Abstract
PART I. A brief account of the history of syphilis
is given. Classical endemics in Scotland,
Norway and Sweden, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Russia and other countries are described.
The scarcity of primary manifestations and
apparent rarity of sequelae on the one hand
and the preponderance of mucous membrane
and skin lesions on the other provide a
contrast to what is observed in the modern
venereal diseases’ clinic. These facts
suggest a difference either in the habits
of the spirochaete or in its surroundings.
Syphilis appears to have become common in
the Turkish Empire about the year 1840.
PART II. A detailed account of the author’s original
work in Palestine is given. The disease,
as observed there by him, closely resembles
the endemics described in Part I. There is
the same scarcity of primary lesions and
apparent rarity of sequelae. The view is
gradually developed that the difference
between endemic and sporadic syphilis is
mainly that between an innocent and a
venereal disease. The author does not however
maintain that the low incidence of
sequelae is so explained.
PART III. The author holds Paterson’s view that
syphilis was introduced into the endemic
area about the year 1840. The statements
of that worker, recorded in this paper
for the first time, prove the incorrectness
of the opinion generally expressed until
to-day. According to this the British
Army was responsible for the introduction
of the disease during the Great War.
A stain has thus been removed from the
banner of the Last Crusade.
The reasons for regarding the disease
as syphilis and not yaws are given.
The view that treatment by means of
tabloids of Spirocid forms an advance in
the control of endemic syphilis amongst
native races is maintained.
Finally the evidence in favour of the
author’s view that endemic syphilis is non-venereally spread is displayed.
