The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-04-28
HUMAN RACE MUST
CONTROL VENERAl
DlSEASES-DR. SMITH

DR.. Smith. of Easthaven, has the
following to say of the present cam
paign here against venereal diseases:
while the diseases of the human
body are many and assume variety
Of forms, medical men have learned
that the causes are few. The same
Infection may produce several dis
eases and disorders, depending upon
the organs attacked, the age, sex. and
habits Of the individual, and, not the
aeast, the modifying factor of prompt
and proper treatment in the effort to
control 1t. Harmful organisms, re-
CARELESS Of the place of entrance, are
picked up and carried by the blood
etream and lymphatic system to any
and all organs of the body, and may
be deposited to begin their mischiev'
Gus work anywhere.
"Of all the vicious organisms which
thrive in the human body none pro-
duces so many disorders as that OF
syphilis; none Is the cause of dis
eases so insidious, so prolonged, SO
loathsome, and so certain of fatal out
come; none is so hurtful to the Off
spring of it's victims; and, on the
other hand. none yields more readily
ITO prompt and systematic treatment
"In spite of the fact that the med
acal profession has known for many
wears that this disease could be pre-
vented and controlled by treatment
and has warned the public of its dan
gers. this disease has steadily become
more widespread and is now found
everywhere in all classes of society
Must Be Controlled
"The time has come when this dis
ease must be controlled or the entire
human family will suffer from it and
Its degenerative processes.
eff it were limited in its effects tC
nhe victim who carelessly or wilfully
exposes himself to it, that would be
one thing: but it is not so limited
and it touches and affects the limo
cent in greater proportion and, there
fore, it becomes another and bigger
thing. The innocent must be pro
fected both as matter of humanity
and race welfare, and if the guilty
victim will not do it. then Se must be
restrained and controlled by some
form of public opinion.
"The hospital for the insane and
institutions for the feeble minded
house many end products of syphilitio
infection. Mental and nervous dis
eases are not lll' IliHtuldte lSSuitS
of syphilitiC infection. They come af
ter, five to 20 years after the first in
lection, and usually when all other
signs and symptoms have long since
disappeared. Then, too, the offspring
of syphilitiCs are prone to develop
mental and nervous diseases in diff
ferent forms but equally disastrous
I'm the hospital for the insane ap-
proximately one-fifth of the population
react to syphilitic tests. 1t is so prev
alent. that all new cases are subjected
to such examinations. 1t is a grievous
fact that the outcome of mental and
nervous diseases caused by syphilis is
unfavorable. Such are never restored
to health, and only temporary benefit
and that rarely, can ever be expected
from the best treatment.
Gonorrhea, the other venereal dis
ease, and equally prevalent, is harm
full in different way. The symptoms
are more active in the first stage
very infectious and brings untold suf
fering and torture to the innocent vic
Tins. 1t is responsible for many cases
of blindness in infants and many sur
gical disorders, especially in women.