The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1918-12-11
DOC ! Or REPDR
|; ! I ! DISEASES

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Board Of !; Health Passes New
..5 1 > :. s. j, [ A Rule. b II.
The draft showed with unescapable
figures the appalling prevalence 81 the
EElYenereal diseases, syphilis and gon-
5orrhea, throughout the United States
When Minnesota, In cooperation with
the federal authorities, undertook "a
crusade against these diseases, 1t was
at once obvious that change in the
medical attitude was essential. ~
~. Reporting Gases. q, NH
+, These diseases are highly infectious,
or, as we, say, they are catching"
We have never known how many
cases we have had in any. community
because up to the present time their
existence has been kept profession
al secret by each individual doctor
1t is impossible to fight any scourge
without knowledge of it's prevalence.
Plainly the old idea of secret dis
eases" would have to be abolished.
But the State Board Of Health had no
intention of disturbing the confidential
relations between physician and pa
tlent. Therefore, regulation was
adopted, which, while it makes it com,
pulsory for every physician to report
all cases coming to his attention, pro-
vides at the same time that the name
OF the patient need not be revealed,
so long as proper care is exercised in
protecting others from infection, and
treatment is continued.
For the protection of others, how
ever, the name Is required the mo-
ment the patient exposes anyone else
or d1scOntinues treatment. Every re-
port is invariably regarded by the
Board of Health as strictly confiden-
tial. In this way it is possible to get
at the number of cases and their loca-
ton, while the Individual who respects
the rights of others has absolutely no
reason to fear that his misfortune
will become known any more than It
has in the past.
Free Treatment.
Before the Board of Health under
took this work, many cases of both
syphilis and gonorrhea have gone un-
treated because they were not recog-
nized, or because the individual was
unable to. pay the cost of either the
laboratory tests or of the long con-
tinued treatment often required before
complete cure was obtained. Today
no resident of Minnesota need allow
the expense involved to prevent his
determining whether or not he has a
venereal disease. The State will make
blood tests and microscopic examina.
lions for him, free of cost. Nor need
he hesitate because of the cost of med
tcine and Of repeated treatments. The
special drug required for the treat.
ment of syphilis is provided entirely
free to all who are unable to pay.
Hospitals and Oispensaries.
In the larger cities free beds in the
hospitals for those who are too ill to
be about, are now being provided as
! rapidly as possible. Most cases, how
ever, may safely remain at work while
undergoing treatment For these there
have been opened free dispensaries
with evening hours in Minneapolis,
st. Paul and Duluth, for both men and
| women. These clinics are under the
direction of trained specialists.
Quacks and Fake Drugs.
The old methods of the past induced
hundreds of unfortunate victims of
these diseases to seek relief through
advertising quacks, or by, means OF
patent remedies which We're often rec.
commended by ignorant druggists as
''sure cures" Too late the sufferer
awakened to the 'fact that he had
thrown away not only his money but
his chance Of recovery as well. To
protect such unfortunates from what
is in reality a cruel exploitation of
their ignorance, law against adver.
Using quacks is being drastically en-.
forced, and no druggist today is per.
mitted to sell any remedy which claims
to cure either of these diseases.
| Spurious Health Certificates.
Frequently even diseased women
are able to procure so-called health
certificates" which purport to guar.
antee freedom from venereal Infection
These certificates are utterly worth.
less. No reputable physician, would
ever give a woman such a card, not
only for moral reasons, but because
every physician knows the impossible
ity of guaranteeing any immunity from
infection for even a few hours. They
are, moreover, exceedingly dangerous
since they give to such woman's
patrons an utterly false sense of So
curity.
! The lncorrlqibIes.
There are in almost every communi
IT, certain individuals who in spite OF
every appeal persist in endangertne
the well-being of others These must
be prevented, by force If necessary
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