against Syphilis, but in 1910 the great German scientist, Professor Paul
Ehrlich, discovered that a certain chemical combination of arsenic,
called by him _Salvarsan_, has a wonderful germicide effect on
Spirocheta of Syphilis. Salvarsan is known also as 606, and its latest
modification, Neo Salvarsan, is known as No. 914, because Ehrlich had to
re-examine 605 different combinations of arsenic before he has developed
and adopted 606, and he had to re-examine 913 combinations before he has
adopted No. 914. At the time of its discovery the greatest enthusiasm
prevailed, and it was claimed and expected by many that one injection of
Salvarsan would be able to kill all the spirochetae in the body, and
thus bring about a complete cure of Syphilis. Unfortunately, subsequent
experience has shown that these expectations were unfounded. Salvarsan
is a great remedy and one injection of it may heal up very rapidly most
destructive syphilitic lesions, but neither one injection nor two nor
three can with certainty produce a perfect and absolute cure of
Syphilis.
GENERAL TREATMENT AND REGIME IN SYPHILIS.
The consensus of opinion of the most reliable and competent of medical
observers at the present time is that the best results in the treatment
of Syphilis are obtained by combined use of mercury and salvarsan,
beginning with a few injections of Salvarsan and following up with a
thorough mercurial treatment. The great usefulness and striking healing
properties of Salvarsan in Syphilis are particularly to be appreciated,
because mercury is not tolerated by many patients beyond a certain
limit. Push beyond this limit, mercury produces symptoms of
_mercurialism_—chronic mercurial poisoning, manifested by swollen and
painful gums, bad smell from the mouth, stomach disorders, diarrhea,
etc., which may prove serious and even dangerous. One of the most
important measures of prevention of mercurialism in a patient undergoing
mercurial treatment is to keep the mouth and teeth in a clean and
healthy condition.
One more drug should be mentioned, which, besides mercury and Salvarsan,
is used more than any other drug in the treatment of Syphilis. This drug
is Potassium Iodide, which is very useful and surpasses anything else in
its remarkable quality to absorb deep-seated syphilitic tumors (gummata)
of the tertiary period.
Besides these three drugs, which are called _specific_, because their
action is almost infallible, there are very few drugs used in Syphilis,
mostly tonics to build up and strengthen the system, weakened by
syphilitic poison. The general regime in Syphilis is much more liberal
than in Gonorrhea, both as to choice of food and drink and as to the
permissible amount of physical exercise or pleasure. This is
particularly true in the late tertiary period of Syphilis. In the acute
secondary stage of the disease, moderation and a regular mode of life is
absolutely essential for the favorable course of the disease. The use of
alcoholic liquors at this stage is absolutely prohibited, but it is
tolerated in moderation if no active symptoms are present. Smoking and
chewing are also prohibited if any sores or patches are present in the
mouth. As mentioned before, these mouth patches, as the sores of this
period, are highly contagious, and the patient, for the sake of others,
must have his own table utensils and all articles of personal use. He is
also cautioned to avoid in every possible way a close physical touch
with others.
SYPHILIS AND MARRIAGE.
The question, when can a syphilitic marry? is as momentous and difficult
to answer as a similar question in Gonorrhea; in other words, this
question means, When can a syphilitic be declared perfectly cured and
free from any danger of transmitting the infection to his wife and
children? Until very recent years, before the three great discoveries in
the realm of Syphilis had been made (the discovery of Spirocheta,
Wasserman blood test, and Salvarsan), the physicians adopted from
experience a rule which proved to hold good in the majority of cases.
This rule reads that no syphilitic should be allowed to marry before
three years passed since the time of primary infection. This rule was
adopted on the assumption that the effects of three years’ treatment and
the natural weakening of the virulence (intensity) of the syphilitic
poison with the age of the disease give a reasonable assurance of safety
to the wife and offspring. It is true that in most of the cases the
family was fairly well protected by the long duration of observation
period, and remained free from the infection, yet the physician had no
exact and definite basis for such prediction, and while the family was
well, some of these men developed many years later various dangerous and
incurable complications of the advanced Tertiary Syphilis. Fortunately,
now, in the light of new knowledge at our command about Syphilis, we are
able to gauge the condition of the patient as to the degree of his cure
of Syphilis in a very exact and definite manner. One test, tho, is not
conclusive, particularly if it be negative. Positive Wasserman test is a
fairly good evidence that syphilitic germs, spirochetae, are still
present in the body in a dormant, if not an active, state, but a
negative test, to be conclusive, must be repeated several times,
covering a long period of time under various conditions, such as before
and after a course of treatment. It should be remembered that while
different active lesions in Syphilis are controlled and cleared up under
modern methods of treatment very rapidly, a perfect elimination of
spirochetae from the system is much more difficult, and it is always a
time-consuming procedure. There are many cases of Syphilis where, after
the primary general rash, sore throat, and other symptoms of the early
secondary period, no other active symptoms of any kind develop
subsequently, so that the actual manifestations of Syphilis are limited
to a very few weeks or months, but even in these cases should a blood
test be persistently negative for a period of half a year’s time, at
least another half year should elapse before a final blood test is made.
