PAPERS PRESENTED AT GENERAL SESSIONS 47 



The control of venereal diseases in civilian communities 

 in peace times is under the necessity, for the first time, of 

 establishing a firm place in the law as determined by 

 court decisions. Thanks to the definiteness of procedure 

 and conformity to legal requirements of these rules and 

 regulations and standard methods, the Illinois and Chi- 

 ■ Health departments are helping to put the control 

 of these diseases on firm, legal ground. 



The method of curing obstinate, chronic, gonococcal in- 

 fections by the use of diathermy has gained some ground. 



SYPHILIS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEYt 



The low penetrability of the central nervous system of 

 the newer arsenicals used in the treatment of syphilis has 

 been noted for some time. There are those who hold that 

 the modern, intensive treatment of syphilis results in a 

 higher rate of nerve syphilis than prevailed prior to its 

 use. There is no data on which this question can be set- 

 tled either pro or con. 



Those who claim that there is an increase in nerve 

 syphilis explain the increase on the theory that the mem- 

 branes and other defensive agencies of the central nerv- 

 ous system react poorly in protecting the nervous tissue 

 against treponema : that early comprehensive treatment 

 prevents these tissues from acquiring power to rjrotect 

 against treponema : therefore, when once this organism 

 gets into the nervous tissues, it is not easily destroyed. 



Dr. TV. H. Brown and others at the Eockefeller Insti- 

 tute offer tryparsemid as an anti-syphilitic agent with 

 greater power to penetrate the central nervous system. 

 Various reports on the efficacy of this agent have been 

 made. Dr. C. F. Eead made the latest of these to you to- 

 day. The United States Public Health Service published 

 several reports on the penetrability of the central nerv- 

 ous system by various arsenic preparations. Among 

 those with high penetrability, in addition to tryparsemid, 

 Ipharsphenamine. 



INSULIN 



The discovery of insulin antedates 1923-24. Insulin 

 is a pancreatic product which represents that part of the 



