Syphilis in the army and its influence on military service : its causes, treatment, and the means which it is advisable to adopt for its prevention / by H.C. French.
- French, Herbert Cumming, 1860-1913.
- Date:
- 1907
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Syphilis in the army and its influence on military service : its causes, treatment, and the means which it is advisable to adopt for its prevention / by H.C. French. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.
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![is injudiciously administered, or when remedies are too early suspended, that tertiaries become frequent. In the case of a venereal sore, which does not present the classical features of syphilis, mercury should not be given at once. Administration should, I think, be deferred until at least two of the accepted signs of syphilis are present, namely,, evident induration of the chancre, which is present at some time in probably 90 per cent, of infecting chancres, and indurated enlargement of the proximal lymphatic glands, which is perhaps the most valuable index to early syphilis before the rash appears, and is often evident before induration has occurred in the chancre, or in its cicatrix {vide Appendix I.), In those rare instances, however, where induration of the chancre, or inguinal glands, is not apparent, it is better to wait for the further symptoms of constitutional syphilis to appear, such as rash, sore throat, or alopicia, which occur early. It is frequently stated that mercurial administration in the primary stage delays the time of evolution of secondary syphilitic manifestations. I do not consider that this is appreciably so, although the local evidence of induration in the chancre or glands in the primary stage are rapidly dissipated; but I do think that the ensuing disease is considerably modified, and that the general health suffers less in average cases when mercury is judiciously employed in the primary stage. The patient prefers an absolute opinion as to his disease, and if syphilis is definitely diagnosed, will more readily undergo the prolonged treatment which is essential to cure. I always treat clear cases of infecting chancre with mercury before the rash appears. If the patient conceals his chancre and history, and only presents himself with a certain type of macular (rubeolar, roseolar) syphilide, it is difficult in some instances to eliminate measles, since each may have fever, and some syphilides are evanescent. Syphilitic patients with large papular or pustular rashes are also not infrequently sent to small-pox hospitals. The diagnosis of lichen planus, pityriasis rosea, seborrhoeic eczema, and other conditions from syphilides is not always easy. It is, therefore, necessary to be guarded, if a clear history of initial chancre, or of lymphatic enlargement is not available or evident. Scars on the penis are very dangerous criteria on which to diagnose syphilis. The largest scars are often due to non- i]ifecting chancre with phagedsena {i.e., loss of substance). Scars on the penis, without any other collateral evidence, are not infrequently accepted as proof positive of syphilis by writers on](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21174015_0050.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
