The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1918-03-29
HOGS PROTECTED,
PEOPLE NEGLECTED
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS SPENT
ANNUALLY IN EFFORT TO
CHECK HOG CHOLERA.
VENEREAL DISEASE UNN0TICED
Recent Investigations Disclose Need Of
Drastic Action to Stamp Out
"Third Great Plague"

pended thousands OF dollars to elimi
nate hog cholera and when 1t has
been necessary to kill infected hogs
in order to stop the disease the state
has reimbursed the owner OF the hog
a certain percentage OF his loss. This
money comes from the state treas
ury and Is ultimately apportioned a.
mong every taxpayer in Michigan.
No one has ever complained over
this practise. In fact the activities
of the state along this line have re-
ceived the active cooperation and
support not only OF the farmers, but
OF the city folks as we'll who have
recognized the campaign against hog
cholera as necessary for the perpetu-
alton OF the nations food supply.
Eliminate venereai Diseases.
Now, however, the state of Michi
gan, through its board of health. is
engaged In another campaign which
has for its ultimate goal the elimina.
ton OF veneral diseases. The farmer
knows only too well how quickly one
tubercular cow will infect an entire
herd. He has also learned to his sor-
row that one case OF hog cholera may
wipe out an enSire drove.
Medical men know only too well
that a person afflicted with venereal
disease may spread the infection
among an entire community. Recog.
nizing that these diseases are not in
durable, IL taken in time, ehe War
Preparedness Board has appropriated
funds for the state board OF health to
begin its campaign against the Third
Great Plague.
The War Preparedness Board Is
composed OF Governor Albert E. Slice.
per, Secretary OF state Coleman c..
Vaughan. Auditor General o. B. Full
Ter. State Treasurer Samuel Odell and
Attorney General Alex j. Groesbeck.
Each of these state officers is heart.
lily in sympathy with the crusade
against veneral diseases, and when
the proposed plan was outlined by DR..
Richard NJ DIN. secretary OF the
state board OF health. the War Prepar-
edness Board unanimously voted the
necessary money.
Draft Discloses Need Of Action.
The initial steps were taken short
ly after the discovery was made that
out OF the first quota OF men sent to
Camp Custer from various Michigan
points. more than 400 were suffering
from venereal disease. These boys did
not get the disease at camp. They
s,1po al
them into the federal service.
Physicians Must Report.
Heretofore physicians had not been
required to report yenereal diseases
coming 10 their attention. The state
board OF health declared gonorrhea
and syphilis to be dangerous com.
municablc diseases. and every physi.
clan is required 10 report each case
Immediately 10 the state board OF
health
Since the first OF November more
than $500 cases have been reported
TO the state board OF health from var
ious points in the state. Druggists
have agreed not to sell venereal rem
edies. except on prescription by a
physician. and in this manner practic-
ally every case sooner or later comes
under the care or doctor.
Must Tell Source of Disease.
A person AFFLICTED with venereal
disease is required to tell the source
OF his infection. AS soon as the
source is located the man or woman
afflicted with the disease is immedia.
tely required to undergo treatment.
II the person refuses he is quarantined
or informed, the same as a person sur.
ferine from smallpox or leprosy.
Results Show At Camp Custer.
state and federal officials. venereal
cases at Camp Custer have been re-
duced to minimum. The most recent
daily report received at the Office OF
the state board OF health shows less
than $50 venereal cases out OF camp
population OF more than $4,000 men
This record. according to medical ex.
perts. could not be, equaled in civil
life.
Frankness Is Necessary.
The principal trouble, according to
members of the state board of health,
is to convince the people OF the SER
iousness OF the situation and to have
them discuss venereal diseases with
the same frankness and concern as
they speak OF smallpox, infantile pa
ralysis and tuberculosis. The records
OF the board OF health show that gon-
orrhea and syphilis annually cause
more death and suffering In Michigan
than smallpox. tuberculosis and in
fantile paralysis combined.
From the United States department
OF public health. the Michigan board
of health has received thousands OF
placards calling attention to the ef-
fects OF venereal diseases. These cards
contain a solemn warning against
using so-called quack cures. These
cards will soon be posted conspicu.
lii ..tll L.