it came to be confirmed, was frequently known among us some hundreds
of Years before the Siege of _Naples_: I shall endeavour to refute
the Opinion of those Persons, who believe it to have had its Rise
there, if any such shall remain. True indeed it is, that there have
not been wanting several modern Authors, who have asserted it; but I
determine to make it appear to be an Error as inconsiderately, and
hastily received, as started by some Chimerical Author; who, because
several Writers about that time, observing the Disease to begin in
the _Pudenda_, separated it from another, with which it was before
confounded, must likewise take upon him to assert its being a _new_
Distemper, and to assign a certain Time and Place for its Rise. Now
one might with all the Reason in the World expect, that if the Disease
had its Original there, it must have been so certainly and infallibly
known, that there could have been no doubtful or uncertain Opinions
about it, but that the Physicians, who resided _in_ or _near_ the
Place, and those more especially, who interested themselves so far
as to write of it, must have, all of them to a Man, agreed upon the
Certainty of a thing, the Knowledge of the Truth of which was so easily
attainable. But on the contrary, _Nicholas Leonicenus_, who was the
first _Italian_ Physician, that wrote of this Disease, and who lived at
the very time, when _Naples_ was besieged, is so far from acknowledging
it to have had its Rise there, from the _French_ Soldiers Conversation
with the _Italian_ Women, and so little did he know of its true Cause,
that he does not allow it to be the Consequent of impure Embraces.
About this time it was likewise, that Pope _Alexander_ the VIth engaged
_Gaspar Torella_ to write of this Distemper. This Pope was in League
with _Alphonsus_ King of _Naples_, against _Charles_ VIII. King of
_France_, to prevent his passing thro’ _Italy_, when he went to besiege
_Naples_; yet this Author is so far from allowing it to have had its
Original there, that he tells us, the Astrologers were of opinion, that
it proceeded from I know not what particular Constellations. Nor does
_Sebastianus Aquilanus_, who lived at that time, allow it to be any
other than an ancient Disease; or _Antonius Scanarolius_, who wrote in
1498, which was but 4 or 5 Years after that Siege. Nor do several other
Authors, then living, say one Word about this _Neapolitan_ Story. But
it seems _Ulricus de Hutten_, a _German_ Kt. no Physician, positively
affirms this Disease to have had its Rise there; but how he should come
to know this, who lived at such a distance from the Place, and they,
who were Physicians residing as it were upon the Spot, be ignorant of
it, will be as much credited, as his following inconsistent Relation,
which will sufficiently prove, how little care he took to be apprised
of the Truth of what he wrote. This very Author tells us, the Disease
was unknown till the Year 1493, or thereabouts; that he himself had
it, when he was a Child, and so consequently that it was hereditary,
or from the Nurse. He Wrote his Book of this Distemper at _Mentz_,
where it was printed by _John Scheffer_ in 4_to_, 1519. Now if we
allow him to be but 27 Years of Age, when he wrote, (for he cannot be
suppos’d to be less, who before this took upon him to cure his Father
of the _Venereal Disease_, without the Assistance of any Physician or
Surgeon,) he must have had the Distemper upon him, according to his own
Account, before ever it was in being. Thus we may see, how Persons may
be impos’d upon by a hasty and inconsistent Writer, no way qualified
for such an Undertaking, and greedily receive in Falshoods instead of
Truths, if they will not be at the Pains of consulting the Original
Writings of our Predecessors, the only sure Method of overthrowing such
chimerical and imaginary Notions.
