LUES VENEREA. 



tliiii benefited, a radical cure was cenfidcicd to be accom- 

 pliflied ; and though frequent relapfes followed, yet as 

 thefe partly yielded to the fame remedy, its reputation was 

 ftill kept up. Many difeafes, alfo, which got well, were 

 probably not really venereal cafes. Mr. Pearfon feenis to 

 allow, that, in fyphilitic affcftions, it may, indeed, operate 

 like a true antidote, fufpcndir.g, for a time, the progrcfs. of 

 certain venereal fymptoms, and removing other appearances 

 altogether ; but he obferves, that experience has evinced 

 that the unfubducd virus yet remains adlive in the conllitu- 

 tion. 



Mr. Pearfon lias found gnaiacum of little ufe in pains of 

 the bones, except when it proved fudoritic ; but that it 

 was then inferior to antimony or volatile alkali. When the 

 conlUtution has been impaired bv mercury and long confuie- 

 ment, a thickened Hate of the ligaments, or periolleum," or 

 foul ulcers, ftill remaining, Mr. Pearfon fays, thefe efleits 

 will often fubfide during the exhibition of the decoftiun. 

 He fays, it will often fufpend, for a ftiort time, the progrcfs 

 of certain fecondary fympton.s of the lues venerea ; for in- 

 ftance, ulcers of the tonllls, venereal eruptions, and even 

 nodes. Mr. Pearfan, however, never knew one nillance in 

 which guaiacum eradicated the virus ; and he contends, 

 that its being conjoined with mercury, neither increafes the 

 virtue of this mineral, leffens its bad effcfts, nor diminilbes 

 the neceffity of giving a certain quantiiy of it. Mr. Pearfon 

 remarks, that he has feen guaiacum produce good efiects in 

 many patients having cutaneous difeafes, the ozxna, and 

 fcrofulous affeftions of the membranes and ligaments. See 

 Pearfon on the EfFefts of various Articles in the Cure of 

 Lues Venerea, edit. i. 1807. 



Mezereon was recommended by Dr. A. RufTel for a par- 

 ticular clafs of venereal fymptoms, in the following terms : 

 " The difeafe, for which I principally recommend the de- 

 codtion of the mezereon root as a cure, is the venereal node 

 that proceeds from a thickening of the membrane of the 

 bones. In a thickening of the periolleum, from other 

 caufes, I have feen very good effefts from it : and it is fre- 

 quently of fervice in the removal of thofe noiSurnal pains 

 with which venereal patients are afflicted ; though, in this 

 lad cafe, excepting with regard to the pain that is occafioned 

 by the node, I own I have not found its effefts fo certain, 

 as I at firft thought I had reafon to believe. I do not find it 

 of fervice in the cure of any other fymptom of the venereal dif- 

 eafe." (Med. Obf and Inq. vol. iii. p. 194, 195.) Mr. Pear- 

 fon, however, aflerts, unequivocally, that mezereon has not 

 the power of curing the venereal difeafe in any one ilage, 

 or under any one form, and if the decottion fhould ever re- 

 duce a venereal node, yet there will be a neceffity for taking 

 mercury in as large quantity, and for as long a time as if no 

 mezereon had been exhibited. CuUen found this medicine 

 of ufe in fome cutaneous afFetlions, but excepting an inllance 

 or two of lepra, Mr. Pearfon has very feldom found it pof- 

 felTed of medicinal virtue, either in fyphihs, or the fcquelse 

 of that difeafe, fcrofula, or cutaneous affeflions. The root 

 of farfapanlla was brought into Europe about 1530, It 

 was at firll reputed to p oflefs Angular efficacy in venereal 

 caies ; but afterwards loft all its fame. Sarfaparilla was 

 again brought into notice by Dr. W. Hunter, who advifed 

 Di". Chapman to make trial of it in a bad cafe of phagedenic 

 bubo ; and the benefit obtained in this inftance led Dr. 

 Hunter to extend the recommendation of the medici.ie. 

