“Note.—It is believed that not far from ten per cent. of the inmates of Bellevue Hospital are admitted for affections which have their origin remotely in venereal disease. A certain form of rheumatism, certain inflammations of the throat, eyes, bones, and joints; stricture and cutaneous eruptions are the most common diseases of this class. What proportion, if any, of those who suffer from scrofula and scrofulous inflammations, from consumption and other chronic diseases, owe their present illness to a constitutional syphilitic vice, inherited or acquired, there are no means of determining satisfactorily.”
Medical Board, Bellevue Hospital, New York:
| JOHN W. FRANCIS, M.D., President. | ||
| Isaac Wood, M.D. John T. Metcalfe, M.D. Alonzo Clark, M.D. Benjamin W. M‘Cready, M.D. Isaac B. Taylor, M.D. George T. Elliott, M.D. B. Fordyce Barker, M.D. Valentine Mott, M.D. | Alexander H. Stevens, M.D. James R. Wood, M.D. Willard Parker, M.D. Charles D. Smith, M.D. Lewis A. Sayre, M.D. John J. Crane, M.D. John A. Lidell, M.D. Stephen Smith, M.D. | |
(Copy.)
“Report of Doctor H. N. Whittelsey, Resident Physician of Randall’s Island, in answer to certain queries of Isaac Townsend, Esq., Governor of the Alms-house, upon Constitutional Syphilis:
“New York, November 28, 1855.
“Dear Sir,—From repeated conversations with you, I am led to believe that many diseases incidental to the children on Randall’s Island may properly be traced to parents who are affected with constitutional syphilis. Please give me your views as to the following questions as early as 10th December.
“1. Among the children under your care, to what extent does inherited syphilis exist?
“2. Under what form does constitutional syphilis present itself, and what diseases are attributable to its taint?