In the mildest and most thoroughly treated cases, a year’s time should
be the shortest waiting period for giving a permission of marriage. In
many more cases, probably in the majority, this period must be extended
to two or three years, and in a few cases of malignant or destructive
character, even much longer than this.
Thus the modern methods of treatment have shortened enormously the
period of active manifestation of Syphilis, and have placed in our hands
powerful means to control and to check the most malignant and
destructive syphilitic lesions, but the period of quarantine in regard
to marriage is not shortened very much, though its estimation is made
immeasurably more certain, definite, and reliable.
Syphilis can be considered at the present time as _perfectly curable and
readily amenable to treatment_, provided a correct and early diagnosis
is made and a thorough, systematic, and persistent treatment is
administered.
Conclusion.
The foregoing pages are offered to the reader with the purpose of
presenting a short and popular exposition of the subject of sex
knowledge, immense in its scope and tremendous in its social importance,
and to give in the simplest and briefest possible terms the most
fundamental and important facts from a practical viewpoint of the sex
life in health and disease. The conclusions to be drawn will naturally
vary with the mental and moral capacity of the reader.
The writer does not want to force his personal opinion on the reader,
and his intention is to present only the facts of the sex life as they
are viewed by medical science of our day, and as they appear from his
personal observation. The writer reserves, however, a privilege to
define his position and attitude on the question of social purity. His
views, based upon personal and theoretical grounds, would be:
First.—That sexual abstinence can be enforced with perfect ease and
without any harmful consequences until the full development of physical
and sexual maturity, which is about from 22–25 years of age.
Second.—That venereal diseases and various sexual disorders are entirely
too big a price to be paid for a momentary impulse.
Third.—That the only proper and normal solution of the sexual problem
for a man above the age of sexual maturity is—marriage.
Fourth.—That the sexual “_necessity_” in young men under the age of
sexual maturity is _always_, and in men sexually mature, _frequently_, a
self-suggested notion, artificially stimulated by indulgence and
environment, and allowed to grow and persist thru the lack of
self-control.
Fifth.—That the amount of social waste and individual damage caused by
venereal diseases can be reduced to a minimum by spreading among men and
maturing boys the elementary knowledge of the facts of sex life in
health and disease.
Questionnaire
Question 1.—Is sexual continence harmful to health?
Answer.—At the age before full sexual maturity, that is, up to 22–25
years, sexual continence is not only not harmful, but even advisable and
extremely effective in keeping up the physical and mental freshness and
full vigor of a growing body. After full sexual maturity is reached, a
regular sexual life thru marriage is desirable, but even at this age
sexual continence can be kept up for many months without the slightest
harm to the individual whatsoever, provided he keeps away from
unnecessary stimulating and exciting influences.
Question 2.—Are the pimples on the face of young men an indication of
the necessity of sexual intercourse?
Answer.—Not at all. The pimples on the face of young people is a
harmless skin disease known under the name of _Acne_, and is due to the
surplus of fat secreted by the young skin, but it has nothing to do with
the sexual function. It is just as much and to an equal degree spread
among people indulging in sexual intercourse as among those who are
continent. Acne is often a result of eating too much sweets and other
heavy food. It is treated by regulation of the diet and local
applications.
Question 3.—How often can a wet dream occur without being injurious to
health?
Answer.—There is no definite dividing line and exact time limit between
normal and abnormal wet dreams. In sexual life, individual differences
vary more than in any other function of the human body. Some men get wet
dreams once in 1–2–3 months; some once in 2–3 weeks. The figures are
immaterial. The only safe rule to measure injuriousness of a wet dream
is by its effect on the general health and spirit. _If a man, after a
night emission, feels just as fresh and strong or even better than
before it, it is normal; if not, it is abnormal._
Question 4.—What may the habit of masturbation lead to?
