The Topeka state journal., 1919-06-25
Social Diseases Rivaled Only
by tuberculosis in Prevalence.
Campaign of Education Against
Vice Under Way Here.
MILITARY OPENS PUBLIC EYE
Sit To Win" POrtrays Lessons
Learned by Army Doctors.
Two Shows at Auditorium Sun
day Given by City.

In recent years the medical pro-
fession of the United States has come
to recognize that social diseases are
the greatest known menace, with the
possible exception of tuberculosis, to
the health and welfare of the Amer
lean nation" DR.. Earl G. Brown. city
health officer. stated this morning.
The problem is being taken up by
the government, state boards of
health. city and community boards OF
health. 1t is being given a larger
amount of publicity and open and
free discussion in recent years than
ever before in the history of the
world.
In line with this campaign of edu-
cation and the further fact that the
city of Topeka will soon have
venereal clinic. the city health DEPART
ment will exhibit the famous film,
the city auditorium. This film has
been displayed in every army camp
and cantonment in the United States
and also abroad. and has been seen
by possibly every soldier in the Amer
lean army.
Lessons From Army.
The growing importance of a calm.
common sense view of the problem Of
social diseases was given its first con-
sideration by the United States army.
and not from civilian sources. The
army men came first to realization
of the dread terrible havoc being
wrought by the dread diseases. Their
heartfelt and sincere consideration was
aroused over the alarming number OF
men. unfit for military service. unfit
for any sort Of service within the bor-
ders of the United States. In gather
ing statistics on reflections for military
service, says Doctor Brown. the num-
Der of men who could not be used on
account of some infection was appall-
ing.
They Immediately started a cam
paign to try and cure diseased men in
the army. to provide educational
methods by which men could be
taught the dangers of laying them
selves open to exposure, and to take
care of men who could not resist or
would not resist temptation by treat
ments in army prophylactic stations.
Give War Credit.
To the army then. the civilian pop
ulation owes the fact that now this
subject is being given the considera-
tion it is entitled to. Never again will
the questions be Stunned and dis
cussed in whispers and ignored to the
ultimate destruction of thousands of
young persons
The film. Fit to Win" has been
loaned to the city by the state board
of health. G. L. Hooper. manager of
the Orpheum and Iris theaters, has do
screen on which the film will be dis
played. Harry Smith. machine oper-
ator at the Iris theater. has also do
mated his services and will run the
machine.
Two Shows Sunday.
At 5 o'clock Sunday afternoon the
picture will be run for women only.
At o'clock in the evening it will be
exhibited again for men. Children un-
der 5 years of age will not be admit
ted. Children between Is and 1S will
not be admitted unless accompanied
by an adult. There will be no charge
| for admission to the auditorium.
The picture combines a story OF
several men who move from civilian
lift into the army and various expert
| ences that befall them IN this transi-
| ton. Later pictures of clinical cases
and drawings clearly illustrating the
course of the various diseases and pic
lures of specimens showing the after
effect of them are also shown. There
is nothing or vulgar or obscene about
the film. 1t is simply a straightfor-
ward treatment of scientific facts
treated in the same way they would
be in a medical clinic with the excep-
tion that the language used is under
! standa bic to laymen.
| DR.. D. K. Kilburn will lecture and
| tell about the picture, explaining the
medical side of il as the film prog
resses. Doctor Brown will discuss
conditions in the city of Topeka.