Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-04-23
Education in Sex Hygiene.

| Recognition Oh tHeIr AeSpoASADiiie'
has resulted in marked awakening
of physicians TO their obligations az
! leaders and teachers in the science o.
keeping well. The essence of proven
tive medicine is education, and physl-
clans, by virtue Of their training, ex-
perience and ideals, ought to be leaders
and teachers. Yet until within a rev
years their responsibilities were MOI
| recognized in the prevention OF ven
ereal disease and education In the
hygiene of sex.
The earlier policy of silence and re-
preston in regard to these matters Is
fast changing not only on our par'
but on the part of parents and ed
ucators. The sinister menace Of VEN
ereal disease can hardly be overesi-
mated. In the United states IIu,ouu
males reach early maturity annually
At least so per cent, or 100000 or THESE
young men, will at some time become
infected with venereal disease, ~ per
cent before the age Of %, 50 per cen'
before IS, and over so per cent before
they pass so. This is the moroldlty
among males reaching Is in any one
year Each succeeding year. ADDS a
similar group to the aggregate.
Syphilis and gonorrhea undoubtedly
surpass in prevalence all other lnfec-
tious diseases combined, and their i'm
mediate and disabling effects fan most
heavily on the most active and produc-
tive period of life. Gonococcus infec-
ton alone is responsible for so per cent
of all deaths from inflammatory dis
eases peculiar to women. 10 per cent
of all special operations on women, and
over 60 per cent of all the work done
by gynecologists; so per cent or more
of these infected women are left ir-
remediably sterile beside the number
whose offspring are still-born, prem
ature. weakly, diseased or mentally de-
fective.
Considering the terrible ravages OF
these diseases and their wide prev
alence. our efforts at preventive meas
ures have been woefully inadequate
saps the journal of the American Medl-
cal Association. The community ana
state assume immense burdens in the
care of victims of such conditions as
deaf-mutism, mental Effectiveness,
general paralysis, blindness and many
others Yet the prevention of large
percentage of these conditions by pre-
vention of syphilis and gonorrhea re-
ceives but meager attention. IL pu-
bonic plague had but fractional per-
centage of the incidence OF these dis
eases all hands would be Joined to
drive it out. Cholera in a civilized
country today is no such social and ma
tional menace as venereal disease. We
aupropriate great sums to fight certain
endemic diseases and to maintain
rigid quarantine against them, but We
arc only now beginning to wage war
fare against diseases which are. as
dangerous az any epidemic disease ana
far more dangerous than many.
There are various points Of attack IN
this problem and various closely re-
lated problems. But there is one point
of attack in combating the spread OF
yenereal disease which is justly re-
sard@d by many experienced workers
as the most vital and strategic. and
this is the education of the young.
There has been an upheaval in peda-
gogic and socia! sentiment in the last
few years regarding the question OF
teaching in home. school and col
lege. Conventional prejudice against
such teaching Is, giving way rapidly
and results are already beginning to
appear koucAtoFs d1e Soniihe W
lieve that these subjects have a RAJ
tional and vital place in the educa-
tional system.
Moving Pictures and Health.
The popularity Of the moving-plcture
theater as form of cheap entertain
ment for the masses has directed at
ten,ion to several of Its undesira Die
features. In Chicago it is said that
1000 persons, considerable portion
of whom are children, attend these
,heaters daily. Most of the sheater