Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-11-25
AID HEALTH
CAMPAIGN HERE
Trying to Make City Best in the
State

Perth Amboy Board of Health, a.
ever alert and interested / uthe com
munity's welfare, has accepted th(
challenge of the State Department oil
Health to make Perth Amboy the
healthiest city i'm New Jersey.
The Bureau Of Venercal Disease
Control reports that to materially re-
duce the death rate OF q city, and to
present the communicable disease that
causes the most suffering, 1t is nee
ssary to contro! or eradicate the ven
ereal diseases; ~gonorrhea and syphilis,
and supports its statement from the
war records.
The United States, in a time Of
world emergency, called on the most
virile part of her population, the very
cream of the nations manhood, to
serve In the great world war. She
was astounded to find that one-third
OF the young men called to the Colors
were absolutely physically unfit for
any kind of service in the Army, and
that of the remaining number, IL per
cen could be utilized for only limited
service. 1t must be remembered that
these figures are taken from the draft
ed army, In which the requirements
and standard OF physical fitness was
much lower than for the regular army
in a time. 1t has been estimated
by General Wood hat not over 80
percent could have met. physically,
the peace time requirements Of the
regular army. Such general unfltness
and lack of good health, accompanied
with mental misery and physical suf-
fering, as well as loss OF efficiency and
productive power in the young man
hood Of America. called for immediate
investigation.
The draft and physical examina-
lions of men merely resulted in dig
ging underneath the sod Of our civil
life and showing that out of sight in
every mans town. in every mans
state, there has been going on yearly
a waste of manhood, Womanhood, and
childhood by The ravages of these pre-
ventable diseases: diseases whose
causes we know, whose germs we can
pee and identify through the micro
eope; diseases which are transmit
Aed in the course of q business which
has no possible constructive use or
value by carriers who have to adj
Vertise and can be easily detected.
Conservative estimators, from the
available statistics, ara the authority
for the statement hat of 10000 men
thai reach maturity yearly 30 percent
or 100000 will have a venereal dis
cease sometime during life.
Congress was so impressed by the
health conditions as revealed by the
draft, and so well pleased with the re-
suits of the program carried on by the
Army to improve the health of the
holders, that they appropriated sew
eral million dollars to carry the same
educational campaign to the civilian
communities.
New Jersey has accepted her share
of the Federal funds and appropriate
ed an equal amount, and the Bureau
of Venereal Disease Control has be-
come n of the most important bu-
reaus In the State Department Of
Health.
Perth Amboy Is one of the first
cities in New Jersey to ask the Blu
for its cooperation in carrying
out an intensive campaign for the con-
troll of venereal diseases.
State representatives are now work
ing in this city and will endeavor to
overcome the loathing and inertia of
public opinion associated with the
term "venereal diseases" based on
well defined but false psychological
reasons. First. 1t Is generally believed
that g%onorrhea and syphilis are the
results of sin and that the infected
persons are reaping the harvest of
their wild oats INC are deserving only
Of condemnation. However, there are !