The Return of Count Spirochete (1973)

This video was shared on DOD's Armed with Science blog: http://go.usa.gov/1HW.

Produced for the National Naval Medical Center in 1973, The Return of Count Spirochete is a delightful animated cartoon dramatizing the medical facts about venereal disease.

As the story begins, we join the (probably) world famous "Communicable Disease of the Year Award" ceremony, which acknowledges the one disease that has "done the most effective job of contaminating others." Smallpox, diphtheria, tuberculosis, and the common cold are all serious contenders for the coveted "Fourth Horseman."

However, in a surprising turn of events, the award goes to Count Spirochete (aka syphilis), much to the chagrin of the other contestants. In response to their outrage, the master of ceremonies then proceeds to explain in graphic detail the various reasons why Count Spirochete is deserving of the award.

For more DOD science and technology, visit DOD's Armed with Science blog at http://science.dodlive.mil.

• Category

  Film & Animation

[KrisForges]

as a sailor with several venereal diseases i find this to be an appropriately light-hearted riff on my chosen lifestyle

[doobiesmoke15]

So if syphilis is a vampire and gonorrhea is a demon , what kind of monster would would HIV be?

[DoctorHver]

Maybe it is the host.

[Elena Gal]

This video is awesome.

[Lupton2000]

Sounded like Paul Frees was one of the voices.

[Yikesman08]

I've been searching for this video for years and I'm elated that I finally found it. First saw it in Basic Training in 1978, and looking back, I'm dumbfounded that all 100-plus soldiers watching that day, that not a single one of us burst out laughing. I told many people about this film, but scant few believed me, probably because I told the story differently. As I remembered the film, I recalled that the stars of the film were "Gonorrhea the Gargoyle" and "Count Shankula."

[Xel Unknown]

I totally see this...

[simbared]

They showed this to us in Boot Camp in 1975. It did a good job of driving the point home. Keep in mind the target audience was a bunch of 18 - 19 year old kids who grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons.

[phrexus]

Man, this thing is so poorly animated it's kind of charming.

[lush6]

¡YO SOY RHINOVIRUS!

[srtliam]

Cthulhu.

[stravinskyrocks]

Awesome synthesizer score! The corkscrew handles on Count Spirochete's castle and using red corpuscles as rafts are nice touches.