tertiary syphilis

noun

Pathology.

1. the third stage of syphilis, characterized by involvement of the internal organs, especially the brain, spinal cord, heart, and liver.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tertiary syphilis¹

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

"She became infected with a virulent strain of identity politics. By the end, like tertiary syphilis, it drove her insane," Carlson said.

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Manet’s last years were wracked with pain as he suffered the debilitating effects of the tertiary syphilis he certainly knew would kill him.

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"The symptoms of tertiary syphilis, which will occur many years after acquiring infection, can be dangerous enough to cause death."

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By the time Nietzsche lost his wits, tertiary syphilis had undergone a transmutation, infecting the brain and causing paralysis alongside mental disintegration.

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Paul Kildea's book has caused titivation by suggesting that the composer's death was hastened by tertiary syphilis, a theory roundly denounced by medical experts and those surviving doctors who were there.

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