Answer.—In a young child (the younger the more disastrous the results),
persistent masturbation can lead to perfect physical and nervous
exhaustion, and even serious organic diseases. In older boys and men, it
affects mainly the nervous system and mentality.
Question 5.—Is every discharge from the urethral canal a sign of
venereal disease?
Answer.—Not necessarily. It depends on the character and quality of the
discharge. A white, yellow, or greenish thick discharge—pus—is always an
indication of a venereal, or at least a genito-urinary disease (bladder,
kidney, etc.), but a clean, watery, or slimy like white of an egg
discharge may occur in perfect health as a result of sexual excitement,
or it may remain as a harmless temporary phenomenon, due to
overtreatment of the urethral canal in any venereal disease. The exact
condition, of course, can be recognized only by a physician after a
careful examination.
Question 6.—What can Gonorrhea lead to if not treated?
Answer.—Most common complications of Gonorrhea are: (1) Epididymitis
(inflammation of the testicle), with the possibility of sterility later
on. (2) Chronic Prostatitis, leading often to nervous weakness and
irritability (Neurasthenia). (3) Stricture, the most dangerous
complication of all. (4) Gonorrheal Rheumatism, affecting different
joints. (5) Gonorrheal infection of the eye.
Question 7.—Can Gonorrhea turn into Chancroid or Syphilis?
Answer.—No, it cannot. All three diseases are produced by different
germs, and for this reason none of these diseases can turn into any
other. It may happen, tho, that a double infection takes place, when two
diseases may coexist.
Question 8.—Can chronic Gonorrhea (Gleet) be cured?
Answer.—Unquestionably so, tho in some neglected or mistreated cases it
takes many months to effect the complete cure. The only complication of
Gonorrhea that may prove incurable if neglected is a stricture, yet it
can be always improved or relieved.
Question 9.—How can a real Gonorrhea be distinguished from a simple
catarrhal Urethritis?
Answer.—The only sure way to differentiate these two conditions is by
finding Gonococci under the microscope.
Question 10.—How long does it take to cure a Gonorrhea?
Answer.—There is no way whatsoever to predict the exact duration of an
individual case. In average, the cases of _acute Gonorrhea, without any
complications, lasts from 5–6 weeks_, and these constitute a very small
minority of all cases of Gonorrhea. _The largest majority of Gonorrhea
cases_ develop one of the complications and _last from 2–3 months_. The
_cases that turn into chronic, last from 6–12 months_.
Question 11.—How soon can a man who has been suffering from Gonorrhea
marry without danger of infection to his future family?
Answer.—Not before the physician, after a most careful and repeated
examination by all known methods and tests, can positively establish
that there are no more Gonococci present in the patient. All other
symptoms do not bear on the contagiousness of the case, and
contraindicate marriage only if they affect the general condition of the
man.
Question 12.—What is the difference between soft and hard chancres?
Answer.—Soft and hard chancres are produced by different kinds of germs,
and are _entirely different diseases_.
Soft Chancre or _Chancroid_ always remains a local disease, and leads
only to one complication—to abscess of the glands in the groin, a
Chancroidal bubo.
_Hard Chancre_ is a primary syphilitic sore and always penetrates into
the blood, becoming a _constitutional disease_. Syphilitic buboes are
hard and never produce an abscess.
Question 13.—Can Syphilis be cured perfectly?
Answer.—Undoubtedly so, tho to be sure of it, a long time of observation
after treatment is concluded and thoro testing are necessary.
Question 14.—How long does the contagious period of Syphilis last?
Answer.—The most contagious period of Syphilis is the secondary period,
when a syphilitic has the most active lesions—mucous patches in the
mouth or around the genital organs.
The tumors—gummata of the tertiary period—are considerably less
contagious.
Question 15.—How long does it take to cure Syphilis?
Answer.—No case should be declared cured before _at least one year_ has
elapsed, even tho no active lesions are noticeable. Most cases take
between two and three years to render their blood free from syphilitic
poison.
Question 16.—When can a syphilitic marry?
Answer.—_Not before repeated blood tests have shown a persistent freedom
from Syphilitic poison_, which, as pointed out in previous questions,
takes from two to three years.