I have in my former Letters, to Dr. DOUGLASS, sufficiently I think
proved that the _first_ Degree of the _Venereal Disease_ was very
common among us some hundreds of Years before it is commonly said to
have been known in _Europe_; there will be no Reason for any body to
conceive we were at that time in any measure Strangers to it, when it
came to be confirmed; more especially, when we consider the Methods
of Treatment in those Times, which consisting principally in topical
Applications, many of their Patients could not possibly escape having
it confirmed on them. Now when it was in this confirmed State, the
Writers of those early times looked upon it as an _entirely new_
Disease, and not a Consequent of any Evil before contracted, because
they were not apprised, that the _first_ Symptoms being removed, and
the Disease to Appearance cured, it should afterwards discover it self
in such a manner, as should not seem to have the least Analogy with the
Symptoms, that first attack’d a part which had been for a considerable
time free from any Misfortune. But because the Symptoms are the only
true Characteristicks, whereby we are infallibly able to know one
Disease from another, it may be expected, that I produce sufficient
Authorities to demonstrate they were all of them known and described by
ancient Physical and Chirurgical Writers, just as they appear to be in
the _Venereal Disease_ at this Day, if I would prove that _Disease_ to
be of a much more ancient Date, than is generally thought; and if I do
this, I cannot but think it will be satisfactory, since we can have no
other way of coming to a Knowledge of any one Distemper, than by its
Symptoms. The Method of laying down the exact Succession of them, will
be impossible to be reduced to any certain and infallible Rule, there
being so great a Variety of Causes, that obstruct such a Regularity;
for which Reason, I shall take notice of them in such Order as they
most generally appear, which was upon no account to be expected from
our antient Writers, insomuch as they mention every particular Symptom
by it self, not knowing but that they were independent of each other,
and that each of them was a distinct Disease. However, the proving
these Symptoms were in being in these _early_ times, will be as strong
an Argument to prove the Antiquity of this Distemper, as if they had
been register’d in the most exact Order of Succession, because we
shall, upon the strictest Examination, find they are peculiar to the
_Venereal Malady_ only. I have, I hope, sufficiently made it appear
in my former Letter, that the _first Degree_ of this _Disease_ was
anciently known among us by the name of _Brening_, or _Burning_;
and that it was the same Thing with what we now call a _Clap_, The
Symptoms, which are usually its Concomitants, are the _Phymosis_,
and _Parahphymosis_, both which are accurately described, and proper
Remedies, for them set down by _John Arden_, Esq; in another Manuscript
of his, curiously written upon Vellum, and beautifully illuminated.
The imprudent Method of Cure of this _first Degree_ of the _Venereal
Malady_, is sometimes attended with a Caruncle in the _Urethra_, which
was a Disease very common among us anciently: For not to mention other
_early_ writers, _Arden_ gives us the Case of a certain Rector, who had
such a _Substance_, like a Wart, growing in the _Penis_, which he says
_frequently happens_, and of another which had such an _Excrescence_
as big as a _small Strawberry_, which (says he) _proceeded from the
corrupted Matter remaining in the_ Urethra. And indeed there is not any
Symptom of the _Venereal Disease_, that I find so often mentioned as
this of the _Caruncle_, insomuch that it seems to have been more common
in those _early Times_, than at _this Day_. But this must be certainly
owing to the smooth and oily Remedies they were continually injecting,
which, by their relaxing and softning the Fibres of the Part, must
necessarily dispose the Contexture of small Blood Vessels, lodged at
the bottom of the little Ulcerations, to fill with nutritious Juices,
and to extend themselves so, as to form such fungous Excrescences;
and so solicitous were they for removing these Inconveniences, that
they made use of several Ways by Corrosives and other Methods, to
accomplish this end; and a very early Writer among us, has given a very
methodical and curious Tract on this Subject, wherein he recommends the
removing them by the _medicated-Candle_, which we use at this Day, and
lays down divers other Instructions, in relation to it, which makes it
probably the best Discourse on this Subject, that was ever yet written.
He takes notice of those _contumacious-Ulcers_, which happen upon the
_Glans_ and the neighbouring Parts, which we now call _Shankers_; and
the great Trouble our ancient Authors found in attempting their Cure,
sufficiently discover them to have had their Original from a Venereal
Infection. These several Symptoms of the _Venereal-Malady_ our _early_
Writers are very full in their Accounts of, and others, when the
_Disease_ was in a more confirmed State, to which they appropriated
particular Names, perhaps more significant and expressive than those
imposed by _modern_ Authors. Thus the _Buboes_ in the _Groin_ they
called _Dorsers_, which I have given a Reason for before; and the
_Venereal-Nodes_ on the _Shin-Bones_ they termed the _Boon-haw_, which
gives us a perfect Idea, not only of the Part affected, but after what
manner it was diseased; for the old English Word _Hawe_, signified
a Swelling of any Part. Thus for instance, a little Swelling upon
the _Cornea_, was anciently called the _Hawe_ in the _Eye_; and the
Swelling that frequently happens on the Finger, on one side the Nail,
was called the _White-Hawe_, and afterwards _Whitflaw_. The _Process_
this Author recommends, for the Cure of the _Boon_ or _Bone-Hawe_,
is by making use of a Plaister, which had a Hole cut in the midst,
to circumscribe it; and applying a _Caustic_ of unslacked Lime, and
black Soap incorporated together; which Plaister and Bandage were to
be secured on the part 4 Hours, and longer, if that was not found
sufficient: After this he proceeds to the separating the _Slough,
&c._ This Practice of his seems to have been found out by accident.
