A practical treatise on genito-urinary and venereal diseases and syphilis / by Robert W. Taylor.

  • Taylor, Robert W. (Robert William), 1842-1908
Date:
1901
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A practical treatise on genito-urinary and venereal diseases and syphilis / by Robert W. Taylor. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    19/806 (page 11)
    GENITO-URLNARY AND VENEREAL DISEASES, AND SYPHILIS. CHAPTEK I. GONORRHOEA IN THP] MALE. Gonorrhcea, the most frequent of all venereal diseases, and the one e.'^sentially of sexual origin, is a virulent process, attended by much sup- puration, which attacks chiefly the mucous membrane of the urethra, male and female, and the parts in immediate and more remote anatom- ical relation. The mucous membrane of the eye is also particularly susceptible to its action. There is no doubt that the rectal and anal mucous membrane may be attacked by this process, but there is much doubt about the existence of gonorrhoea of the mouth and nose. In this work the terms gonorrhoea and urethritis will be used interchange- ably. Gonorrhoea is mostly found in young men; but instances of children, and even infants, being thus affected are far from uncommon. Toward puberty it is very often found in the male; while between the twentieth and thirtieth years its frequency of occurrence is greatest. From the thirtieth year onward its occurrence grows progressively less frequent, but it is seen in a goodly number of cases of middle-aged, and even of old, men. Gonorrhoea occurs much more frequently in the male than in the female. The first attack is usually more acute and severe than are subsequent ones, which arc very often subacute in form and chronic in course. When many years have elapsed between two infections, the second may be equally as severe as the first. In very many cases of men who have had in the past an attack of gonorrhoea acute urethral suppuration may be solely due to sexual and alcoholic excesses, wliicli have changed a chronic and dormant localized inflammation of tlie im;- thra into a more or less acute conditio?i. This affection is called by some bastard gonorrhma, and by others simple urethritis. Gonorrhoea is one of the most persistent diseases which attack mucous membranes. It invades the tissues deeply, and as a consequence it is very often difficult to cure. After a more or less prolonged chronic