1. Howard Hughes
He was considered as the wealthiest man during the 20th Century. He was an innovator and an entrepreneur. Hughes was known by others of his eccentric lifestyle. When the time he was diagnosed with syphilis, the more he became known. In fact, he even told himself that no disease can be cured with soap and lye. However, that was not the case with him since his tests soon showed that he already had a primary syphilis. He underwent treatment which was said to be risky because of the side effects his family can suffer from. The treatment underwent with was called as the magic bullet, which involved injecting low levels of arsenic and mercury. However, even with that, he was not cured and was even reported to suffer tertiary syphilis, which was shown in his autopsy report.
2. Al Capone
He was known as the Robin Hood of the modern day. Due to that, he was glamorized by the public, but that soon changed. He was said to master the art of politics. Capone was described as a wealthy and powerful gangster. Although he was known for his illegitimate occupation, he still remained a public figure. Capone was that person who was making daily trips to the City Hall just to open soup kitchens that can be accessed by the poor.
Later on, he was sent to prison followed with a diagnostic that he has syphilis, which was said to be one that he was carrying for years. Some years later, he was transferred in Southern California’s Terminal Island Prison. Although his wife Mae took him to several doctor to treat and to cure his disease, it still did not become enough. In the end, his mind just continued deteriorating. However, it was not the reason for his death. Capone suffered from stroke, and he also had pneumonia and a cardiac arrest that caused his death on January 25, 1947.
3. Vincent Van Gogh
Known for the pieces of art he painted that made its name worldwide. His paintings were characterized by its rough beauty, bold color, and emotional honesty.
He was one of those famous people with syphilis. Although scholars had a hard time agreeing that he really suffered from the disease, there were many accounts confirming the truth of his syphilis case. It was also believed that it was this disease that caused him to suffer from a mental disorder. At the age of 37, after several years of experiencing painful anxiety along with his mental illness, he died due to a gunshot wound believed to be self-inflicted.
4. Napoleon Bonaparte
Known to be a political leader and a French military leader, he became prominent during the years after the French Revolution started. He became popular for being the first ruler of the Bonaparte dynasty.
From the years while he was performing his duty, he was diagnosed with syphilis. As a treatment, he consumed arsenic, which was a popular treatment for the disease back then. Due to arsenic consumption, it was believed that it became the reason for his death, although some says that it was due to stomach cancer.
