CLINICAL AND ROENTGENOLOGIC STUDY OF ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE CASES OF SYPHILIS WITH REFERENCE TO THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

Abstract

This paper concerns itself with the clinical and roentgenologic study of 105 patients known to be syphilitic, with particular reference to the presence of cardiovascular disease. The association of central nervous involvement with aortic disease and the specific treatment of aortic syphilis were considered to be not without interest. The roentgenologic evidence of aortic syphilis in particular is treated in an additional section by Dr. Pfahler. The study of cardiovascular disease in syphilis received its impetus particularly by the recognition of a characteristic and frequent aortic involvement. Although the earliest systematic description of aortic syphilis is ascribed to Doehle, 1 and Heller, 2 their efforts were anticipated by Francis H. Welch 3 who, in November, 1875, read a paper on 117 cases of aortitis, in 46 per cent, of which there was a clear record of syphilis. He also reported a series of fifty-six cases of fatal syphilis, of which thirty-four presented aortic