506 SYPHILIS 



the blood, in the internal organs, the liver, lungs, spleen, supra- 

 renals, and even in the heart its detection may be comparatively 

 easy, owing to the large numbers present (Fig. 155). It has 

 been generally supposed that tertiary syphilitic lesions are non- 

 infective, and the results of the earlier observations on the 

 spirochsete pallida were apparently in accordance with this 

 view, as they gave negative results. More prolonged search 

 has, however, shown that the organism may occur in tertiary 

 lesions also. It has been found to be present in the peripheral 

 parts of gummata, especially at an early stage of their forma- 



FIG. 155. Section of spleen from a case of congenital syphilis,, 

 showing several examples of spirochrete pallida ; Levaditi's method, 

 x 2000. 



tion ; and the observations of Schmorl, Benda, J. H. Wright 

 and others show that it is often to be found in syphilitic 

 aortitis, sometimes occurring in considerable numbers in the 

 thickened patches. That the spirochsete may persist in the 

 body for a very long time after infection, has been abund- 

 antly shown by different observers ; in one case, for example, 

 its presence was demonstrated sixteen years after the primary 

 lesion. It can readily be demonstrated in sections of the organs 

 by the method described on p. 112. In such preparations large 

 numbers of spirochsetes, chiefly extra-vascular in position, can 

 be seen, and many may occur in the interior of the more highly 

 specialised cells, for example, liver-cells ; in many cases examina- 



