A probationary essay on the use and effects of mercury in the treatment of syphilis : submitted ... to the examination of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh ... / by David Johnston ... October 1823.

  • Johnston, David.
Date:
1823
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A probationary essay on the use and effects of mercury in the treatment of syphilis : submitted ... to the examination of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh ... / by David Johnston ... October 1823. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    perhaps, know these diseases only by name. If we look into the works of Celsus, we shall find him detailing, with clearness and accuracy, the symptoms of local affections of the genitals ; which, from situa¬ tion, appearance, frequent malignity, and other cir¬ cumstances, have been considered by many as of a nature truly syphilitic. But the .experience and observations of many modern practitioners have clearly shewn that the existence of such affections is by no means rare in our own times; that sores verv similar to chancre are not uncommon; that tliese, in their nature, are often malignant, and of difficult cure; that they are even frequently fol¬ lowed by constitutional symptoms, bearing a strong resemblance to those of true Syphilis, with which, there is reason to believe, they have been often con¬ founded, but that these, when carefully attend¬ ed to, are found to differ most essentially : thus, ac¬ cording to Mr Abernethy, they are found dis¬ tinctly to originate where the suspicion of true Sy¬ philis could not reasonably exist; and are cured by means which, in his opinion, are inadequate to the removal of that disease;—they do not require the use of mercury, which was even found to be injuri¬ ous, especially when used with any freedom. In a practical point of view, this subject acquires additional interest from the recent doctrines respect-