i g2 Epidemics. 



eruption appeared on the nates and arms, which was long in 

 being subdued. Here is a distinct case of secondary syphilis 

 from soft chancre without bubo, and it is not the only one 

 observed ; but in plague, occasionally, buboes will not pre- 

 sent themselves, yet the nature of the affection, and its fatal 

 end, are quite as certain as when bubo has appeared. 



If it be granted that syphilis is a hybrid disease of plague 

 and leprosy, it must be added that their amalgamation has 

 modified and limited both alike in relation to fatality and 

 permanency of duration ; and in this respect it has much 

 the characteristics of hybridity in a general way. The dura- 

 tion of transmission from generation to generation is mate- 

 rially abridged, and the extremes of development are con- 

 tracted and modified ; different to that of the Black death, 

 in which, though the persistency of the disease was not so 

 great in duration as the common plague, yet its rapidity of 

 extension, contrary to hybridity generally, was increased 

 rather than diminished ; but this may be explained by both 

 poisons in their essential constitutions being but mere 

 varieties of a common species, both being essentially blood 

 poisons of an acute character, and in all essential points of 

 propagation and alimentation (if such a word for a poison 

 increasing by feeding may be used) closely allied, and, as 

 before said, mere varieties of the same species ; then, as 

 under favourable conditions of cross-breeding, increase and 

 multiplication would go on with redoubled energy to that 

 which either, in an isolated condition, could accomplish. 



It is pleasing to observe, in the view here expressed of the 

 origin of syphilis, a somewhat similar notion is given by 

 Francis Adams in his " Annotations to Paulus yEgincta." 

 He writes: " By the way, we may be permitted to state 

 that we have long been convinced that the syphilis of 

 modern times is a modified form of ancient elephantiasis 

 (leprosy of Arabs)." This opinion is maintained by several 



