SYPHILIS. 91 



bladder, attended by a slight discharge. In the chronic stage of the 

 disease, the discharge may be benefited by weak sohitions of nitrate 

 of silver, and a weak solution of chloride of zinc. In a gleet, a 

 large bougie introduced into the urethra, will often prove of imme- 

 diate service. 



Spurious gonorrhoea, (Tr balanitis, is a discharge from the prepuce 

 and glans, often induced by want of cleanliness, or gonorrhoeal mat- 

 ter. A solution of nitrate of silver, and frequent application of cold 

 water will cure it. 



Warts are to be removed by the scissors or knife, and their bases 

 touched with nitrate of silver, or nitric acid. 



Women suffer less than men, although the vagina is involved as 

 well as the urethra. The symptoms are the discharge, swelling, 

 pain in micturition, sitting, and walking, aching in the back and loins. 



The treatment is upon the same principles as in men ; stronger in- 

 jections may be used without the danger of stricture; and lint saturated 

 with medicated solutions, retained in the vagina. Young girls suffer 

 from spurious gonorrTioea and leucorrhcea, from which they are to 

 be carefully distinguished. Leucorrhoea is chronic in its character 

 from the first, attended with lassitude, pain in the back, pallor, 

 irregular menstruation, and the urethra is not involved generally. 



SYPHILIS. 



This term comprises all diseases resulting from a certain virus. 



Primary Syiwptoms. — After one or two days' incubation of the 

 virus, the pustule forms, and the ulcer is established at the sixth 

 day. It is first attended with redness, itching, and heat ; then a 

 vesicle appears, becomes purulent, breaks, and an ulcer is formed. 

 This is circular or oval, excavated, and pale, with a bright red 

 areola ; the discharge is thin, ichorous, and infectious ; finally, flabby 

 granulations and cicatrization. If the virus touches an abrasion, 

 the sore may appear at once. This sore is not to be mistaken for 

 a common ulcer, or abrasion, or herpes. Most frequently it is 

 situated on the collum behind the corona; the most unfavourable 

 position is the freenum, which it often destroys. 



Treatment. — If the ulcer is freely cauterized before the sixth day, 

 the poison is destroyed, the ulcer converted into a simple one, and 

 the system is uncontaminated. After the application of nitrate of 

 silver, water may be used, or water medicated with aromatic wine, 

 or chloride of soda : granulation and cicatrization are treated as in 

 any other case, and thus a simple venereal ulcer heals. 



Hunteriari or True Chancre. — The sore is circular, much ex- 

 cavated, with hardened base and edges ; and the surface is of a 

 tawny or brownish hue, covered by a thin pellicle. It occurs most 

 frequently on the glans penis or the skin, and is usually solitary, 

 and has no areola. 



