Answer.—Not before the physician, after a most careful and repeated examination by all known methods and tests, can positively establish that there are no more Gonococci present in the patient. All other symptoms do not bear on the contagiousness of the case, and contraindicate marriage only if they affect the general condition of the man.
Question 12.—What is the difference between soft and hard chancres?
Answer.—Soft and hard chancres are produced by different kinds of germs, and are entirely different diseases.
Soft Chancre or Chancroid always remains a local disease, and leads only to one complication—to abscess of the glands in the groin, a Chancroidal bubo.
Hard Chancre is a primary syphilitic sore and always penetrates into the blood, becoming a constitutional disease. Syphilitic buboes are hard and never produce an abscess.
Question 13.—Can Syphilis be cured perfectly?
Answer.—Undoubtedly so, tho to be sure of it, a long time of observation after treatment is concluded and thoro testing are necessary.
Question 14.—How long does the contagious period of Syphilis last?
Answer.—The most contagious period of Syphilis is the secondary period, when a syphilitic has the most active lesions—mucous patches in the mouth or around the genital organs.
The tumors—gummata of the tertiary period—are considerably less contagious.