THE VENEREAL DISEASES 83 



tance to nurses, who should early inform themselves 

 of the far-reaching consequences of venereal infec- 

 tions. The subject heretofore has been considered 

 almost wholly (outside of the medical profession) 

 from the moral standpoint, and it is very evident that 

 the world at large — women in particular — should 

 have a perfectly clear idea of its physical aspects 

 in order to defend themselves and their children 

 from the ravages of these loathsome infections. 



One of the special points of the subject to remem- 

 ber is the fact that the infections of both gonorrhoea 

 and sj^hilis are chronic, that is, we may truthfully 

 say that the patients almost never recover; the 

 acute symptoms will pass away and there is seeming 

 recovery, but the germs are only latent, and children 

 must bear the burden of their hideous manifes- 

 tations. 



Transmission of gonorrhoea and sjrphilis is by 

 inoculation — the germs must gain access to the 

 blood — which can occur only by contact. Sexual 

 congress and heredity will account for a large 

 majority of cases, but there are enough instances of 

 doctors and nurses contracting the diseases in the 

 pursuit of their professional duties to warrant the 

 exercise of the most scrupulous care of all utensils, 

 clothing, aiid their own hands while working over 



