The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-11-23
War Department and Board of Health
Urge Care That II Does Not
Rise to contaminate
Soldiers.
ORDERS TO OUR MAYOR
Government is Determined to Return
Soldiers to Civil Life as Clean
as They Left Home,
Secretary Says.

Mayor Lotion has received the fol-
lowing orders from the government
through the Iowa state board of
health:
To Mayors. Health Officers, Local
Boards of Health and the Public in
General:
Des Moines, Iowa. Nov. Is 1918.
The Iowa state board Of health
wishes each and every person in
Iowa to understand that there is to
be no relaxation in the fight against
venereal diseases in Iowa on account
Of the ending Of the war. There
must be more extended and ener-
getic effort put forth In order that
our soldiers may be returned to their
homes and families unconta minated
by disease.
The following kilograms have been
received from Washington, D. c.:
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. IA,
191S.-Governor, Des Moines, Iowa:
Signing armtstice in no way lessons
responsibility of civil communities
for protection of soldiers from pros
titution and sale of liquor. Our
states and cities ought never to lose
the control which has been estab-
lished or stop so vital work. The
government proposes to leave no
measure unused in repression of
these evils from now until demobili-
cation is fully accomplished. War
department is determined to return
soldiers to their families and to civil
life uncontaminated by disease.
Laxity in your state after so much
has been done would be a disaster
to our soldiers and their families.
am telegraphing mayors of largest
cities of your state according to
above. You are requested to tele-
graph this message verbatim to
mayors of all cities and towns
therein.
NEWTON D. BAKER.
Secretary of War.
WASHINGTON. D. c., Nov. ID,
State Department
Health. Attention Bureau Veneral
Diseases, Des Moines, Iowa: Tele-
grams from secretary war sent state
governors, mayors, large cities, stat
ing governments determination re-
turn soldiers home uncontaminated by
disease, and saying cities and states
should never lose the control which
has been established for veneral dis
eases. Please confer Immediately
with governor and mayor large cities
personally or by wire regarding All
measures possible for unanimous CO
operation. All law enforcement ON
cials and complete avoidance OF re-
Taxation efforts suppress prostitution.
Isolate and treat venereally infected
persons. Am writing state adJutant
generals urging they continue to CO.
operate in completion of draft vene-
real instruction insofar as arrange
ments are already launched. Urge
you not to waste this valuable oppor-
tunity of public education,
RUPERT BLUE,
Surgeon General United States Public
Health Service.
The above kilograms need no COM
ment, for they explain themselves.
The Iowa state board of health asks
for increased energy and prosecution
of yenereal disease work in the en-
tire state, until prostitution shall
have entirely ceased to exist. VIII
YOU not get your local newspapers to
give this circular letter full publicity!
In this connection 1t should be ob-
served and noted that there is an
other wave Of Spanish Influenza on
its way west and Iowa may look for
another epidemic of this most serious
disease. Mayors should require all
physicians to report all cases OF
Spanish influenza and all cases OF
pneumonia to them promptly, and
these reports should be forwarded to
the state board Of health, Des
Moines, Iowa, daily. Only the num-
Der of cases and the number OF
deaths need be reported on a postal
card. All previous instructions sent
out from the state board of health
should be followed as heretofore, and
a complete closing of all public gath.
erings and meetings of every kind
is requested and recommended where
the disease exists.
THE IOWA STATE BOARD OF
HEALTH.
Rv Cuilford H. Sumner, NJ D., Sec
retary-Executive Officer.