New Algoid Vesretations. 35 



of the Crypta syphilitica. In Rtudyiiig this minute form, I was 

 led to dissect out the bed of chancres, and subject them to care- 

 ful microscopic examination, when I soon discovered a peculiar 

 filament, running in all directions, singly and in bundles, through 

 and among the diseased connective-tissue elements. This organism 

 was soon determined to be algoid, It was found in multitudes, 

 in all stages of development, from the spore to the mature fila- 

 ment (figs. 1 to 5). Up to the present time, I have carefully wor- 

 ked up over one hundred cases in this way, dissecting out the 

 base of the primary sore, and have uniformly found this vege- 

 tation; and what is still more interesting, this same vegetation 

 shows itself in the blood so soon as the disease becomes consti- 

 tutional. Its presence or absence in the blood is believed to be 

 a sure guide for continuing or discontinuing treatment. 



The filaments, as they occur in the blood, are more highly 

 refractive, and have the peculiar obtusely rounded extremities, in 

 a more marked degree, than those found in the beds of the pri- 

 mary sores. Both are, however, equally homogeneous throughout. 

 The filaments in the blood are frequently found united at one 

 end in bundles, while they radiate at the other in more or less 

 rigid uniform curves. This vegetation has a peculiar tendency 

 to develop in connective tissue, cartilage, and bone. When once 

 planted in the organism, it has a tendency to remain either in 

 a partially dormant or in an active state, till removed by reme- 

 dial means. It seemingly may remain in the system, under cer- 

 tain conditions, for years, or a lifetime, without producing any 

 serious trouble; or it may, if circumstances are present that fa- 

 vour its development, produce grave and continued disease and 

 suffering. Under favourable states of the system, the tendency 

 seems to be for the vegetation to gradually lessen; and probably, 

 in some few instances, it may eventually entirely disappear. This 

 vegetation may be transmitted from one individual to another, 

 during the secondary and tertiary stages, under the proper con- 

 ditions , without producing the primary disease. I have, noticed 

 many instances in which the father having had the disease pre- 

 vious to marriage and where the poison was not entirely elimina- 

 ted, even though no outward manifestations of the disease had 

 shown itself in him after marriage, this vegetation was transmitted 

 to, and found in the blood of the wife and children many years 

 after. In many cases of this kind, this vegetation produces no 



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