CHAPTER XXII 



SYPHILIS 



IT was not until 1904 that the causative micro-or- 

 ganism of syphilis was discovered, and not until 1911 

 was it successfully cultivated on artificial media. The 

 organism belongs to the class known as Treponema, 

 and in shape resembles a cork-screw. The organism 

 stains with difficulty. For rapid examinations the so- 

 called "ultramicrosccpe," or microscope with dark- 

 field illumination, is usually employed. The picture 

 thus produced is shown in Fig. 38.. 



Acquired syphilis begins with a characteristic sore 

 known as a chancre or hard chancre. If the disease 

 has been acquired through sexual intercourse the sore 

 appears on the genitals. The stage of chancre is also 

 spoken of as the primary stage. It lasts about six 

 to eight weeks, and is followed by the secondary stage. 

 The symptoms of the secondary stage include a rash, 

 sore throat, pains in the joints, falling out of the hair, 

 etc. The duration of this stage is variable, and no hard- 

 and-fast line can be drawn between it and the tertiary 

 stage. During the latter the disease shows a tendency 

 to produce certain skin eruptions, gummatous growths in 

 the viscera, and degenerations. 



The ulcerations, especially the primary sore (chancre), 

 and the so-called "mucous patches" in the mouth and 



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