The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1919-04-18
The VenereaI
Disease Menace

Thanks to the activity of the War
Department the menace of venereal
diseases is being more understood
than ever before. The policy of silence
which prevailed heretofore is respon-
sible for the constant increase in these
diseases and the existing danger to the
public health and efficiency.
That the campaign for the proven
ton Of venereal diseases should be
vigorously presented may be gathered
from the fact that of 100000 men in
the army infected with venereal dis
ease, 10000 brought the infection
with them from civil life. In other
words, of every six men venereally in
fected, five of them contracted the dis
ease before joining the colors.
Few of these men, comparatively,
knew the dangers or the effects of We
nereal diseases; just as a small per-
centage of the public realizes the ex-
tent of these diseases. 1t is estimated
that so per cent of all men have had
gOnOrrhoea at one time or other This
disease is not cured as readily as most
people imagine. A good, reliable doc
tor is the only one that should be
trusted in the treatment of venereal
diseases and the advertising physician
should never be consulted. Usually
he is a quack, depending on the fears
and the finances of the unsuspecting
patient.
Gonorrhoea has often led to serious
results terminating in painful form
of rheumatism, in chronic invalidism
and in serious surgical cases, some
times ending in death. 1t also fire.
Quently results in sterility and in blind
ness. Eighty per cent of all blindness
in newborn babes is directly trace
able to gonorrhoea. These children
doomed to go through life of dark
ness are in most cases an economic
loss to the state because of their han
dicap.
Venereal disease is infectious. That
is, it can be transmitted from one per-
son to another. The chief method or
transmission is by means of the prost-
tute. OF these women actual 1gures
show that fully IS per cent have gon-
orrhoea, syphilis, or both. Venereal
diseases may also be contracted
through the use of common property,
such as the public towel, or the use
of another's toothbrush, pipe, ETC. But
the safest way to avoid venereal dis
ease is to avoid the use OF common
property and most important, to keep
away from the prostitute. This ap-
plies even to the prostitute who is
Frequently examined" for this exam
nation is no guarantee, as the woman
may have become infected five minutes
after examination.
Syphilis. another form of venereaI
disease, is more prevalent than is gen
erally known. About 20 per cent OF
all prostitutes have it in an lnrectlous
form. Syphilis is treacherous ais
ease, in that when It appears cured
it NAV be most harmful. The first and
second stages of syphilis are easily de-
tected, and therefore attention Is usu-
alIv given the disease at this time.
During the third stage, however, when
the LESSONS are healed, pain is gone,
and all outward appearance Of the dis
ease is passed. the syphilitlc is IN
clined to neglect himself, by falling
to take the continuous treatment out
lined by a reputable physician. Here
is where the little spirochete. as the
germ is called, does its most Work.
II will travel through the body, some
times attacking the heart, but more
frequently attacking the brain-and
often the victim will develop paresls
or "softening of the BRAIN" or locomo-
tor ataxia, long years after he had
forgotten that he ever had syph1lls'
and many years after he Thought ne
was entirely cured. Every case OF pa
rests is due to syphilis; about ~ per
cent of locomotor ataxia is due TO
syphilis: and every case OF apoplexy
under forty is due to syphilis. This is
mari Of the toll. All the distress, all
the heart suffering, and all the misery
caused by venereal disease Will never
be known.
syphilis and gonorrhoea are DOM
Durable hut only after long treatment
continued until discharged by physl-
clan of good standing.