Summary of Mr. Carmichael's views of the venereal cases in which mercury is admissible or is not admissible.

  • Carmichael, Richard, 1779-1849.
Date:
1838
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Summary of Mr. Carmichael's views of the venereal cases in which mercury is admissible or is not admissible. 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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    Abernethy’s work on Pseudo-Syphilitic Diseases made its appearance ; and the cases adduced by that original and cele- brated man made the strongest impression on my mind. Ikit contrary to his assertion, that the symptoms of the resembling diseases could not be distinguished by their appearance from those of syphilis, I was convinced in my mind, that if differ- ences existed in nature, they would be manifested by a differ- ence in the characters of the symptoms; and therefore deter- mined upon bringing this view to the test of experiment, by making use of the extensive opportunities I possessed. I therefore, soon after my appointment, commenced an inves- tigation by observing accurately the various appearances and cha- racteristic distinctions of venereal complaints, both primary and ^secondary, and by treating all those cases without mercury which did not correspond with Hunter’s description of true syphilis. The result of the investigation exceeded my warmest expecta- tion. It proved not only that the received dogma of that day, that venereal diseases progressed without the intervention of mercury until they destroyed the patient, was without founda- tion ; but it also demonstrated, that the great majority of those complaints could be perfectly cured in a much shorter period than is usually effected by the intervention of mercury. In 1813 I delivered a course of lectures at the Lock Hospi- tal, on venereal diseases, to a very numerous class, not only of pupils, but of practitioners ; to whom I communicated the facts developed by my investigation, at that time scarcely credited, on account of their novelty and opposition to the received doctrines which governed the practice of medical men. The first lecture of this course, according to a printed syllabus which lies before me, was delivered on the 29th of March, 1813; just a quarter of a century ago. Early in 1814 was published the first edition in 4to of my work on Venereal Diseases, containing plates of the four great varieties of venereal eruptions. In October, 1815,1 published a paper in the Medical and