South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-06-08
Editor News-Times:

/ Editor News-Times:
1t is only fair and just to tenants
/ Of the Farmers Trust building TO
allow them a hearing in defense OF
( their attitude as to the Clinic at
! tempted TO be forced among them.
/ Why agitation of this subject should
| he kept up is unexplaInable as the
/ subject was most thoroughly and ex-
1 haustively discussed. argued. de-
/ bated, protested and threshed out
] in every phase and every angle and
in every light possible between ten
/ ants, landlords and the local ply
stefan and one from Indianapolis ad-
/ vOcating II at meeting and a def
! mite settled conclusion was arrived
/ at, that the building was no proper
| place for il; that most of the ten
ants were decidedly and unalterably
| opposed 10 it and would fight it to
1 the bitter end. There WAS an at
/ tempt TO mislead them with alarm
/ ing and wholly assumed statements.
| unwarranted. preposterous and un-
/ supported by statistics as to the ex-
tent of this plague, for statistics
| show "A low percentage. The matter
/ was then considered ended, and is
! ended, as l believe / am authorized
TO say. But what objections were
made To state them would fill a
J newspaper, but some OF the princi-
! pal one might be mentioned here
| And what is this clinic" that pro-
poses a pest place, 'lazar- house"
| for the Farmers Trust building
|
First it is unlike and bears no
! comparison whatever to physi-
clans private Office. where a variety
of common diseases may be treated
and we do not know for what dis
eases patients visit physicians Of
fees and no one falls under suspi-
| ciOn who enters a Doctors Office.
but we do know certainly why they
! visit a vCnereal clinic. 1t is obvious.
1t would lie an insulting insinua-
tion upon every reputable physician
to put this pest place in the same
class as his office.
Second This clinic" is wholly,
entirely different 1t is to be focused
at a central point. is 10 be made
widely known. IS 10 be a light house
with red shining fight, is to be q
free. universal, public clinic, with
an exclusive speciality Of treating
loathsome and contagious venereal
diseases for the whole city and
county and Northern Indiana. IL
must be generally known that this
| clinic is provided and the building
known in which ii is located, which
acquires a notoriety and a black
| avoided The fear that suspicion
might attach TO them would keep
many away.
Third. This clinic differs radical
ly from all methods of past tried
| experience. The old method be nS
to put away as far as possible the
worst contagious diseases from any
possible contact with the public in
some isolated place An unusual
number OF cases developed durinS
the war. but every preCautiOn and
every resource of medical science
was resorted TO, in order to COM
pletelv isolate cases and prevent any
contact and stamp 1t out. No make
shifts nor half baked hobbies. nor
tempOriZing, compromising plans
were listened TO and il was effectual.
This new clinic method is revolu-
tionary and reverses this. 1t pro
poses to turn loose the infected up
| on the public and 10 permit them to
| bring their foul contagion into the
most publicly thronged building that
can be procured 10 mingle unno-
ticed perhaps promiscuously and in
discriminatory among the public
crowd. who must assume all RISKS
of becoming infected by contact.
Fourth The theory works against
the public in favor of the infected.
II encourages sham. deception and
hypocrisy against the public Tho
pretty theory is that those who Sc
cretly visit and sneak back-way IN
10 questionable places and contract
these vile diseases, risxins all kjnds
OF publicity. must be provided With
nice respectable place 20 be cured
in and at public expense. in a fine
crowded public building. which will
better prevent detection ard publ
city in the moving mass. and 10
hoodwink the public They are 10
be spared, their fee"rS1 sooched
and shielded 20 prevent anyone
knowing their cord l..~. anil iot the
public so hang a-G set sturE.'
It's purpose 8 dor'-ErE N decei.e
and fool tire pua',a AID - put up Z
caUouGags where t-o-e who AZ
. .uas. cutU71.ly Ian bat i5rsrdiy
ara .-u Of al ~,:s~r-~ss aaI uu-
ciaIatss" wee 80 freely r''-rle vitr
;h> !r-caspt Ike the hyloc~isv Of
wolves n sleeps clothing" They
vero - lcse IS tie hest and foo
The public from being on stric,
Guard against them or from pro
;ectirg themselves.
Fitth. Ghe very worst OF il ali s
that the lowest dress. men an
. women. who have no shame. and dc
not care "a cuss" about publicity o,
whether or not they spread disease
{ : Who are found infected in jails and
prisons must be sent TO this cnni-
for treatment. and must bring their
corruption and rottnC fouiness into
the building 10 mingle with the pub