a—The tumor.
After a certain time, varying in proportion to the virulence of the disease, the poison is conveyed by the numerous absorbents (which run from the penis) to the glands in the groin, one or more of which become inflamed and enlarged, producing that well-known swelling, already alluded to, called bubo. Ulcers, too, are sometimes situated within the urethra, as is seen in the annexed cut.
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OF BUBOES.
Surgeons apply the word bubo to inflamed glands from syphilis, wherever they happen to be. The body abounds with absorbents, which are small delicate vessels that form a net-work over the entire surface, and exist also in every structure. Their purpose is to convey the nutriment to the circulation. They form stations, as it were, or points of assemblage; and these are generally situated in the angles of the body—the groin, the armpits, hams, neck, &c.—parts most protected from injury. When skin inflammation is present, to familiarize the meaning, the nearest glands sympathize and swell; as, for, instance, who has escaped a swelling, at one time or other of his life, in the neck, throat, or armpits? When a sore prevails on the penis, or a gonorrhœa exists, there most frequently ensues an enlargement of the glands of the groin. The result of that enlargement depends upon the nature of the inflammation. In gonorrhœa it is merely temporary, not being sufficient to provoke suppuration, or the formation and discharge of matter, or very rarely so; but in the case of venereal ulcers, where the inflammation is so conveyed, the escape from such consequences is as seldom.
The mode which nature adopts to transfer the poison is as inexplicable in its operation as the production of a swelled testicle. Buboes (herein meant), then, are—or I should say a bubo is—a specific inflammation of the glands of the groin. It usually occurs on the same side of the body as the ulcer is situated; but when the ulcer is seated on or under the frænum, there seems to be no fixed rule which side shall have the honor. Another peculiarity is, that they more readily spring up from ulcers on the prepuce than on the glans, and are more attributable to ulcers than merely inflamed surfaces. They do occur sometimes without either being apparent. To facilitate the clear understanding of what we are talking about, a drawing is presented of the inguinal glands, and the absorbents leading to and from it, which conveys but an imperfect idea of the number of the absorbents; but it serves to show the nature of them, and their mode of communication.
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