Through history syphilis has had numerous names, from French Disease to The Big Pox.
The blame for syphilis was invariably ascribed to foreigners, with the result that the English called it the French disease, the French called it the Italian disease, and the Italians, unable to make up their minds, called it both the French disease and the Spanish disease.
We say the French disease (syphilis), but they say la maladie anglaise.
