This disease has been known since the 15th century but it was not until early in the twentieth century that the causative organism was discovered by scheridein and Hoffman in 1905. It is a long thin thread wound in the form of a spiral and it is actively mobile. It is called the Treponema Pallidium or the spirochaete of syphilis. Syphilis tends to be more common in men than in women but it can affect both. It is a most unpleasant disease and in its early stages it is inconspicuous and insidious and therefore often difficult to diagnose. It is highly infectious venereally and has a short incubation period-the usual is fourteen to twenty-eight days but may have a range of nine to ninety days. The disease is diagnose by a serological blood tests but in the past, test available (Wassermann and khan) have given rise to difficulties as both syphilis and yaws can give a positive result. Recently alternative and more reliable tests have been discovered.
Syphilis is infectious in its early stages but not in what is called the late stages. Early syphilis comprises the primary, secondary and early latent stages. Because of effective treatment late syphilis is declining but the disease has increased over the past twenty years. Much of the increase in early syphilis is found in male homosexuals between the ages of 20 and 24 years. The ultimate result of these diseases if untreated are insanity, blindness and organic heart disease and it is when evidence of these conditions is seen that the “term Late” syphilis is appropriate. If a pregnant woman has syphilis the foetus may die or be too badly diseased when born to survive long. If the baby does survive birth, disease can become evident later affecting the ears by deafness or the eyes by defective vision. In the past syphilis has been one of the main causes of blindness. It is for this reason that serological tests are made on all pregnant women as routine. Adequate treatment can be given which makes it possible for a diseased mother to have a healthy child. The advent of the pills has possibly increased the incidence of venereal disease among young people by removing some of the fears of pregnancy resulting from premarital sexual relationships.
GONORRHOEA
This disease is very old, so old that it is difficult to trace its origin. It was known in Biblical times and is mentioned in connection with the early crusaders. The organism which causes it was first discovered and described in 1879 by Albert Neisse. It is called the Gonococcus and appears under magnification as a bean shaped organism which grows in pairs. Fifty percent of female patients with gonorrhea are relatively asymptomatic. These cases are brought to the clinic by social workers as contacts of known male cases. All patients with gonorrhea can be cured gonorrhea is much common than syphilis. It is equally unpleasant and is confirmed by taking wet swab of the discharge and culturing the organism. It has a short incubation period-the usual is 3-10 days but from 24hours to 21 days is possible and early treatment with modern drugs is successful.
Unfortunately many young girls who get infected live promiscuously and so become reinfected and the remedy therefore is rather more sociological than medical. This disease affects both sexes by causing acute inflammation of the lining of the reproductive tract with a subsequent pussy discharge. This is more easily noticed in men but either sex can recognize when something is wrong-inflammation is painful and discharge evident. In addition to this toxins produced by the inflammation may affect delicate body tissue for example the lining of the heart-endocardium, causing endocarditis and the lining of the joints-synovia (arthritis) causing synovitis in the eye, in the iris causing iritis, the urogenetal tract in the male causing prostatitis and epididymitis and of the female causing salpingitis. An infected mother may be responsible for an infant developing an acute inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eye which get infected during the passage of the baby along birth cannal.
It is regrettable that like syphilis the incidence of gonorrhea has risen steady recently and the rising numbers of young people requiring treatment gives cause for concern. Females tend to be less inclined to seek treatment because early symptoms of gonorrhea in the female are less unpleasant than in the male. Non gonoccocal urethritis in male has been reported in a separate category and seems to have shown a steady increase. Women who contact these diseases from male contacts are regarded as being on the move. All patients with gonorrhea can be cured.
Healing words
“Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men sins. Keep thyself pure.” 1 Tim. 5:22.
Our God is Holy. He commands us to be Holy because He is Holy. Those who identify with God are expected to live a chaste and holy life. The benefit of this is that when we do this we shall be free from the diseases which afflict the impure, defiled and unholy. The salvation package includes salvation for our souls and healing for our bodies. So receive it and it will do you good.
