GONORRHOEA. 91 



drops only are voided, and those with the utmost suffering. The se- 

 cretion, formerly scanty, tenacious, and transparent, gradually becomes 

 more copious, thicker, and purulent, making yellow, stiff stains upon 

 the patient's linen. The lips of the meatus are red and swollen ; the 

 entire penis also, especially the glans, is more or less swollen, and the 

 urethra throughout its entire length is sensitive to pressure. At this 

 period, the prepuce, irritated by the discharge, or else owing to propa- 

 gation of the irritation, often becomes excoriated and cedematous ; so 

 that the product of a balanitis is added to the secretion which flows 

 from the urethra. If the outlet of the prepuce be small, a phymosis is 

 very apt to occur, or paraphymosis, if the patients imprudently re- 

 tract the prepuce behind the glans. At this stage erections occur 

 with still greater frequence than at the outset of the disease ; but the 

 stretching and expansion which the organ undergoes during the pro- 

 cess cause the most intense pain to the patient, deprive him of his 

 rest at night, and induce him to resort to the wildest expedients to 

 arrest- his suffering. All these symptoms, the painful micturition, the 

 flow of thick, yellowish-green pus, the redness and swelling of the 

 urethra, and the painful priapism, usually continue to increase for a 

 period of about eight or fourteen days. After attaining their acme, 

 the pain upon micturition usually begins to abate, the redness and 

 swelling of the meatus gradually subside, the erections are less fre- 

 quent and less painful ; but at this time the discharge is often more 

 profuse than ever, so that the laity regard this as a favorable sign, 

 and think that the " clap must be made to run " in order to relieve 

 their suffering. 



After a lapse of a week or two the discharge gradually diminishes, 

 becomes mucous, and may finally cease altogether in the course of five 

 or six weeks without any treatment whatever, as has been proved by 

 the results of homoeopathic practice. Much more frequently, however, 

 there remains a stationary scanty mucous discharge which may last for 

 months and years. During the day, if the intervals between the acts 

 of micturition be long, this secretion glues the lips of the urethra 

 together. When the patient awakens in the morning, a tolerably 

 large drop of it has collected, and runs out between the adherent lips 

 of the meatus as soon as they are separated. The stiff stains upon 

 the linen are now of a more grayish color, although generally there is 

 a small but distinct yellow spot in their middle. A discharge of this 

 kind is called " gleet " or " goutte militaire." If, while it lasts, the 

 patient exposes himself to further exciting cause, the gonorrhoea not 

 unfrequently breaks out again ; that is, the pain does not return 

 but the discharge once more becomes abundant and more purulent. 

 Excess in wine or sexual intercourse is the most apt to cause such 