For he tells us, when he was a young Practitioner, he having applyed
both the Natural and Artificial _Arsenic_ to the Leg of a Man, who
was his Patient, it so mortified the Flesh, as surprized him; but by
proper Digestives, the _Eschar_ coming off, and leaving the Bone bare,
he scraped it with an Instrument for several Days, and drest it with
Incarnatives, designing to have ingendred Flesh on it; but this proving
unsuccessful, he continued to scrape it, till he observed it move under
the Instrument; after which having separated it, he found the Sore
covered with new Flesh, and that the Bone was 4 Inches in length, 2 in
breadth, and very thick, upon the Removal of which the Patient was
soon cured. Thus it’s probable this Observation of this great Man led
our Predecessors to practice the very same Method; and we do at _this
Day_ in our Hospitals treat the _Venereal Nodes_ on the _Shins_ exactly
as is here described, where we observe the same Appearances, he so
long before took notice of; and it is not in the least to be doubted,
but the _Boon-Haw_ and our _Venereal Nodes_ are the same _Disease_. By
the Appearance of some of the last of these Symptoms, we infallibly
judge the Patient has had the Infection upon him a considerable
time, and that the _Disease_ is making its gradual Advances, to the
corrupting and destroying the whole Frame of the Body. That this was
the Conclusion of the Miseries of those Persons, who gave themselves up
to the deceitful-Delights and Entertainments of lewd-Women, in those
_early-times_ as well as _now_, I cannot better prove than by those
remarkable Instances you quoted from a MS. in _Lincoln_-Colledge, in
_Oxon_, Viz. _Novi enim ego Magister_ Thomas Gascoigne, _licet
indignus sacræ Theologiæ Doctor, qui hæc scripsi & collegi, diversos
viros, qui mortui fuerunt ex putrefactione membrorum suorum genitalium
& corporis sui; quœ corruptio & putrefactio, ut ipsi dixerunt, causata
fuit per exercitium copulæ carnalis cum mulieribus. Magnus enim dux in
Anglia, scil._ J. de Gaunt, _mortuus est ex tali putrefactione
membrorum genitalium, & corporis sui, causatâ per frequentationem
mulierum. Magnus enim fornicator fuit, ut in toto Regno Angliæ
divulgabatur, & ante mortem suam jacens sic infirmus in lecto, eandem
putrefactionem Regi; Angliæ Ricardo secundo ostendit, cum idem Rex
eundem Ducem in suâ infirmitate visitavit; & dixit mihi qui ista novit
unus fidelis sacræ Theologiæ Baccalaureus. Willus etiam longe vir
maturæ ætatis & de civitat. Londonii, mortuus est ex tali putrefactione
membrorum suorum genitalium, & corporis sui, causatâ per copulam
carnalem cum Mulieribus, ut ipsemet pluries confessus est ante mortem
suam, quum manu sua propria eleemosynas distribuit, ut ego novi, anno
Dni. 1430._ Now what those Instances mentioned from _Arden_, or these
from _Gascoigne_, who was then Chancellor of _Oxford_, could possibly
be, but _Venereal-Cases_, I would be obliged to any body to inform me.
Certain it is, no _Disease_ was ever known to be gotten by the carnal
Conversation of Women, which first attacked the _Genitals_, causing a
Corruption and Putrefaction of them, and afterward of the whole Frame
of the Body, but that which is _Venereal_. For nothing is more commonly
known at this Day, than that after the Venereal-Engagement with an
impure Woman, the _Penis_ is the Part where the Scene is first laid for
the succeeding Tragical Appearances; and there, and in the Neighbouring
Parts, do the Symptoms of the Disease, as its Retainers, always first
assemble, till the malignant Poison taint the Blood and other Juices;
which being convey’d over the whole Frame of the human Fabric, if not
check’d, soon brings about its total Corruption.