THE WASSERMAN REACTION. 



337 



of fcEtal syphilitic liver. The question is far from being decided but 

 the weight of evidence would seem to indicate that extracts of syphilitic 

 organs are not superior as specific antigens to the extracts of normal 

 organs. 



In all, 95 cases have been examined by us. Of these the following 

 76 gave negative results: 



Seventy-six cases showing negative Wasserman reactions. 



Num- 





Num- 





ber 

 of 



Clinical condition. 



ber 

 of 



Clinical condition. 



cases. 





cases. 





18 



Leprosy. 



1 



Exophthalmic goitre. 



17 



Syphilis or suspected syphilis. 



1 



Otitis media chronio. 



9 



Syphilophobia. 



1 



Pemphigus. 



5 



Dysentery, amcebic, chronic. 



1 



Rheumatism, muscular. 



2 



Dysentery, amcebic, acute. 



1 



Gastritis, alcoholic. 



1 



Dysentery, bacillary, acute. 



1 



Neurasthenia and syphilopho- 



2 



Rheumatism, articular chronic. 





bia. 



1 



Iritis. 



2 



Dengue. 



1 



Malaria, tertian, acute. 



1 



Ulcer of the leg. 



1 



Rodent ulcer. 



1 



Fever, type undetermined. 



1 



Liver abscess. 



1 



Osteoma of the tibia. 



1 



Suspected leper. 



6 



Healthy Filipinos. 



It will be observed that in the above list a certain number of cases 

 are tropical diseases of a protozoal or presumably protozoal nature. It 

 was our desire to work particularly on the reaction as applied to tropical 

 diseases, but we have failed to obtain the material which we most desired. 



Apart from the syphilitics enumerated in the table our negative 

 results have not been disappointing, and are entirely in agreement with 

 our ideas of the results of Wasserman reactions properly carried out. 

 Many of the cases were taken from the ward for normal controls, but 

 on account of the habits in general of many of our patients, we habit- 

 ually used several normal controls at each examination. 



Certain cases were examined for purposes of diagnosis, notably the 

 two following: 



A case of ulcer which gave a history of a sore of eighteen months' duration 

 on the dorsum of the nose. The first examination made of this patient's serum 

 showed a slight inhibition of hemolysis; subsequent examinations proved that 

 the case was negative. Long continued mercurial treatment had no efi'ect on 

 the condition, and the ease was considered to be one of rodent ulcer. 



A ease of osteoma of the right- leg, which gave a history of a chancroid or 

 soft sore on the penis in 1901 and no. history of secondaries or any other symptom 

 or sign of syphilitic infection. The man noticed a swelling of the right shin 

 in 1905 and states that occasionally it aches but as a rule he had no trouble 

 in any way due to its presence. The soldier is married and hia wife has two 

 healthy children. Until the Wasserman test was used it was thought the tumor 

 was very probably a syphilitic periostitis. 



