Weekly journal-miner., 1918-02-20


 Arizona arc given the completest pos siblc protection from venereal diseas- cs, in regulations adopted by the State board of health to take effect March 1.
 The entire program of the war de- partment has been adopted, and adc- quate provision made to put it in force. By this step Arizona takes a place among the foremost States of the Union, in providing the safe- guards against disease which the war department considers important.
 Prastitution, which municipalities were legally allowed to protect under the State law, is henceforth outlawed. After March 1 any person harboring a prostitute will run afoul of the State board of health, which has full power to make any regulations il considers necessary to prevent infec- tious diseases.
 Houses of ill-fame, in the opinion of the board of health, tend to spread disease. Not only IS it made unlawful tc operate them, but any official re- fusing to suppress them may also be punished by the board.
 The measures requested by the war department and United States Public Health service were adopted yestcr- day at meeting of the board Of health attended by Governor Hunt, Attorney General Jones, Superinten- dent or Public Health Sweck, and Lieutenant Paul Popcnoe, of the sur geon generals staff, who was sent here from Washington to confer with the State authorities.
 Lieutenant Popcnoe stated that SO long as prostitution was legally pro tected in any part of Arizona, it would Dc impossible for the army effectively 10 protect itself from disease. By the draft act, houses of ill-famc are pro hibitcd within five miles of any mili- tary camp, and under this law or in cooperation with local authorities, Lieutenant Popcnoe closed the red light districts of Bisbcc, Fort Hua- chuca, Ray, Winkleman, Kelvin, Ajo, Globe and Yuma, in December.
 There are still segregated districts in many mining camps, however, and are a constant source of disease, in the belief of the war department. The board of health therefore unhcsitat- I.~,In1 t, tis. hos nt the army, and prohibit the existence of all such districts.
 The largest rcd-light districts left in the State arc said to be at Jerome and Superior. The superintendent ot public health wrote to both of these cities last night. warning them tol close at once.
 In addition.to prohibiting houses ot prostitution and forbidding physicians 10 issue medical certificates to prosti- tutcs, the regulations adopted by the board of health contained drastic pro- visions which are expected to be of great value to the civil population as we'll as to the army.
 Everyone knowing of a case of vc' ncrcal disease is obliged to report 1t to some health officer. Physicians may report cases under their own numbers, insuring com plctc secrecy for their patients, which secrecy will be observed if the patient continues treatment until cured, or at least rendered non-infcctiods. In case a patient stops treatment too soon. his name will be sent to the State board, which will at once call on the police power of the State to bring him to time. |
 All persons arrested on charges ot vagrancy or disordcriyi conduc; are required 10 undergo a i medical examination, and if found to he diseased will be treated until they are no longer infectious. This pro vision, according to Lieutenant Po- pence, is one to which the war de- 1! partmcnt attaches great importance.
 Any diseased person who cannot afford treatment from private phy- sician will be treated free of charge | by county or city health officer.
 Physicians arc cnjoined to find out, whenever possible, where their pa ticuts contracted disease, so that the source of infection may be traced and 
 Physicians are likewise instructed to give their patients information as 10 how to avoid spreading disease. the State board of health will aid in this educational campaign by distri- outing pamphlets prepared by the Council of National Defense for this purpose.
 Any person who prcscribcs for vc- ncrcal disease, or any druggist who sells a patent medicine for this pur- bose, except on a physicians pre- scription. renders himself liable to line or Imprisonment. This rcgula- ton Is expected by the war depart rcut 10 be of great value 10 the army, r preventing soldiers from indulging ir scli-mcdication, whose conscqucnc cs are frequently very injurious.
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