HOMEOPATHIC RESEARCH

-JAHR Georg Heinrich Gottlieb Although in most cases the symptoms in these organs are caused by the spreading of the disease from the fauces, yet they may likewise be attacked by themselves, and, inasmuch as in such cases the true nature of the malady may easily be overlooked, it seems indispensable that these forms should be considered more in detail. (1) Syphilitic affection of the Larynx.-Syphilitic ulceration of the larynx, if occurring by itself, generally sets in a long time after (the disappearance of the primary symptoms, in which case it is accompanied by all the symptoms of ordinary affections of the larynx, such as: a certain uneasy feeling and a seated painfulness in the region of the larynx, alteration or even loss of voice, difficulty of breathing, short cough, with a desire to hawk up the stuff which obstructs the larynx, and expectoration of purulent substance streaked with blood. If the affection progresses, fever may supervene, with night-sweats and all the other s...

-JAHR Georg Heinrich Gottlieb We have shown that the secondary syphilitic products on the mucous membrane of the throat and mouth may appear: (1) as superficial, whitish, tettery ulcerations; (2) as simple chancres of the tonsils; (3) as phagedænic chancres of the fauces; (4) as spots or papules that soon disappear again; (5) as mucous tubercles, and (6) as circular herpetic ulcers accompanied by a squamous exanthem on the skin; and that these ulcers may not only be attended with condylomatous growths, but may likewise cause the most fearful destructions; may eat away the palatine and nasal bones, and may result in caries of the cervical vertebræ Usually, at least very frequently, these phenomena set in with a simple redness and puffiness of the mucous membrane, which is nowhere ulcerated, but very frequently streaked with varicose vessels, and sometimes here and there covered with a layer of tenacious mucus; this condition, which is known under the name of angina syphilitica, may co...

-JAHR Georg Heinrich Gottlieb Among these we mention, as first in rank, the syphilitic rhagades between the toes, which are almost always overlooked, although they are scarcely ever unaccompanied by other secondary syphilitic phenomena, principally affections of the throat. Always in a state of ulceration, they resemble pretty accurately the rhagades at the anus; they are somewhat raised, oblong, deep, and of a violet-red; at the same time they incline to spread towards the balls of the feet, and may render walking very troublesome and painful. They may likewise show themselves in the shape of cracks around the rounded borders of the nails, where they secrete, like the former rhagades, a purulent, ichorous, very fetid serum. On the mammæ, on the contrary, truly secondary ulcers are very rare; most of these ulcers, which are principally seen on the mammæ of nursing women in the shape of mucous tubercles are undoubtedly caused by infection communicated by syphilitic infants; they do, ...

-JAHR Georg Heinrich Gottlieb These rhagades consist of narrow, elongated ulcers, or cracks in the folds of the anus. They are more or less numerous, scarcely ever show themselves except in cases of unmistakable constitutional syphilis, and may be confounded by inexperienced persons with rhagades, or lacerations caused by the passage of hard excrements, by the introduction of a foreign body, or even by hæmorrhoids. These last-mentioned rhagades, however, are easily distinguished from syphilitic ones, by the fact that they are seldom very numerous, and always exhibit a red (more or less bleeding) surface, and not very elevated borders: whereas, syphilitic rhagades are numerous, rest for the most part upon a rather hard and swollen surface, and have a rather hard and lardaceous base, with red, hard, raised edges. According to some authors, these rhagades, are, in some cases, quite superficial, not very painful, with soft and smooth edges, and secretion of a whitish pus, in which case i...

-JAHR Georg Heinrich Gottlieb Most of these ulcers which present themselves for treatment are, most likely, consecutive symptoms of the transition stage from the primary into the secondary period, although I have met them in company with unmistakably secondary phenomena. They are most frequently seen near the inferior commissure, at the entrance of the vagina and on the perineum. The pratings of old-school physicians concerning the difficulty of curing ulcers located near the inferior commissure must, however, not be referred to the nature of these ulcers, but should be understood of the peculiar manner in which these gentlemen treat such ulcers, exclusively by external means, and thus securing their cicatrization. If treated with appropriate specific remedies internally, they yield to such treatment neitheir sooner nor later than any other ulcers of the same class, no matter where located; only those which are seated at the entrance of the vagina (if of a phagedænic character, and a...

-JAHR Georg Heinrich Gottlieb What we have said at the conclusion of the preceding paragraph, of the circular form as being common to some non-syphilitic eruptions, applies equally to some other symptoms which both syphilitic and non-syphilitic exanthems have in common. In order, therefore, to furnish all the means which may assist in establishing a correct and discriminating diagnosis, we deem it indispensable to present a list of the non-syphilitic cutaneous affections with which the syphiloids are most easily confounded. These are, in general; (1) some exanthematic and epidemic eruptions; (2) certain dermoid affections of the face; (3) various herpetic eruptions; and (4) some forms of mercurial syphiloid eruptions, all of which we will consider more particularly in the following article. 1. Exanthematic and Epidemic forms. Under this head, rubeola, varicella and varioloid deserve our first attention. As regards rubeola (roseola communis), with which, in case the patient should de...

-JAHR Georg Heinrich Gottlieb That form of psoriasis which approximates most nearly the common, non-syphilitic psoriasis, is psoriasis diffusa; and more particularly the variety designated as psoriasis guttata. Psoriasis diffusa consists of rather large, round or irregular, yellowish, pale-red, or copper-colored spots, that become covered with hard, brittle, faint-white scales, the centre of which frequently ulcerates and forms a blackish scurf; the scaly spot frequently shows slight cracks from which a clear serum oozes out, which may be succeeded by ulcerations and condylomatous growths. This form is most frequently seen in the face, though it may likewise break out on the hands and around the ankles, and, according to some, even around the anus and on the scrotum. Psoriasis guttata, which occurs much more frequently, is not, as some assert, confined exclusively to the hairy scalp; on the contrary, it may spread over the whole surface of the body. On the body it is seen in the sha...