Candy and Syphilis

[BlueBadger]

What a charming combination!

I would love answers to the following:

1) Are licorice allsorts commonly sold in American stores? They're easy to find in Commonwealth countries, but my (American) husband has no idea what they are. I, on the other hand, can consume a bag at a time.

2) I have a male character who is born to a mother infected with syphilis, lucky fellow. Said mother is treated as soon as she finds out, but that doesn't happen until rather late in her pregnancy.

I know syphilis can cause sterility among other things, but can it cause a male foetus to become sterile as well? I've done a bit of my own research but can't find an answer one way or the other.

Thanks very much!

[scarletpeaches]

I know nothing of either query, but this thread wins the scarletpeaches Thread Title, September 07 Award outright.

[Maryn]

I'm American. I don't know what licorice allsorts is/are, so I guess we don't eat 'em--at least under that name. Can you find a picture of them? Not the packaging, but the candy itself? We do eat many forms of licorice (whips, Twizzlers, nuggets, etc.), including candy-coated licorice (Good 'n Plenty).

I'll wait for somebody medical to weigh in on the syph dealie.

Maryn, who doesn't like "real" (black) licorice

ETA: "Congenital syphilis

Congenital syphilis occurs when a mother's syphilis goes untreated during pregnancy and is passed to the baby through the placenta. A baby can also become infected with syphilis during labor or delivery.

The risk of infecting the baby is greatest when the mother is in the early stages of syphilis; however, infection is possible any time during pregnancy.1

It is very important that a pregnant woman have a lab test to detect syphilis. The baby's risk of getting syphilis is significantly reduced if the mother receives treatment during pregnancy. If the mother is treated before the 16th week of her pregnancy, the baby will usually not become infected. Treating a pregnant woman in the secondary stage of syphilis before her last month of pregnancy reduces the chances the baby will be born with congenital syphilis by 98%. 2

If an infected mother does not receive treatment, the mother may miscarry, or the baby may be born dead, die shortly after birth, be born early, or be infected with syphilis.1

Complications that can occur in a baby whose infected mother was not treated include:

* A flat bridge of the nose (saddle nose).
* Permanent incisor teeth that are peg-shaped, widely spaced, and notched at the end with a crescent-shaped deformity in the center (notched teeth or Hutchinson's teeth)."

---webmd.com

[ColoradoGuy]

What a charming combination!

I would love answers to the following:

I know syphilis can cause sterility among other things, but can it cause a male foetus to become sterile as well?
No. Here is a link to congenital syphilis. (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001344.htm)

[job]

1) Are licorice allsorts commonly sold in American stores? They're easy to find in Commonwealth countries, but my (American) husband has no idea what they are. I, on the other hand, can consume a bag at a time.




licorice is generally sold as 'ropes' in the US, or as pastilles. You can buy allsorts, but it's a specialty candy. here (http://www.candywarehouse.com/allsorts.html)

Ask your husband about Good n Plenty (from Hersheys)

[Linda Adams]

I had to look licorice allsorts up on the web to see what they were. They're candy covered licorice. We have Halloween coming up here in about a month and a half, and all the stores have their candy supplies out. Chocolate is big seller here; most of the candy for Halloween is chocolate in some form or another. Other than our standard licorice strings, I haven't seen anything like the allsorts. There may be a speciality candy shop that sells them, but if so, they're not generally available like chocolate is.

It might be like what I've seen with other brands ... some sell well in one state, but not another.

For Maryn: http://www.candydirect.com/bulk/Licorice-Allsorts.html

[WendyNYC]

I know what licorice allsorts are and yes, you can buy them here. But they are not very popular. Also, "allsorts" sounds very British -- I'm not sure if they even call them that here.

[Puma]

I'm familiar with licorice allsorts. I think they were more popular years ago, but I'm pretty sure they're still available here in the states (and yes, I like them). It seems to me they were most often found in candy stores with bins to select from rather than pre-bagged. Puma

[Chumplet]

They sell them in Canada. I once ate too many and then went out side to spin around and around, and then got sick. Thus I'm very careful when I eat them now. I love the ones covered with little candy beads.

[Marlys]

They sell licorice allsorts in the States--my husband loves licorice, so we buy them from time to time. I just asked, and he thinks we get them at Target.

[PattiTheWicked]

I can't eat licorice. It just makes me think of one of those Ouzo benders we all went on in college, where you wake up the next morning with no pants on and your head in a toilet.

What?

Oh, and as to syphillis, it can cause blindness if a woman has an active case of it during labor, that's why they put the little silver nitrate drops in a baby's eyes.

Best thread title ever.

[BlueBadger]

Thanks so much for your help, everyone! I live in Canada, so Allsorts are readily available up here. We also have something like Good and Plenties, but they're referred to as "Goodies" and I'm not sure if Hersey makes them.

See, I have this story idea where the main character gets really wasted and thinks he can make a fortune selling Allsorts in the States. He ends up in jail and never really takes up drinking again.

[Jamesaritchie]

There's a candy store near us that sells Allsorts, in bags and in bins, though it's hardly one of their bestsellers. I love licorice, but don't much like the Allsorts. Give me plain licorice, or give me nothing at all.

[Saanen]

See, I have this story idea where the main character gets really wasted and thinks he can make a fortune selling Allsorts in the States. He ends up in jail and never really takes up drinking again.

Allsorts are so uncommon here that I think this would work. Sounds like an interesting story!

I can't stand licorice, myself. Just thought I'd share that. :p

[GeorgeK]

A lot of the cases of male sterility are never completely categorized. I've never heard of congenital syphilis causing sterility, but I would not say that it is impossible. The rule about syphilis is that it can do what it wants. There are more trends than rules.

Licorice Allsorts...heard of them, but I don't like licorice so haven't looked.

"Goodies" in the south are powdered aspirin stirred into water.