The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-02-10
THE DANGER OF 1T.
Few Realize the Menace That Exists in
DisOrlerly Houses Here.


Much comment has been made on the
articles recently appearing in The TRGB-
UNE on certain phases OF immortality ex-
istirg in this city. 'fhe doctors seem to
have taken a special interest in them,
az they are better informed han any
other class of citizens on the extent Of
the evil and some of the terrible conse-
q%uences which it evolves.
One of the leading physicians of the
city, whose name will be given at the
proper time, talked at length on the
question to a TRIBUNE reporter, the
salient points of his remarks being as
follows:
81 am glad The TRIBUNE has started
a discussion of this important subject.
because it is positively dangerous for
any community to become indifferent
and unmindful of the terrible menace
that turks in the slums. If a case Of
small poX, or scarlet fever breaks out
there il immediate panic, and everybody
sets to work to stamp out the pest. But
a far worse contaglOn Is spread IL al
most every community from the resorts
of vice aud nothing is done 70 prevent II.
1T must be confessed that the ground
token by The TRIBUNE in favor u the
entire suppression Of gambling dens and
brothels is in the line Of sound munic-
ipal reform and in strict accord witt
Christian teaching and biblical iniunc-
ton: but men Of experience in the med
zeal profession find it difficult to believe
that the social evil can be er1dicateu.
My W opinion is that a system to reg
I ,,latn ~ iG 81 prn fauctlla md v.a,1iI mat
with more practical results. | gran
you that 1t is a beautiful ideal that was
drawn IN al article the other morning
Of the virgin town growing up entirely
free from tins curse: but | fear that the
moral turpitude Of Il large class and the
utter indifference Of 4 still larger one
would make the realization Of such 4
dream impossible. no matter how zeal
Gus a few rtfcrmers might be IN tie
work OF eXtirpatiOn.'
Asked as to what be meant by regu-
lating the social evil, the doctor salu.
"Grautei that the suppression OF
brothcls is impossible, the question
arises as 10 how their existence may be
made to produce the least harm. They
are d tremendous evil. and from theu
evil must result, but while they are here
| think these results ought u be re-
duced to ID minimum. | n"ithe: admit
nor deny any argument as 10 the n-ces-
sity Of such places. but | viii state T.
, few facts with which the public ought
TO be conversant. There are diseases
contracted in these places far more
loathsDme aud incurable than any others
known to medical science. They are
often communicated to perfectly inEO.
cent persons by those WHO
q. have contracted them IL resorts Of VICE
( and are also transmitted TO the offspring
!, Of such persons. To this cause alone
r may be traced A large percentage OF the
. scrofula. depravlty and imbeci!ity, to-
gethcr with other defects, physical! anu
| moral. found among the hun4au race.
and the insane asylums. poor houses and
hospitals all over the world are filed
- with the victims. When these diseases
were first communicated by white met
: to the Indian tribes these people died Oft
. 10y thousands. and almost whole tribes
t persisted.
: The lesson of all this Is that thes4
: places are a Kind of pest house ard re
luire medical inspection ard supervision
10 protect the community from their i'll
f mates and their patrons, Terrible as it
may seem. there are very feN Of thesa
! houses in Great Falls that have a bath
: room. aud thu wan Of ordinary c.e4ua
. ness in most of them Is positively shock.
/. ing. But they receive liberal patronage
, many of their customers being married
men. The system Of police blackmai.
now IN ruGue mere is very demOraliling
as it places the community in Il far
t worse position respecting the Il.
famed resorts, than If they We're
regularly licensed and placed under tn