Catherine Olivarius
Historian and Stanford professor who researches 19th-century disease and society; author and expert on syphilis in the American Civil War and author of Necropolis: Disease, Power, and Capitalism in the Cotton Kingdom.
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Jan 20, 2026 • 40min
The Syphilis Explosion of the American Civil War
Catherine Olivarius, Stanford historian who studies 19th-century disease and society, explains how syphilis surged during the American Civil War. She discusses the disease’s stages and brutal treatments. Short scenes cover military medical exams, attempts to curb infections, the boom in sex work, and the war’s long shadow on families and public health.
