148 MARRIAGE AND DISEASE. 



more attained, and with attention to the laws of health 

 this desirable condition may be continued, perhaps, 

 through life. But if the person who has suffered from 

 syphilis violate the laws of health, even in a mild 

 degree, his apparent good health will almost assuredly 

 break down, and he will become the victim of most 

 intractable and distressing disorders, both internal and 

 external. These are called the " tertiary symptoms," 

 and often depend upon a diseased condition of the 

 internal organs, in which the slowly working disease 

 poison has caused the growth of masses of lowly orga- 

 nised tissue which interfere with the proper functions 

 of the organs affected. 



Other symptoms, less grave, perhaps, but no less 

 distressing, may also make their appearance about this 

 time, such as ulcerations of the cutaneous and mucous 

 surfaces and diseases of the bones. It is therefore of 

 the greatest importance that the person who has had 

 syphilis should give strict attention to all hygienic 

 laws, and make every endeavour to keep his health at 

 as high a level as possible. 



All persons, however, are not equally liable to the 

 later symptoms of syphilis. " The constitution of the 

 person will materially influence the phenomena which 

 supervene during syphilis, e.g., the gouty, rheumatic, 

 tuberculous, and cancerous temperaments will modify 

 the syphilitic lesions and degenerations; while con- 

 stitutional syphilis in its turn modifies the character 

 of ordinary diseases."* Such degenerate constitutional 

 * Sir William Aitken, op. dt. 



