Arizona republican., 1918-01-13
IF ALL VENEREA[
 DISEASES BECOMEsL LAW STATE
Condition of Popuace Ascerained from Men Drafted
 into Army Alarms Federal Government; Regulars in Army Service Show Only Half Many Cases of Nenereal Disease as Do Men Just from Civilian Life
c might have against

that the public might have against this measure.
 w. o. SWEEK, State Superintendent of Public Health.
 Statistics submitted by the United States public health service in regard to. the prevalence of <enereal diseases in the country and which long have been in possession of the medical frat ernity but not appreciated by the gen. eral public, are astonishing and alarm ing.
 With the entry of the United States into the war and the raising of man. moth army, this question has been brought forward with a determination to disregard false mucesty and arouse the people to a sense of proper realiza- ton of the extent of these diseases and to a concerted campaign to control and reduce their prevalence.
 With the assembling of so many thousands of men in cantonments throughout the country at the present time an unusual opportunity has been given for the securing of data concern ing the extent of venereal diseases, and much information or great value has been secured which will enable the federal authorities to go far in their campaign to control them. Also some hitherto well regarded theories have been proven untrue.
 For instance, it has been stated. apparently on good information, that venereal diseases were more prevalent in the army than without. Figures se- cured recently show that more of those diseases have been brought into the army than originated there. However that does not lessen the fact of ah astonishing prevalence of Yenereal dis eases in the army.
 Statistics from 31 contonments show that in the regular army there were from September 21 to December of last year, SS cases of venereaI diseases to the 1000. Of other communicable dis cases, 13.4 to the 1000. In the nation al guard, venereal diseases, 115.2 to the 1000; other diseases, 39.S to 1000. In the national army, recruited, ~venereal diseases, 1924 to the 1000; other dis eases, 23.S to the 1000. In all armies 121.9 to the 1000 of venereal diseases and 25.7 to the 1000 of other diseases During the twelve weeks ending De cember T. 1917, at the 31 contonments there were developed 21,742 new cases of these diseases, each requiring iron one to eight weeks in the hospital anC | costing the government more money | than it was required to maintain the whole cantonment at Camp Dix during l the same period.
 It is stated that the treatment o l Venereal diseases in the new army i! ! costing one fifteenth of the entire ex. pense of the army. It also is stated | that hundreds of these cases, afte having been treated here, will relapse 1 possibly when the army is in France and that it will cost the governmen l s1,500 to care for each case.
 As d proof that more of these dis eases are brought into the army tha originate therein, figures are exhibited by the United States health servic, | showing that on September 2S, of mel just arrived at the cantonment, ther were 194 cases to the 1000. On Sep l tember 2S, one week later there wer BPS cases to the 1000. After a tim these were reduced to 69 to the 1,OOO
 Now, as to the plan of this cam paign to control these venereal dis eases" said Dr. Sweek yesterday 1 first, is wide publicity, publicity tha reaches everywhere, in homes, schools | institutions, clubs, everywhere so tha false modesty will not be our stronges opponent in this fight.
 Efficient health officers must b provided, and the people should ge busy as they never got before; ther must be no politics. Every case o venerea1 disease must be searched out | preferably by the person himself. am
 there will be free treatment for al who cannot afford to pay.
 Strict account must be kept. of ev cry case. which will be known b