638 PRACTICE OF PHYSIC. 



certain parts of Asia, where the leprosy prevailed, and in Eu- 

 rope, after that disease had been introduced into it, a disease of 

 the genitals, resembling that which now commonly arises from 

 syphilis, had frequently appeared ; but it is equally probable, 

 that a new disease, and what we at present term Syphilis, was 

 first brought into Europe about the end of the fifteenth century, 

 and that the distemper now so frequently occurring, has been 

 very entirely derived from that which was imported from Ame- 

 rica at the period mentioned. 



MDCCLXII. This disease, at least in its principal circum- 

 stances, never arises in any person but from some communica- 

 tion with a person already affected with it. It is most com- 

 monly contracted in consequence of coition with an infected per- 

 son ; but in what manner the infection is communicated, is not 

 clearly explained. I am persuaded, that in coition, it is com- 

 municated without there being any open ulcer either in the 

 person communicating, or in the person receiving the infection ; 

 but in all other cases, I believe it is never communicated in any 

 other way than by a contact of ulcer, either in the person com- 

 municating, or in the person receiving the infection. 



MDCCLXIII. As it thus arises from the contact of partic- 

 ular parts, so it always appears first in the neighbourhood of 

 the parts to which the infecting matter had been immediately 

 applied ; and, therefore, as most commonly contracted by coi- 

 tion, it generally appears first in the genitals. 



MDCCLXIV. After its first appearance in particular parts, 

 more especially when these are the genitals of either sex, its ef- 

 fects for some time seem to be confined to these parts ; and in- 

 deed, in many cases, it never extends further. In other cases, 

 however, the infecting matter passes from the parts first affected, 

 and from the genitals, therefore, into the blood-vessels ; and be- 

 ing there diffused, produces disorders in many other parts of the 

 body. 



From this view of the circumstances, physicians have very 

 properly distinguished the different states of the disease, ac- 

 cording as they are local or are more universal. To the former, 

 they have adapted appellations suited to the manner in which 

 the disease appears ; and to the other, the general affection, 

 they have almost totally confined the appellations of Syphilis, 



