AN INQUIRY. 
157 
syphilitic poison, i. e ., similarity of cause in the production both 
of the indurated and the non-indurated sore, received a blow from 
which they have never recovered.”—[Keys: Venereal Diseases, 
p. 8.] 
Perhaps we can make this point—the distinction between the 
chancroid and the chancre—or between the local and the consti¬ 
tutional disease—somewhat clearer by referring to analagous dis¬ 
eases in the lower animals. It is well known to veterinary writers 
that the brute creation suffers from venereal diseases—not unlike 
those affecting the human family, and that these are both local 
and constitutional. 
Professor Fleming writes: “ It is very probable that contagi¬ 
ous diseases of the genital organs are observed in the domesticated 
animal in every part of the globe.” Of an affection termed 
“pseudo syphilis ,” he says: ‘‘This is a contagious disease of the 
genital organs, in which the lesions are almost exclusively local¬ 
ized ; it is common to the male and female, affecting both solipeds 
and bovines, and assumes three or four distinct forms, but most 
frequently the pustular. * * * It is essentially benignant; 
is in the majority of instances transmitted in the act of copula¬ 
tion, hut can also be artificially induced by inoculation. It ap¬ 
pears to be due to a morbid change affected in the secretions of 
the genital mucous membrane by too frequent coition, or consti¬ 
tutional derangement. The disease appears in the spring time, 
during the coupling season ; but it is difficult to explain its origin. 
Some authorities attribute it to too frequent copulation; while 
Sajowe, who described it many years ago, thought it was due to 
the use of stallions heated by excessive use, and whose ardor was 
maintained by stimulating food and drugs. But these causes do 
not explain why the disease should assume a contagious character ; 
we can understand their predisposing to such a malady, but be¬ 
yond its resulting from copulation, we are unable to account for 
its transmissibility. Lafosse has remarked it to be most frequent 
with over-exerted stallions, which are put to many mares in a brief 
space, particularly in those instances in which the horse and ass 
are used for the same mares about the same time. Thecontagium 
finds access by the genital mucous membrane. It is readily in- 