 Sir William Fordyce ftated, that farfapariila would quickly 

 relieve venereal head-achs and nofturnal pains, and, if pcr- 

 jifted in, cure them; that, in emaciated or conlumptive 

 habits, from a venereal caufe, it was the greateft reltorer of 

 appetite, flefti, colour, and llrength, which he knew of ; that 



8 



when mercurial friftions had been prevloufly employed, it 

 would generally complete the cure ol difeafe of the throat, 

 nofe, palate, or fpongy bones ; and that it would promote 

 the cure of blotches and ulcers, fometimes accomplifti it, 

 even without mercury ; though, in this circumllance, there 

 was danger of a relapfe. Sir W. I'ordyce faid, farfapariila. 

 was of little ufe in ch:mcres ; but when thefe, or buboes, 

 would not heal, after the employment of mercury, it would 

 often cure, and always do good. He allows, however, that 

 in all venereal cafes " farfapariila is not to be truftcd to, 

 unlefs preceded by, or combined with, the uie of mercury :" 

 and he thought farfapariila would probably always cure 

 what refilled mercury. Medical Obi. and Inq. vol. i. 



The celebrated Cullen conlidered farfapariila as poffefiing 

 no virtues of any kind ; for (fays he) " tried 111 ev.:^ry 

 (hape I have never found it an effectual medicine in fyphilis, 

 or any other difeafe." Mnt. Med. vol. li. 



Mr. liromfield declares, that he never faw a fnigle inftance 

 in which farfapariila cured the venereal dileafe without the 

 aid of mercury, either given before, or in conjunition with 

 it. (Praft. Obf. on the Ufe of Corrofive Sublimate, &c. 

 p. 78 ) Mr. Pearfon alfo " contends, that farfapariila has 

 not the power of curing any one form of the lues venerea ;" 

 but he allows that it may fufpend for a time the ravages of 

 that contagion, the difeafe returning if no mercury (hould 

 have been ufed. This gentleman admits, alfo, that farfa- 

 pariila will bUeviate iymptoms derived from the venereal 

 virus. He maintain?, that the exhibition of larfaparilU djes 

 not diminifh the neceffity for giving lefs mercury. Noclurnal 

 pains in the limbs, painful enlargements of the elbow and 

 knee, membranous nodes, cutaneous ulcerations, and certain, 

 other fymptoms, refembling venereal ones, are often ex- 

 perienced after a full courfe of mercury. Such complaints, 

 Mr. Pearfon allows, are greatly benefited by farfapariila, 

 and exafperated by mercury ; and he obferves, that it is. 

 frum thefe complaints having been miilaken for venereal 

 ones, that the idea has arifen, that farfapariila has cured 

 fyphilis when mercury had tailed. Mercury, and the ve- 

 nereal poifon, may jointly produce, in certaisi conllitutions, 

 fymptoms which are not ftnilly venereal, and are fometimes 

 more dreadful than the iimple eftedts of fyphilis. Some of 

 the worll of thefe appearances are capable of being cured by 

 farfapariila, while the venereal virus ftill remains in the 

 lyftem. When this latter difeafe has been eradicated by 

 mercury, farfapariila will alfo cure the fequelx of a cuurfe of 

 the other medicine. Pearfon on the Eftects of various 

 Articles in the Cure of Lues Venerea, 1S07. 



China-root once obtained the charadler of being a certain 

 fpecilic for fyphilitic complaints. Its reputation rofe very 

 high, in confequence of its having been reported to have 

 cured the emperor Charles V. At prefent Its medicinal vir- 

 tues are ellimated very low indeed ; and it feems to have 

 now loft all its advocates. It was firll uied in praclice about 

 the year 153 J. 



Cinchona, or the Peruvian bark, has no fpecific virtue i.n 

 fyphilitic cafes, but, according to Mr. Pearfon, if it has been 

 alleged upon plaulible grounds, that guaiacum pod'eflcs 

 medicinal efficacy in venereal pains ; farfapariila, where there 

 are phagedenic ulcers ; and mezereon, in. cafes where there. 

 arc membranous nodes ; fo bark has a claim to praife for its 

 faiutary agency in incipient buboes, in ulcers of the tonfils, 

 and in gangrenous ulcers fj-om a venereal caufe. This gentle- 

 man has feen venereal buboes reduced, though not cured, by 

 it ; fyphi itic ulcers in the throat healed by it, though the 

 difeafe recurred ; and fudden mortifications of the penis from 

 chancres terminate in a cure of the diftemper, with the ex- 

 hibition of bark, unaffifted by mercury. In thefe laft cafes> 



Mr. 



