The endoscope, and its application to the diagnosis and treatment of affections of the genito-urinary passages : lessons given at Necker Hospital / by A.J. Desormeaux ; translated by R.P. Hunt.

  • Desormeaux, A. J. (Antonin Jean), -1894.
Date:
1867
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The endoscope, and its application to the diagnosis and treatment of affections of the genito-urinary passages : lessons given at Necker Hospital / by A.J. Desormeaux ; translated by R.P. Hunt. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    and, lastly, after cure of blennorrhagic orchitis we do not find these hard cords which enable us to trace tubercular fistulas, even long after they are cured. This, however, does not fur- nish sufficient ground upon which to base a diagnosis. The watery discharge from the urethra, be it ever so little, might be relied upon, but, unfortunately, when tubercle takes hold of the testicle, it often, at the same time, attacks the prostate, and this causes a discharge similar to that in simple granular urethritis. Now, the endoscope comes into play and clears up the ques- tion, brings light out of darkness; there can be no doubt as to presumptive signs, when we are able to see the granular ero- sions in the urethra. In such cases, with a sure diagnosis, the treatment is readily fixed upon—combat the testicular engorge- ment, and attack the disease in the canal. In every case that I have seen, the epididymitis ceased upon the cure of the ure- thral granulations. We will now resume the history of blennorrhcea. The endo- scope furnishes us the means of recognizing the characteristic local lesion, and by its aid we are enabled to separate it from affections simulating it in their exterior symptoms, not very defined. Once the disease well defined and disembarrassed from all that obscures its history, we are enabled to decide upon its march, its termination, and its peculiar complications, and also to distinguish between it and such affections as may simu- late it. Now we will pass on to the study of its etiology. The different authors assign many causes for blennorrhcea and blennorrhagia, about the same thing. First, comes conta- gion, or intercourse with an affected person, excessive inter- course with a well person, onanism, traumatic irritation, cathe- ism, irritating injections, any and all female discharges, chan- crous pus, irritating or relaxing food, and especially asparagus, which I think most innocent, drinks, such as beer and tea, and some such medicines as cantharides. You may add to these the internal causes, such as the development of the teeth, worms, dartrous affections, certain different temperaments, the different seasons, and variations of temperature.