Syphillis would also account for why the wives and mistresses all carried successful first pregnancies when first infected but had continuous miscarriages and still births as their infections progressed. It also accounts for Henry's wild mood swings and uncontrollable temper. Then there's that weeping sore on his upper thigh that he had for many years. Now that would be called a shanker and would be a red flag to test for syphillis. In those days syphillis was known as the English Disease in many parts of Europe.