Condyloma, a primary form of venereal disease identical with sibbens / [David Skae].

  • Skae, David, 1814-1873.
Date:
[1844]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Condyloma, a primary form of venereal disease identical with sibbens / [David Skae]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    9/14 (page 9)
    me that this is not the sole cause, although it may be admitted that under its influence the disease is fostered and developed. My opinion on this point exactly coincides with that of Dr Wallace. “ The want of habits of cleanliness,” he observes, “ has a great influence in determining the formation of fungi, of rhagades, and perhaps of onyxis. In fact, these symptoms are often produced by the dirty habits of patients, when the opposite habits would have prevented them. I do not, however, say that they never occur except in such habits, for I have known very cleanly persons to have the condylomatous form of disease.”* The invariable affection of the mouth and throat at some period of the disease—for I am satisfied it is invariable—with the pecu¬ liar and perfectly characteristic eruption, or condylomatous patches, in itself is sufficient to point out that this disease is specific in its origin, and essentially different from any of the secondary symptoms which are known to result from the syphi¬ litic virus, or from any thing which can be produced by filth and gonorrhoea. To satisfy myself, if possible, of the specific character and con¬ tagious nature of this disease, I inoculated in every one of the cases referred to from the matter, which can in general be scraped from the surface of some of the condylomata, or from the ulcers which they frequently present. The result of these experi¬ ments has been different from either that of Dr Wallace or M. Ricord, between whose results there also exists a remarkable discrepancy. Dr Wallace states, that in “ two or three weeks after” [ino¬ culation], “ the seat of the inoculation swelled and became somewhat red and painful. It then desquamated, or appeared scaly. The tumidness and scaliness increased. The scales then gradually became scabs or crusts, and the spot as gradually ac¬ quired a fungoid elevation. In a few instances the scaly tubercle, soon after its appearance, formed an ulcer. On other occasions parts of the fungous elevation ulcerated, and then its surface appeared depressed, or in wells.”f He adds, that the secondary symptoms followed, the skin presenting the rubeoloid, or the scaly, or the tuberculated eruption, and the mouth the superficial form of the disease. M. Ricord states, that in 221 inoculations from mucous tubercles or condylomata, no effects were produced in any case. * Op. Cit., p. 751. + Op. Cit., p. 133, B