TREPONEMA PALLIDUM 143 



ulcerated surfaces, and one protects against contamination 

 by covering the ulcerated surfaces or wearing hand protec- 

 tion. The mildest of antiseptics will destroy the germs. 

 The incubation period varies from four weeks to as many 

 months. 



Forms of Syphilis. This frightful disease which causes so 

 much mental and physical suffering may be hereditary, 

 congenital, or acquired. The course of the three types 

 varies a little, but the ultimate effect is the same in all. In 

 the first there are evidences of imperfect physical and mental 

 development; the second is an active form of the disease with 

 symptoms and infectious catarrhs and is easily transmitted 

 to attendants; the third is the form described above. 



Transmission. Aside from cohabitation, syphilis may be 

 transmitted by kissing, examining a patient, or using any 

 object that has come in contact with an open sore. Wet- 

 nurses may contract it from infected children and transmit 

 it to healthy children whom they nurse. Both may be pro- 

 tected if those in charge will have a Wassermann test made. 

 If the child be syphilitic it should be raised on the bottle, 

 while a wet-nurse with the disease would better never nurse 

 other than her own child. In protecting against infection 

 a weak (1 to 2000) bichloride of mercury solution should 

 always be on hand that the ulcers may be wiped before 

 examination and the hands disinfected afterward. That 

 occupying a bed with an actively diseased syphilitic or using 

 anything belonging to such a person must be avoided goes 

 without saying. 



Diagnosis. In the serum of a syphilitic certain anti- 

 bodies are formed that can be made use of in diagnosis. 

 This is the basis of the Wassermann test upon the blood, 

 due to antibodies like bacteriolysis. Its theory and practice 

 are too intricately technical to be included here. Suffice 

 it to say that it is certainly a positive test in 95 per cent, of 

 cases in which there exists untreated syphilis. Proper treat- 

 ment destrovs the Wassermann reaction, but whenever it 



