I just scored a copy of the Better Homes and Gardens Baby Book from 1956. It’s filled with fabulous pictures of fifties moms and newly minted boomers, plus horribly dated medical advice (go ahead and smoke every once in a while while you’re pregnant). Yet the most ominous excerpt so far is this, on keeping your baby healthy on page 105:

“Guard Against Infectious Adults. Sometimes children contract diseases, such as syphilis and tuburculosis, from adult members of the household who may be infected and not be aware of it. As protection to children, parents and relatives, or anyone else living in the home, should have periodic physical examinations.”

The current guidelines for treating syphilis have this to say about childhood syphilis that was not contracted during pregnancy:

“After the newborn period, children with syphilis should have a CSF examination to detect asymptomatic neurosyphilis, and birth and maternal medical records should be reviewed to assess whether such children have congenital or acquired syphilis (see Congenital Syphilis). Children with acquired primary or secondary syphilis should be evaluated (e.g., through consultation with child-protection services) (see Sexual Assault or Abuse of Children) and treated by using the following pediatric regimen.”

So, rather than keeping your children from being molested, you should just make sure their molesters are healthy, huh?