Index.
Abstinence, sexual. (See Continence.)
Acquired non-venereal diseases, 47
Alcohol in Gonorrhea, 101
—— —— Syphilis, 150
Athletic vs. sexual continence, 43
Bacteriological test in Gonorrhea, 110
Beer test in Gonorrhea, 111
Blood test (see Wasserman test.), 152
Blindness from Gonorrhea, 81
Buboes in Gonorrhea, 90
—— —— Chancroid, 130
—— —— Syphilis, 138
Centers of erection, 35
Circumcision, 46
Chancroid, 129
Condoms, 76
Continence, sexual, 25
Corpora cavernosa, 20
Dangers of ignorance, 64
Double standard of morals, 59
Diagnosis. (See recognition.)
Ejaculation, premature, 117
Ejaculatory ducts, 21
Epididymis, 21
Epididymitis, 88
Erection, 20
Frigidity, sexual, 28
Functional sexual diseases, 114
Generative. (See sexual.)
Gleet. (See chronic Gonorrhea.)
Gonococci, 102
Gonorrhea—
Clinical course of, 84
Chronic, 90
Complications of, 86
Curability of, 105
Duration of, 86
General regime in, 106
Importance of, 80
Of the eye, 102
Recognition of, 82
Symptoms of, 85
Treatment of, 97
Gonorrheal threads, 109
Granulation patches, 94
Gummata, 142
Hard chancre, 136
Hereditary Syphilis, 48
Herpes of sexual origin, 144
Impotence, psychic, 115
—— irritative, 117
—— paralytic, 119
—— natural, 120
Inborn non-venereal diseases, 46
Incubation period in Gonorrhea, 84
—— —— —— Chancroid, 129
—— —— —— Syphilis, 137
Individual variations of sex instinct, 27
Injections in Gonorrhea, 100
Instillations in Gonorrhea, 104
Irrigations in Gonorrhea, 104
Internal secretions of sexual glands, 16
Love vs. sex, 30
Locomotor Ataxia, 143
Luetin test, 136
Marriage and Gonorrhea, 106
—— —— Syphilis, 150
Masturbation (see self-abuse.), 50
—— in adults, 52
—— in children, 51
Dangers of, 52
Psychology of, 54
Medical quacks, 67
Mentality and sex, 32
Mercury, 146
Mercurialism, 149
Microscopical test in Gonorrhea, 110
Mind control of sex, 40
Mixed chancre, 139
Neuralgic pains in the testicle, 48
Neurasthenia, sexual, 125
Night emission, 26
Ointments, preventive, 50
Onanism (see self-abuse.), 50
Penis, 19
Pollution (see wet dream.), 26
Potassium iodide, 149
Prepuce, tight, 46
Prognosis. (See prediction.)
Progressive paralysis, 142
Prostate gland, 22
Massage of, 105
Prostitution, 71
Open, 72
Clandestine, 74
Medical examination in, 73
Provocative test in Gonorrhea, 111
Questionnaire, 157
Recognition of Gonorrhea, 82
—— —— Chancroid, 129
—— —— Syphilis, 134
Rheumatism, Gonorrheal, 96
Salvarsan, 147
Self-abuse, 50
Self-medication, 67
Seminal ducts, 20
Seminal secretion, 23
Seminal vesicles, 21
Sex—
Importance of, 16
Impulses and ideas of, 35
Instinct in men and women, 30
Physiological basis of, 34
Psychology of, 29
Soft chancre. (See Chancroid.)
Specific drugs, 149
Sperma. (See seminal secretion.)
Spermatozoa, 20, 23
Spermatorrhea, 118
Spirochetae, 147
Sterility, 121
Causes of, 123, 144
Steel sounds, 104
Strictures, 94
Symptoms of, 96
Syphilis, 132
Curability of, 157
General regime in, 148
Primary period in, 136
Secondary „ „, 140
Tertiary „ „, 141
Prediction in, 141
Recognition of, 134
Testicles, 20
Undescended, 47
Tobacco in Gonorrhea, 102
—— —— Syphilis, 150
Urethral canal, 20
Urethritis, simple, 82
—— specific, 82
Urethrorrhea, 119
Urethroscope, 94
Urinalysis, 108
Varicocele, 48
Venereal diseases, 77
Practical prevention of, 76
Prediction in, 78
606. (See salvarsan.)
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