The herald., 1919-08-28
LETTERS FROM THE
PEOPLE
August end. 1912.

Editor Alters Herald.
An article signed by Doctor ! =
LdScdIe under date of AUGUST 1st
mas Just come to my notice The
suggestion contained in it for the
establishment of a restricted district
mas been sent to this office 3nonv-
MouSly by a number OF people who
90 not know that such a suggestion
is not any thing n all new. Most Of
the well managed European elite,
nave tired all the suggestions made
by the doctor and a miserable faiLra
was the result Nenereal diseases ara
due 20 Commercialized prostitution
PROSTITUTES are infected. according 10
ftIlabie statistics any where from -
10 loO per cent. The prostitutes of
the restricted district of San Fran
cisco were infected with syphilis
alone to degre of - per cent.
iAmeriCan Journal of Insanity ApriI
I9lN). If we were to accept the rec
ommendation of the doctor in his
article published in your paper. only
i've out OF every one hundred prosti.
tuteS now plying their trade would
be available under his medical suppr.
vision theory. II might be pertinent
to the mothers and fathers of this
country for them to ask the doctor
whose daughters he would suggest
| TO fill the gap?
The doctor also suggest a bi-wpekly
examination of these women by
competent medical man to see if they
are diseased. As a matter of fact il
frequently takes from week to two
weeks 10 make a modern medical eN.
animation for venereal disease in a
woman. There has been more ven
ereal disease transmitted to men
because of SO-Called health Certifi-
Gates held by prostitutes than there
would have been had there never
been a medical examination made
The unfortunate patron. not knowing
the medical facts in the case. had been
lulled into a false sense of security
by the certificate. Would the Doe
tor. or would any other reputable
physician. after he had made an eX-
animation of such a prostitute. and
knowing what he does about the diff
ficulty of diagnosing venereal disease
in its chronic stageS-wOuld he certify
on his honor of a physician that this
particular prostitute was free from
disease. Specifically. the restricted
district with medical supervision is
very euphoniOus to every one except
the people who have had experience
with the problem. There is one way
to handle the prostitution problem
so far as it pertains to veneraI
disease. Eliminate it to the greatest
possible degree. 1t can be done, has
been done and will be done. The
whole question is simply one of medi.
cal education and the proper attitude
of city officials. Prostitution never
exists in any city to any degree
where it is dangerous unless it is
running in cOnnivance and by the
consent of police authority. When
the cities of this state and nation
fully realize that the prostitute is aid
ing in the destruction of the human
race from a HEALTH STANDPOINT
they will see that their law enforce
ment officers will find it possible to
not only curb cOmmercialiZed prOsti-
tuition but actually abolish it. 1t is
true that many ages of our history as
race are replete with efforts to
solve the problem. But this is the
first time in the history of the race
that a nation of one hundred million
people has attacked the problem from
a public health angle. Personally |
have every confidence that the Ameri-
can people when they are acquainted
with the fact that syphilis kills more
people than tuberculosis will sum-
marily demand from the medical pro-
fessiOn that the carnage must stop"
William Elder, Scientific Assistant
United States Public Health Service.