明代梅毒学家陈司成及其学术贡献

THE MING SYPHILOLOGIST CHEN SICHENG AND HIS ACADEMIC CONTRIBUTIONS

本文首先认为陈司成约出生于公元1551年左右,他所著的《霉疮秘录》出版时,已年过八十。接着指出其主要学术贡献为:正确地指出了梅毒的传染途径和影响因素;相当准确地描述了各期各类梅毒的症状特点;阐述治疗原则并重视预防;特别是创用减毒砷剂疗法,救治了大量患者。最后分析陈氏学术思想,并指出在本世纪初埃利希氏发明有机砷剂的260余年前,陈氏就创用无机砷剂治疗梅毒,且有系统理论;他不但是中国杰出的梅毒学家,而且是世界上梅毒学的先驱。

This paper deems that Chen Sicheng was probably born in 1551 and hewas over eighty when his masterpiece Mei Chuang Mi Lu(Secret Recipeson Syphilis)was published.It points out that Chen's main academic con-tributions consist of the correct indication of the ways and factors of theinfection of syphilis,the accurate description of the symptom characteristicsof different kinds of syphilis in different periods,the exposition of theprinciples of its treatment,the attention attached to its prevention andespecially his success in the creative use of a poison-reduced arsenic agentin his treatment to cure a large number of patients.It analyses his acade-mic ideas and calls attention to the fact that he had made use of an in-organic arsenic agent to cure syphilis and had a systematic theory of hisown more than 260 years before Mr.Ehrlich prepared an organic arsenicagent at the beginning of this century.Chen is not only a distinguishedsyphililologist in China but also a pioneer of syphilology in the world.