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The Pox

A Discussion of syphilis, its symptoms and treatment.

Here I shall speak of the most dreaded and destructive venereal disease, the Pox, or syphilis.  If checked early, treating this illness can the most trivial of matters.  If left too long, however, not even the most skilled physician will be able to do much good.

The French Disease typically first manifests itself as a cancre near or on the parts of procreation.  Whenever such a sore appears in the lower regions, it is almost definitely a sign of venereal taint.  The cancre can appear in other areas, such as the fingers, or other soft areas of the body, as the disease can be spread simply through contact with a pock.

The cancre, if left untreated, will not heal like most sores, but instead spread and worsen.  If diagnosed quickly, however, and given speedy application of mercury, the sore will be subdued, and the Pox will be prevented.  William Buchan, on page 74 of his The Prevention and Cure of the Venereal Disease cites peculiar cases, which I include in the interest of good science, although in my own experience, I have never seen what he describes either.

“Though cancres, under proper treatment, soon put on a healing appearance; yet in some cases, owing perhaps to the patient’s constitution, or the peculiar virulence of the matter, they will spread, become phagedenic ulcers, and destroy, not only the glans, but even the whole penis.  As this has never happened to any patient who had been under my care, from the commencement of the disease, I am inclined to think it is owing either to improper treatment or neglect.” (13)

The patient of a cancre, or indeed at any point in treating syphilis, is advised to avoid vigorous activity, which can agitate sores, and should maintain a robust diet.  The cancre should also be kept clean by washing it with warm water.  Healing ointments and salves should not be applied, provided there’s plenty of mercury in the system.  Other methods of healing can be dangerous.

Another passage from Buchan is appropriate here with regard to correct treatment 

On page 79:

“On the very first appearance of the chancre I begin to throw in the mercury in whatever form is most agreeable to the patient.  If he prefers a pill, I order him to take two grains of calcined mercury, made into a pill with crumb of bread, evening and morning.  If his mouth is not sore, in a few days, he may take two pills at night and one in the morning; and, if these do not excite some degrees of salivation, two may be taken morning and evening.” (14)

As the disease progresses, the patient may experience symptoms such as soreness of the joints, aches, and rashes.  Application of mercury can abate these, although more extensive doses may be required.

In some sufferers of Pox, the illness has been observed to enter a state of remission, often for over twenty years, in which no visible symptoms are present.  For many, the disease has left the system completely, but for others, it returns in far more horrific force than before.  The Pox can cause blindness, deafness, corrosion of the parts, destruction of the internal organs, and death.  While mercury can be employed at this stage to stop further destruction of the body, the havoc which has already taken place cannot be undone.

Clearly then, the wise will hurry to a doctor at the first sight of a cancre, that it may be swiftly undone with mercury before further detriment occurs.