Syphilis (梅毒) in China note. The name, meidu, literally means “plum poison” (or “plum virus”), evidently because of the appearance of the ulcers. First reported in early 17th cent. in China, in the  《霉瘡秘錄》 of 1632 by Chen Sicheng (陳司成). Also, in the 《瘡瘍經驗全書》 it’s called 楊梅瘡 (yangmei chuang, “bayberry lesions”) and 廣東瘡, “Canton lesions.” A good general “history of syphilis.”  ** I doubt the theory that Columbus brought the disease from America to Europe. According to the early Chinese accounts it came from India into Guangdong. (Safe to say it came from sailors, coming from somewhere).