SYPHILIS. 151 



hare-lip, cleft palate, spina-bifida, water on the brain, 

 paralysis, and various forms of idiocy. Some may 

 think that in charging these deformities to any large 

 extent against parental syphilis, I am going too far. 

 To these I would point out that it is not an assertion 

 founded upon my own comparatively limited experi- 

 ence, but is the view held by Professor Fournier, one 

 of the greatest authorities upon syphilis which the 

 world at present possesses, and of many others only 

 less eminent. 



In syphilis the nature of the disease forbids our ever 

 getting a full and honest history of its effects upon 

 the offspring, and for this reason statistics on the 

 subject are rare. Of its terrible effect upon the 

 children we have, nevertheless, ample, if fragmentary 

 evidence. The best that I can at present lay my 

 hand upon is that published by Dr. B. Tarnowsky 

 (Der Kinder arzt, October 1890). This distinguished 

 observer takes a most gloomy view of the effects of 

 syphilis upon succeeding generations. According to 

 his experience, 71 per cent, of women suffering from 

 syphilis either give birth to dead children, or bear 

 children which die within a year of birth. This 

 high percentage closely agrees with that of Professor 

 Fournier, which I shall give presently. In his in- 

 teresting and able paper, Dr. Tarnowsky records the 

 terrible history of three families, whose fathers had 

 contracted syphilis six, five, and four years respectively 

 before marriage. All these men appeared to be cured 

 when married, and all their children were born healthy, 



