SYPHILIS 26l 



wound of the bite. This is therefore a contaminative method of 

 infection. 



Mackie has shown that the Indian relapsing fever, which is caused by S. carteri, is 

 probably transmitted by the louse, and it is probable that the conditions under which 

 the infection takes place are similar to those occurring with S. berbera infections. 

 With the European relapsing fever, bedbugs have been suggested as transmitting 

 agents. The probabilities however are that this infection is caused by lice. 



A relapsing fever of Persia is transmitted by a tick of the genus Ornithodorus. 

 There is great variation in the description of the different spirochjetes, and fre- 

 quently measurements are given for short forms and long forms. They also vary 

 from wave-like lines to corkscrew spirals. Again, different species have different 

 types and different activities of movement. As a rule they are about 20 X 0.4 

 microns. Noguchi has recently cultivated the various species of pathogenic human 

 spirochaetes by employing a method similar to that used in cultivating the organism 

 of syphilis. He noted longitudinal division in his cultures. 



S. vincenti. This is a very delicate spiral-shaped organism which has been found 

 in conjunction with a fusiform bacillus in a throat inflammation, usually termed 

 Vincent's angina. 



S. refringens. This Spirochata is frequently associated with the Treponema 

 pallidum and is common in genital ulcerations. It is thicker, has less regular and 

 more flattened curves and stains more readily. By "dark ground illumination" it 

 is thicker, of a yellow tint instead of pure white, and moves in its entire length. 



i 



Treponema 



The genus Treponema has no undulating membrane and has a 

 flagellum at each end. 



Treponema pallidum (Spirochseta pallida). This is the cause of 

 syphilis. It was discovered by Schaudinn and Hoffmann in 1905 in 

 various syphilitic lesions and was cultured by Noguchi in 1912. It is 

 characterized by the very geometric regularity of the spirals, which are 

 deeply cut, and in focusing up and down continue in focus (like a 

 corkscrew). They require about thirty minutes to stain distinctly 

 with Giemsa's stain and the attenuated ends or flagella should always 

 be noted before reporting their presence. 



Treponemata are found in the cellular areas surrounding the thickened blood- 

 vessels and in the coats of the larger arteries. To stain them in section Levaditi's 

 method is the best. 



The India-ink method of Burri is highly recommended. Take one loopful of 

 secretion from a chancre and deposit it on one end of a slide. Emulsify in this a small 

 quantity of Gunther and Wagner's ink such as can be obtained by touching the end 

 of a new spatulate toothpick in the ink. Use the toothpick for mixing. I use the 

 method of sticking a fine glass pipette into the underlying corium of the chancre and 



