Book Relates A.I.D.S. Version Of ‘typhoid... (Press, 14 October 1987)

A new book, "And the Band Played On — Politics, People and the A.I.D.S. Epidemic," by journalist Randy Shilts, details the story of Gaetan Dugas, a Canadian airline steward who is alleged to have infected at least 40 of the first 250 men diagnosed with AIDS in the United States. Dugas, often referred to as Patient Zero, was noted for his sexually promiscuous behaviour, and reportedly informed his partners post-coitus that they could now be at risk for the disease. Research from the US Centres for Disease Control (CDC) in April 1982 indicated that Dugas had sexual encounters with many men, creating a map of his liaisons that spread across North America. Despite this knowledge, he continued to engage in sexual activities in gay bathhouses in San Francisco. Dugas, who died in 1984 after contracting the disease in 1981 during sexual relations in Europe, is estimated to have had encounters with around 250 men annually. Shilts quotes Dugas as telling a doctor, “Somebody gave this thing to me. I’m not going to give up sex,” highlighting his disregard for the potential consequences of his actions. Dugas reportedly taunted his sexual partners with references to visible symptoms of the disease, reinforcing the stigma surrounding it. Shilts' narrative not only chronicles Dugas’s personal story but also critiques the broader context of the AIDS epidemic in America. He asserts that the disease was not adequately addressed by government and health officials, positing that systemic issues—including budget concerns and political squabbling—prevented effective action and funding to combat the crisis. Shilts points to the apathy of the federal government, which he claims viewed AIDS as a financial issue rather than a public health emergency. He highlights that the Reagan administration’s inaction may be remembered historically for allowing AIDS to proliferate unchecked. From 1980 to 1985, the author characterises the United States' response to the AIDS epidemic as having been mismanaged across various sectors—government, public health officials, and the media. Each entity underestimated the severity and scope of the disease, leading to a situation where AIDS was seen primarily as a problem affecting the gay community, rather than a broader health crisis. This lack of recognition, according to Shilts, contributed to the rapid and devastating spread of the disease during its formative years in America.

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