THYROID IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 85 
served a positive reaction in 36.3 per cent of 600 cases 
during the first week. He gives his table: 
Weeks after appearance of chancre Total cases 
RAY ee ered LT ceiver soc cave) aur atte rig 
Die corer se ee ees ORS La Se sate 2 EN Siete 5 155 
Pergo tepetacas eae al fanaa 5 aes as 158 
AN Pg SG eReRey A Oeeyresa: eRe ia seers ADD “oa 167 
Br acti aittcha's: stele sce umeatemens) isk 43 
The tables of Boas and Craig cannot be compared 
with each other as the first one counts from the moment 
of infection; Craig, however, from the appearance of 
an ulcer. We have seen that in some cases the Wasser- 
mann test may even be positive before a chancre may 
be observed. Citron (41), considers 57 days after the 
infection the average time for generalization of the 
syphilitic infection. As I said in the beginning, my 
own material was very small. I observed 6 cases with 
ulcers in which I could not detect the Spirocheta pal- 
lida, and who developed later secondary symptoms and 
a positive Wassermann test. Three cases became posi- 
tive four weeks after infection; one case five weeks; 
one case seven weeks and one case eight weeks. Other 
cases are not quoted here, as I stopped examining when 
13 weeks after infection the reaction was still negative. 
Now, in a number of cases with ulcers, thyroid was 
given by mouth, 3x50 milligrams of dried gland daily. 
My idea was this: When the reaction of Wassermann 
is a sign of generalization of the infection it must be 
possible to delay this moment by increasing the resist- 
ance of the body. Now, the previously quoted authors 
have found that ingestion of thyroid increases this re- 
sistance as is shown by the increase in the opsonic 
index of the blood. Unfortunately, it is practically im- 
possible to estimate this index against the Spirocheta 
pallida at least when one is not working in a good bac- 
teriological laboratory, as the handling and pure cul- 
ture of Spirocheta pallida is less easy than might be 
