The Washington herald., 1912-12-08

instruction in medical matters Medical Society u
the District Of olunbia.l
Throughout the civilized world the So
cioI evil and its train OF consequences are
now, as before the subject of investiga-
tion. Within the last ten years three
great international congresses have been
held for their special discussion.
Throughout Europe ana the United States
societies are being organized with the eX-
press purpose of combating the social
plaques. Several State boards of health
have issued special bulletins on the We
nereal diseases. More than twenty cities
Of the United States have recently had
Investigations by vice commissions. Sew
eral cities have taken steps to wipe out
the segregated or red light district. Con-
gress has passed the Mann act against
the white slave traffic. The State of CAL
ifornia and the City of New York have
placed venereal diseases on the list OF
rSportable contagious diseases. Four
States require candidates for a license to
marry to declare freedom from a con-
tagious disease There are three maga-
zines published in the United States
which are devoted exclusively 10 sex hy-
giene problems. Several popular mag
azines are this year publishing articles
on sex hygiene.
Part of Campaign.
The enormous cost Of the social evil
. and OF the white slave traffic and the
terrible ravages of the social diseases re-
ceived a large share or attention during
the Fifteenth International Congress for
Hygiene and Demography, which met in
Washington in September. Two sections
gave a whole session each 10 the discus
sion of sex hygiene. More space was oc-
cupied by the exhibit of the American
Federation for Sex Hygiene than by any
other exhibit. For more than year the
VI 1T, aF hi rfF hnE
giving lectures to mothers and teachers
on sex hygiene. The Young Mems Chris
tian Association has just closed sue
cessful normal course for instructinG
parents how to teach their children the
essential truths relative TO sex phe-
nomena- Last spring the committee on
public instruction in medical matters OF
the Medical Society called a conference
Of physicians. ministers. lawyers. teach
ers. and laymen to discuss the advisa-
bility Of organizing a society for social
hygiene in the District OF Columbia This
conference appointed q committee 10 plan
for such an organization. and now this
committee has called a mass meeting OF
Interested persons for December IA.
In view Of the foregoing statements
relative to the general and IuCal interest
that is now being manifested in the prob
lens of sex hygiene. this seems an Oppor-
tune time to consider briefly the need for
Sex hygiene and the ans that are pro-
posed for its promotion.
W.. are to-day facing moral. social. and
economic problems growing out of the
social evil and the traditional prejudice
against discussing matters of sex. Our
asylums are filled with neurasthenics. in
sane blind, deEeneTaJes. and weakllngs
as result Of false teachings. ideas. and
conduct relative TO sexual phenomena.
These revelations of science have caused
alb mr.
eradicating the social diseases. One of
these is to make certain diseases re-
portable to boards Of nealth. Norway led
in this movement. Sweden and Denmark
soon followed. And as already suggest !
Cd. in the United States, California has |
set the example for her sister States and !
New York City for other cities There is
no more fUrcihle way Of beginning an I
educational campaign against thes.. dis
eases than 10 make them rep"rtahle- As I
soon as they are legally recognized they
become the subj"ct Of statistics. are talk
ed about, written about, read about. and
preached about. This has been the his
tory OF making tuberculosis a rePortahle
disease. Many physicians for yeas OBJ
jected some rebeIled. patients grumbled.
but the public became enlightened and
the fight against the white plague has
grown t. immense proportions. So It
should be with the social plaques.
Public Must Be Taught.
Before any great advance can be mads
in the control of the veuereal diseases the
public must be taught the nature of these
diseases the means of their dissemina-
ton the havoc they wreak upon society, !
their economic cost TO the nation. and
the public must be given suggestions for
individual right living and pubic sani- |
tation. Smallpox and yellow fever are
now almost unknown, so infreQuently do
cases occur. Malaria and typhoid fever |
are passing. the bubOnlC plague and |
cholera are being subject to control
through control Of their means Of dis |
semination. Public sanitation has been
able TO cope with these diseases. We
can give people water free from disease !
germs to drink. We can dispose of gar
bage and sewage to prevent the spread !
Of disease. We can vaCCinate against !
smallpox and typhoid fever. We can |
cover out ponds with oil to protect |
against the carriers or malaria and yell !
low fever. We can quarantine against !
contagious diseases like scarlet fever and
diphtheria.
But all these diseases have always been |
fit and proper to speak about 1t is diff !
ferent with the sex diseases. Matters OF |
sex have been considered unfit for polite |
conversation for ages. They concern the |
strongest of all appettes Were not this |
appetite very strong the race would soon |
die out. Perhaps more crimes are com |
mitted because OF the sex appetite, which |
is essential to the preservation OF the |
race. than because of that Of hunger. |
which is essential for the preservation |
Of the individual. In our efforts to Grad |
icate social diseases by legislation against !
prostitution. by building hospitals for |
care of those afflicted with disease by |
making these diseases reportable. we are |
aiming cur efforts against an effect, in |
stead of getting at the real cause.
Within the last quarter century science |