Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-01-07


the financial burden Of enforcing law
made solely for the public good. Physi-
clans are required to furnish certifi-
Gates and II such certificates are mac
curate. the physician's professional
standing is forfeited. It is highly de-
sirable that unfit persons or persons
with communicable diseases should be
,lebarred from marriage. Such laws
are for the public good and the state
should provide for their enforcement
at the expense Of the entire public and
not at the expense of a small portion OF
1t. II the state, for the benefit Of So
ciety and future generations, sees At to
require an expensive examination as a
condition for marriage, then the state
should provide the means and the men
by which such an examination shall be
made.
sssrsaatins vsnsrsai 0issass.
The propaganda for the suppression
Of venereal disease has probably de-
parted further from the rules Of practi-
cal experience, and hesitated more t.
adopt or advocate measures which have
demonstrated their usefulness in allied
directions. than has the agitation for
the control OF any other chronic in.
fectious disorder OF man. In IL becom-
Ing increasingly more obvious that
campaigns OF public education. import
ant and directive ~ they have been
proved to be in all movements for the
general welfare. can not Of themselves
stamp out q disease that rivals tuber-
culosis as cause Of incapacity, sick
ness and misery. Now that the causes
and mode OF transmission Of syphilis
are known and recent discoveries have
afforded such satisfactory aids to ac-
curate diagnosis. 1t is time to give
greater latitude to the recommends
tons OF medical science; for 1t Is be-
coming more and more evident that the
problems can be solved only by the
joint efforts Of the publicist. the states
man and the physician. A remarkable
piece OF work has been done recently in
the state Of Victoria, Australia, and
particularly at Melbourne. The first
step was to obtain f1rst-hand evidence
Of the actual distribution Of venereal
diseases. For twelve months syphilis
was made a compulsory notifable dis
ease in an area of ten miles radius
from the general postofrice in Mel
bourne. This plan was admittedly i'm
perfect, despite the fact that no names
were given, and that Wassermann tests
We're conducted without charge At the
end OF the year. out Of 5000 cases re-.
ported and tested. s.167 proved tc be
syphilitic. At the Victorian Eye and
Ear Hospital. 1873 per cent out of $50
patients examined. irrespective Of the
disease or condition which had caused
them to visit the institution. were
syphilitic. Such data furnished con-
vincing evidence of the magnitude Of
the problem.
AS the outcome Of these findings II
was decided by a conference Of the va
rious interested committees Of the laity
and the medical profession not to ad-
vocate any contagious disease act TO
remedy the situation. but to attack It
In another manner. Wards were equip
ped by the government in at least two
hospitals in Melbourne for the treat.
ment Of persons suffering from vener.
cal disease in contagious forms, the OBJ
1ect being to prevent further Infection.
The Australian government arranged
with the University Of Melbourne for
the free application Of the Wassermann
test to 1000 hospital patients q year,
and TO all others at a very low fee.
Lastly. 1t is proposed to Introduce a
modification OF an act already in force
in New South Wales to provide that any
person sentenced to a term OF In, :
prisonment for any cause. II found to
be suffering from contagious venereal
disease. can be detained until his re I.
lease is free from risk to other per-
SONk