It has been known for hundreds of years and under many names: the French disease, the Polish disease (which is what it was called in Russia), franca or syphilis. It is the latter name that is associated with the legend concerning the origin of the disease. An Italian physician and poet described the story of a shepherd named Syphilus. He defied the will of Apollo, the Greek god of health, and was punished by contracting syphilis. Today, the approach to this disease is much less romantic than in the Italian poem. It is well known that syphilis is an extremely dangerous disease and can lead to permanent complications.