VENEREAL DISEASES IN THE LOWER ANIMALS. 
173 
the dog and the monkey; that in these animals its course is simi¬ 
lar to that which follows in man. But what about our second 
query: “ Do the domestic animals suffer from syphilis 
The great characteristics of syphilis are—firstly, that it is a 
disease running a chronic course; secondly, that its most promi¬ 
nent lesions are indolent ulceration of mucous membranes and 
skin, with chronic enlargement and induration of lymphatic 
glands and ulceration of the skin covering these glands. 
Do we meet with such lesions in veterinary practice ? Most 
certainly yes—in the dog at least. Are they of a syphilitic na¬ 
ture and origin ? I will answer this question by expressing the 
opinion that they are of that nature, and I think I am warranted 
in so doing by the characters presented by these lesions and by 
their course. 
I am quite aware that objection may be taken to my conclu¬ 
sions on the ground that the chronic lesions seen in animals 
are only results—or secondary symptoms, if you like—of gonor¬ 
rhoea. So used pathologists to consider the lesions of syphilis in 
man ; but they have now come to look upon them as being totally 
different both in nature and in cause. 
I know it has been said that the chancre of the dog differs 
materially from that seen in man, in the fact that its edges and 
base are less indurated. Granted this to be the case, may not, I 
ask, any slight difference in character be due to differences in 
structure (histologically) in the membranes in the two animals ( 
A chancre makes its appearance on the penis of the dog ; it 
gradually extends its bounds; other chancres form, and in some 
instances the primary and secondary sores coalesce; from the 
surface of these sores a puriform fluid, ichorous and infective in 
its character, is discharged ; this fluid sets up a degenerative in¬ 
flammation in the skin of the thighs, the abdomen, the chin, and 
- in fact in all parts with which it comes in contact. These sores 
do not yield to the local application of caustics, and in many 
cases are affected only to a limited extent by the internal admin¬ 
istration of potassic iodide and mercury, unless, indeed, these 
drugs are pushed to a dangerous extent. 
In the course of time the dog begins to arch his back, and the 
