Tattooing as a means of communicating syphilis : an investigation of twenty-two cases exposed to inoculation with the virus of mucous patches, in fifteen of which syphilis followed / by F.F. Maury and C.W. Dulles.

  • Maury, F. F. (Francis Fontaine), 1840-1879.
Date:
1878
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Tattooing as a means of communicating syphilis : an investigation of twenty-two cases exposed to inoculation with the virus of mucous patches, in fifteen of which syphilis followed / by F.F. Maury and C.W. Dulles. 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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    Case IX John X., It 18, Am., brushmaker; examined in Reading, October 1 ; gives a good family and personal history ; has led a tree and easy. but not a hard, life. About the end of May, being quite well, lie was tattooed by Kelly on the flexor aspect of bis right forearm. The figure was a dancing girl on an ea<de, holding a flag in her hand; the pigments, India ink and vermilion, mixed with Kelly’s saliva. There followed slight local inflammation, accompanied by a red streak up the arm. After an interval of five weeks there appeared at the lower inner corner of the flag a papule, elevated, indurated, with an areola and itching. It was scratched and formed a pustule, which persisted two months. Meanwhile it was once cauterized with an acid, and simple soap applied. Four weeks later, nine after the tattooing, there appeared a papular sypliiloderm, most marked on his scalp and scrotum. * At the time of our examination we find his thighs a little marbled, papules on his hands and feet, on his right buttock two medium sized condylomata. The glands in his right groin are enlarged, and he has a beautiful post-auricular adenitis. Case X. — Cyrus S., mt. 26, Am., boatman; examined in Reading October 2 ; gives a perfectly good family and personal history; is an occasional but not a hard drinker, and stands now a large magnificently developed man, weighing 195-g- lbs. In June, being quite well, he was tattooed by Kelly on the back of the right hand. The figure was a ten rayed star; the pigments India ink and vermilion, mixed with Kelly’s saliva. There followed a great deal of local inflammation and an axillary bubo. He did nothing for this condition, and in about a week, during its continuance, there appeared in the red colour a lump which, he says, was “ like a pill” under his skin. This was painful, had an areola, itched, and was, as stated, indurated. It was scratched, became covered with a crust, by repeated removal of which it grew larger. In two weeks more, after a period of marked malaise and fever, there appeared a papular eruption in his scalp, on his forehead and face, in his nose, between his nates, on his penis, scrotum, palms and soles. Between his nates the papules developed into condylomata with “ terrible” itching. In his mouth mucous patches also appeared. There were some pustules among the papules on his hands, feet, and penis. He lias been of late under good treatment. At the time of our examination, we find in his scalp and on his fore- head and face traces of maculce and papules. His chest, abdomen, back, thighs, and legs are beautifully clean. Between his nates are traces of the former condylomata and a few papules. On the soles of his feet are scars of many old papules. His fauces are erythematous. On his upper lip, left side, is a small mucous patch. He has slight enlargement of the submaxillary. lymphatic glands, post-cervical adenitis most noticeable on the right side, and marked alopecia. Case XI—Jacob H., ait. 18, Am., examined in the Philadelphia Hos- pital October 15, is a young man of good appearance, with a good family and personal history. lie says he has never had sexual intercourse. About the beginning of June, being in perfect health, he was tattooed in Reading by Kelly. The figure of an eagle with a scroll in its beak, surmounted by a crown and two letters, was placed on the flexor aspect of his right forearm. The pigments, India ink and vermilion, were mixed with Kelly’s saliva alone. There followed scarcely any local inflammation. In