CHAPTER XII 

 SPIROCHETAL AND PROTOZOAL INFECTIONS 



RELAPSING FEVER 



Bouygues reports that he has found the injection of colloidal 

 metals useful in relapsing fever. 



SYPHILIS 



The fact that intercurrent diseases, particularly the acute infectious 

 diseases, have a distinct effect on the manifestations of syphilis has 

 been frequently observed by clinicians (Zehner). The effect may 

 be apparent in delaying the onset of secondary eruptions or in hasten- 

 ing the involution of skin lesions already present. Neumann has dis- 

 cussed the subject quite thoroughly in Nothnagel's Special Pathology. 



In view of the effect of temperature it was natural that with the 

 study of protein therapy efforts would be made to determine what 

 effects would be apparent on syphilitic skin lesions after nonspecific 

 injections, and Biach as well as Kyrle, Weiss and Luithlen have de- 

 scribed the involution of the skin lesions after protein therapy. Nat- 

 urally the question is of greater theoretic than practical interest be- 

 cause we are fortunate in possessing much more efficient specific 

 agents. 



In the last two years considerable attention has been devoted 

 to the study of silver preparations and their application in syphilis. 

 The injection of colloidal silver has been found experimentally to 

 prevent the proliferation of spirochetes in the tissues of rabbits 

 (Kolle and Ritz) and silver preparations (collargol) have been used 

 (see v. Notthafft) clinically with apparent success. Silver-salvarsan 

 is not included in this category because its effect is of course es- 

 sentially specific. 



The effect of iodids should undoubtedly be included in the group 

 of nonspecific agents because the mode of action in stimulating tissue 

 autolysis (although by an indirect method, as demonstrated by Jobling 

 and Petersen) is quite analogous. It is very probable that the non- 

 specific agents will have a place in the treatment of syphilis as ad- 

 juvants that permit us to make specific treatment more intense by 

 facilitating the rapid distribution of the specific agent. Applications 

 have been made of this theory by Schacherl, by Hauber and by 

 Szedlack. 



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