A more serious part of the secondary disease is affection of the
deep-seated parts, ligaments, periosteum, and bones. The bones nearest
the surface are principally affected: a swelling gradually forms on the
tibia or ulna, without discoloration of the integuments, and without
pain occurring till after a long time. The pain is most severe during
the night. The inflammation of the periosteum is often very violent,
the subjacent bone, as in the head or extremities, becomes dead, and
exfoliates; but it remains to be seen whether this will take place
when mercury is more sparingly, if at all, administered. Ulcers betwixt
the toes, occurring along with the above symptoms, are supposed to be
venereal: they are unseemly, and peculiarly fetid.[24]
Such are the affections, local and constitutional, arising from a
venereal cause; but the latter may be simulated. Many affections of the
skin, mucous membranes, and bones, resembling the venereal disease,
may be produced by disorder of the constitution, by a decay of the
digestive organs, by unwholesome food, and exposure to inclement
weather, by inattention to cleanliness, and many other circumstances.
Morbid poisons, not venereal, but of various kinds, may exist, and
cause much mischief.
A disease resembling syphilis was produced by the cruel practice of
transplanting teeth from sound people into the jaws of persons in the
higher ranks of life, whose corresponding teeth were decayed. The
latter were the affected party, and that justly.
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