SYPHILIS (a) Infective Agent.—Treponenza pallidum.
(b) Source of Infection.—Individuals in the primary and secondary stages of syphilis.
(c) Route of Transmission.—By direct personal contact, usually venereal, with infected persons, and indirectly by con tact with discharges from the lesions, or objects freshly con taminated therewith. Intra-uterine infection of the fetus also occurs, but is of relatively minor importance.
(d) Exit of Infective Agents from Body.—In purulent or serous discharges from lesions on the skin and mucous membranes.
(e) Incubation Period.—Usually about three weeks.
(f) Period of Communicability.—As long as the lesions are open upon the skin or mucous membranes and until the body is free from the infecting organisms as shown by microscopic examinations of material from lesions.
(g) Entrance of Infective Agent into the Body.—Through minute abrasions in the skin or mucous membranes.
(h) Methods of Infected Individual.—I. Di agnosis: By clinical symptoms confirmed by the microscopic examination of the discharges (dark field) and by serum re actions (Wassermann).
41 2. Isolation: Exclusion from sexual contact and from the preparation or serving of food during the early and active period of the disease, otherwise none unless the patient is unwilling or incapable of observing these precautions.
3. Artificial Immunization: None.
4. Quarantine: None.
5. Concurrent disinfection: Of all infectious discharges and of articles soiled therewith.
6. Terminal Disinfection: None.
General Measures.—r. Education of the laity in matters of sexual hygiene, particularly to the fact that continence in both sexes and at all ages is compatible with health and physical development.
2. Provisions for the accurate and early diagnosis and treat ment of venereal patients, in hospitals and dispensaries, with consideration for privacy of the records, and further provision for following patients until they are cured.
3. Repression of prostitution by the use of police power, and control of the use of living premises.
4. Restriction of the sale of alcoholic beverages.
5. Restriction of quack advertisements of services or medicines for the treatment of sex diseases.
6. Abandonment of the use of common towels, cups, toilet articles and eating utensils.
7. Exclusion of persons in the communicable stages of the disease from participation in the preparation and serving of food consumed by others.
8. Personal prophylaxis should be advised to those who ex pose themselves to the opportunity for infection.