COMMXINICABLE DISEASES. 



217 



The disease is readily preventable. All that is necessary is to keep away 

 from the carriers of the infection. Syphilitics should be isolated until 

 cured. The disease is very readily kept under control by the proper reme- 

 dial agents, but persistency in the use of medicines is necessary to effect a 

 cure. Ehrlich's 606 (Salvarsan), a new remedy is considered in the nature 

 of a specific, given in hypodermic, intramuscular or intravenous injections. 

 M. Gonorrhea. — This is also a filth disease. The primary cause is the 

 non-sporogenous Micrococcus (Diplococcus) gonorrhem. It is not infectious 

 but exceedingly contagious to mucous membranes. As Ophthalmia neonatorum 

 (opththalmia of the new-born) it is a very fruitful cause of blindness. The 



FlQ gc Gonococcus and pus cells from the urethral discharges of acute gonorrhea 



The organism is readily demonstrated by the usual staining methods, using methylene 

 blue or Gram's method. The Gonococcus is cultured with some difficulty (use blood 

 serum-agar in incubator at 37° C.). There are several other cocci resembling the Gono- 

 coccus m form, but these differ in that they can be cultured m ordmary media at the room 

 temperature. (Williams.) 



suppurative discharges from patients are higUy contagious. The contagion 

 is carried by patients and by the articles touched or handled by them. The 

 disease is difficult to eradicate from the system. It is not so frequently 

 localized in urethra and vagina as is generally supposed, but it may travel 

 to the bladder, kidneys, joints, etc., and it may be general upon nearly all 

 mucous membranes of the body. It is very apt to become chrome givmg 

 rise to very serious after effects. Syphilis and gonorrhea have the followmg 



in common. i- , , * 



I Both are highly contagious by direct contact, but particularly so to 

 mueous membranes. They are in no sense infectious and are epidemic 

 * or general only in proportion to the number of contact inoculations. The 



