IMPET1GINES. C39 



Lues Venerea^ or Pox. In the remarks I am now to offer, I 

 shall begin with considering the local affection. 



MDCCLXV. This local affection appears chiefly in the 

 form of gonorrhoaa or chancre. 



The phenomena of gonorrhoaa, either upon its first coming 

 on, or in its after progress, or the symptoms of ardor urinae, 

 chordee, or others attending it, it is not necessary for me to de- 

 scribe. I shall only here observe, that the chief circumstance 

 to be taken notice of is the inflamed state of the urethra, which 

 I take to be inseparable from the disease. 



MDCCLXVI. In these well-known circumstances, the gon- 

 orrhoea continues for a time longer or shorter, according to the 

 constitution of the patient ; it usually remaining longest in the 

 most vigorous and robust, or according to the patient's regimen, 

 and the care taken to relieve or cure the disease. In many 

 cases if by a proper regimen the irritation of the inflamed state 

 is carefully avoided, the gonorrhoea spontaneously ceases, the 

 symptoms of inflammation gradually abating, the matter dis- 

 charged becoming of a thicker and more viscid consistence, as 

 well as of a whiter colour ; till at length, the flow of it ceases 

 altogether ; and whether it be thus cured spontaneously, or by 

 art, the disease often exists without communicating any infec- 

 tion to the other parts of the body. 



MDCCLXVII. In other cases, however, the disease having 

 been neglected, or by an improper regimen aggravated, it con- 

 tinues with all its symptoms for a long time ; and produces vari- 

 ous other disorders in the genital parts, which, as commonly 

 taken notice of by authors, need not be described here. I shall 

 only observe, that the inflammation of the urethra, which at 

 first seems to be seated chiefly, or only, in its anterior parts, is 

 in such neglected and aggravated cases spread upwards along 

 the urethra, even to the neck of the bladder. In these cir- 

 cumstances, a more considerable inflammation is occasioned in 

 certain parts of the urethra ; and, consequently, suppuration and 

 ulcer are produced, by which the venereal poison is sometimes 

 communicated to the system, and gives rise to a general sy- 

 philis. 



MDCCLXVIIL It was some time ago a pretty general 

 supposition, that the gonorrhoea depended always upon ulcers 



2 



