CHAPTER III 



SYPHILIS AS A SOCIAL FACTOR 



In treating of social pathology, wMle recognising the influence 

 of such factors as insanity, alcoholism, and tuberculosis in 

 determining social degeneracy, we are apt to neglect the influence 

 of another factor which is also of importance to the race, and 

 which, if neglected, may lead to grave dangers. Possibly this 

 underestimate of the social dangers of sjrphilis is due in part 

 to the views expressed by Herbert Spencer, who quotes with 

 approval the testimony of fifty-four Nottingham doctors to the 

 effect that " syphilis is very much diminished in frequency, and 

 so much milder in form that we can scarcely recognise it as 

 the disease described by our forefathers."^ It would be in- 

 vidious to remark that very possibly these fifty-four Nottingham 

 doctors may not have been either very experienced syphili- 

 graphists or very experienced neurologists. However that 

 may be, their opinion is not shared by the leading authorities 

 on syphiUs. Possibly, however, the underestimate of the social 

 dangers of syphilis is caused by the fact that syphilis is chiefly 

 considered only in its individual aspects ; and the repercussion 

 of individual syphihs on the community is not sufficiently taken 

 note of. 



Syphilis, however, does undoubtedly constitute a danger to 

 society, and it is certainly a factor which must be taken account 

 of when the problem of racial degeneracy comes up for con- 

 sideration. Syphilis constitutes a social danger by reason of 



1 Spencer, The Study of Sociology, 21st edition, pp. 83-88. 

 288 



