GO'NIONVETRY. A branch of trigonometry concerned with the functions of angles in general and with their relations. See TamoNoidETav: GONIOMETER.
GifINNER, gisn'ar, NIKOLA S THADDXT_TS YON (1764-1827). A German jurist, statesman, and author. He was born at Bamberg, where he was appointed to the chair of law (1789). Ten years afterwards he accepted a similar posi tion at Inplstadt, where he exercised a most beneficial influence upon the development of the university, which, by his suggestion. was subse quently removed to JAndshut. From 1811 until shortly before his death he held many judiciary offices at Munich, where he was appointed Coun selor of State in 1820. His principal works in clude: Ifandbuch des deutschen gemein,en Pro cesses (2d ed., 4 vols., 1804), and Deutsches Staatsrecht (1804).
GrONORRHCE'A (Lat., from Gk. yov6ppoca, gonorrhoia, from yOvoc, gonos, semen Poi& rhoia, a flow, from peiv, rhein, to flow). A name which was formerly applied almost indiscrimi nately to all discharges from the genital passages in both sexes. At present the name is applied to a specific catarrhal, inflammatory disease of the mucous membrane of the urethra, caused by a germ, Gonococcus gonorrhccce, which was dis covered by Neisser. The disease is never caused by 'taking cold,' or a 'strain,' by mere unclean liness, or injury. The access to the urethra of mucus or pus containing the gonococcus occurs, in the vast majority of cases, during sexual inter course. From two to ten days after the sexual intercourse, a slight watery discharge appears at the mouth of the urethra, the lips of which become red and swollen. The discharge quick ly becomes abundant and white, later yellowish, possibly greenish or bloody. Itching follows, with burning pain, especially on urination, which becomes frequent. In the male, painful erections of the penis occur, principally at night, during which the organ is curved. This condition is called chordee. Without treatment, gonorrhma invariably becomes chronic and permanent. Dis ease of deeper parts often follows, and the blad der, prostate gland, seminal vesicles, and neigh boring lymphatics become infected. General in fection is frequently followed by tonorrhceal rheumatism,' which is an arthritis, or joint dis ease. with stiffness and pain, caused by the toxins which are formed by the disease germs. It is extremely difficult to treat the disease when it invades the prostate gland or the seminal vesicles. In a woman, the vagina, bladder, uterus, Fallo pian tubes, and ovaries may be attacked. If the vagina be infected, there may be swelling, heat, pain, and great scalding from the urine. In many cases, however, the patient may not know she has the disease till uterus and tubes are attacked, noticing only an increase of fluid escaping from the vulva, and thinking she has a simple ca tarrhal, instead of a specific discharge.
From three to five days after contracting the disease, most patients suffer from fever, head ache, slight nausea, possibly preceded by a chill. During this stage the patient should be
in bed, on low diet, and should take a cathartic, and drink large quantities of plain water. All treatment should he directed by a physician. In jections taken too early or in too concentrated a form may drive the infected mucus deeper. or weaken the resistive power of the urethra, or cause buboes. Injections of solutions of pro targol, mercurol, nitrate of silver, permanganate of potash. sulphate of zinc. etc., are used. Irri gations with bichloride of mercury are sometimes used. Internally, cubebs, copaiha. salol. oil of sandal, evstogen, sour palmetto, and many other drugs are used. All alcoholic beverages must be absolutely prohibited, and all sexual intercourse positively stopped, till two weeks after the pa tient is cured. The disease is not at an end when the discharge stops, unless the urine is per fectly clear, and the mucus from the prostate gland as well as the seminal fluid contain no gonococci discoverable by the microscope. Infec tion of a wife may occur when there is discharge from the disease, if the germs lurk in the seminal vesicles. Extreme care should be taken by one suffering with gonorrhma to catch the discharge in gauze, which should be burned. If the fingers be soiled with the discharge the eyes may become infected, and blindness may result. The testicles should be supported by a snug suspensory band age. Patent medicines should be shunned. If gonorrhma persist for a considerable time and the discharge become thin and scanty, the term tleet' is applied to it by some.
The Gonococcus, or Micrococcus, gonorrhcece is an extremely minute organism. It occurs usually in pairs, with flattened sides lying in apposition. For this reason it is often referred to as the Diplococcus gonorrhccce. It is not easily grown on the more common culture media, but grows readily on human blood-serum, with or without agar, at the temperature of the body. The mu cous membranes of the lower animals do not seem susceptible to gonorrhoeal infection, but the human urethra reacts promptly to inoculation with pure cultures. In the mucous membrane it sets up an exudative inflammation, and may be found either free in the exudate or inclosed in the cast-off epithelial cells. Its presence within the cell bodies, taken in connection with its oc currence in pairs, and its behavior when subjected to a special stain known as Gram's stain, make its identification usually possible. Quite fre quently the pus-producing organisms are associ ated with the gonococcus. It is believed that gonorrhoeal infection from the vagina of the mother during parturition is responsible for ophthalmia nconatorum, an intense form of con junctivitis, which often results. in blindness through the destruction of one or both eyes.