – Magdalena Dobromila Rettigová, Czech cook book author (d. 1845)
Magdalena Dobromila Rettigová (January 31, 1785 – August 5, 1845) was Czech writer known for her famous cookery book.

Rettigová, née Artmann, was born in Všeradice, into a German-speaking family. Her childhood was not happy and her father died in 1792. In 1808 she married Jan Alois Sudiprav Rettig, a Czech patriot from a half-German speaking family. Under his influence she learned to speak and write correctly in Czech language and also started to use middle name Dobromila. Rettigová was active in Czech National Revival movement, also helped to found an educational institute for girls (her main advice for the girls was to keep their husband happy no matter what). Of her 11 children only three survived into adult age. She died, aged 60, in Litomyšl.

Her early literary works were mostly syrupy and sentimental texts. In 1826 Rettigová published her legendary recipe book called A Household Cookery Book or A Treatise on Meat and Fasting Dishes for Bohemian and Moravian Lasses (Domácí kuchařka aneb Pojednání o masitých a postních pokrmech pro dcerky české a moravské). This book became a 19th-century bestseller and for a long time remained the only cookery book written in Czech. Rettigová continued to improve the book with culinary experiments.

The cookbook is well known until today though most of its recipes, high on fat and carbohydrates, don’t fit with modern lifestyle. The book is still being reprinted and a copy can be found in libraries of many Czech households.

 
 

FYI

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Recipes

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