An enquiry into the value of the signs and symptoms regarded as diagnostic of congenital syphilis in the infant / by Thomas Ballard.

  • Ballard, Thomas.
Date:
1874
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An enquiry into the value of the signs and symptoms regarded as diagnostic of congenital syphilis in the infant / by Thomas Ballard. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    slie went at nine a.m., and only reached home again at half-past three p.m.) During the whole of this time he had been taking powders of Hyd. c. creta three times daily, for supposed congenital syphilis, the symptoms of which still existed, viz., an ulceration at each side of and close to the anus, also two small ulcerations at the junction of the scrotum with the perineum. His general health had been good, but lately he had had a very sore mouth, and now had some swollen cervical glands. He was pallid. He always wore a small napkin because of loose bowels. Advised to discontinue the powders and napkin, and to dress the ulceration as above. I lost sight of this case. Case XII.— On November 26th, 1872, I saw at a hospital, a case which was pronounced typical of congenital syphilis, and listened to a short clinical lecture upon it. The child was three months old. The symptoms which were pointed to as characteristic were an eruption on the nates, upper part of thighs, and inguinal regions, consisting of redness and some spots, some of which were ulcerated, and were pronounced mucous tubercles. Other signs were pointed out as diagnostic, but they appeared to me hardly cognizable : these were a cafe au lait colour of the skin; a patch of paleness of the mucous membrane where it is stretched from the hard palate on to the gum, said to be also mucous tubercle; and a depression of the bridge of the nose. I followed the woman to her home and observed the following conditions, which were obviously sufficient to account for the cutaneous eruption. She was poor and possessed but a small stock of nursery materials; in order to save her bed from being soiled by its excretions she was accustomed to wrap the child in a coarse flannel, and so let it remain for twelve hours without a change. Although previously in good health, it was now suffering from diarrhoea, the effect of doses of Hyd. c. creta, which had been prescribed for it three times daily. The parents both satisfied me that they had never had syphilis. I advised a discontinuance of the powders, and more attention to be paid to keeping the child clean and dry, and I procured for it some linen napkins in place of the coarse flannel and small pieces of calico then in use. On December 12th I found the eruption quite well, and the child much better in health, having regained its appetite, which quite failed while taking the powders. On August 8th, 18 73, I sought out this child, and exhibited it