SYPHILITIC IRITIS WITH CONDYLOMAS

The three cases here presented are of such a nature that many authors would regard them as gumma of the iris; but as all of these lesions were seen during the secondary stage of syphilis, it would seem that they should be more properly diagnosed and classified as papules or condylomas of the iris. Papular iritis is often called iritis gummosa. This is because papules of the iris were always regarded anatomically as gummas, and it is often impossible to differentiate between these syphilitic formations even with the microscope. I believe that in the very virulent or malignant form of syphilis, it is possible to have true gumma of the iris during the secondary stage. It would seem that it is more a matter of size and the period of its appearance that makes one lesion a papule and the other a gumma. It is my opinion that gummas are