In years gone by, “the great pox” wreaked havoc, a sexually-transmitted infection we now call syphilis. During the Renaissance period, European nations were all so fearful and embarrassed by it that they all blamed each other. The Italians called it “the French disease”, while the French called it “the Neapolitan disease”, the Russians called it “the Polish disease”, while the Polish called it “the German disease”... It seems scientific and political disagreements are nothing new.