22,3 Goodpasture and De Leon: Reaction in Yaws 231 



From the standpoint of diagnosis, the Wassermann reaction is 

 of value in recognizing latent yaws and in differentiating trop- 

 ical ulcers that may be benefited by neosalvarsan from those 

 that have no relation to either syphilis or yaws. 



summary 



1. The Wassermann test was strongly positive in 100 per cent 

 of 45 patients presenting active cutaneous lesions of yaws. 



2. Complement-binding strength of titrated serum from yaws 

 is equal to the maximum strength of syphilitic serum. 



3. Following the clinical cure of yaws by intravenous injec- 

 tion of neosalvarsan the Wassermann reaction remained positive 

 for many months, gradually weakened, and became negative in 

 seven of twelve cases within six months after treatment. 



4. Treatment of yaws in the early secondary stage with mer- 

 cury caused no noticeable improvement in the lesions. The 

 Wassermann reaction showed an initial slight weakening in the 

 titre, then remained constant and strongly positive. 



5. An antigen prepared from an early yaw containing trepo- 

 nemata did not fix complement with sera from yaws patients 

 that were strongly positive with the usual cholesterinized antigen. 



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