The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-06-13
DISEASE Spreading.
IS NlN HAZARDOUS.
Courts ginning to Take
Cognizance Of Social
Disease Evil

WASHINGTON, Juno i3-Person-
n responsibility for tho transmits
sion 81 yeneteal disease has now
been Upheld inSaeveral different
phases BY both civil and criminal
courts says3thesU S. Public Health
seryIce I'm Oklahoma a man has
been sentenced 10 five years in the
penitentiarys for injecting a girl with
syphilis IN Nebraska the court up.
held d doctor who warned a hotel
keeper thst one Of hts patients, a
guest 81 the hotel, had syphilis and
had refused treatment and was con-
seauently a menace TO public health.
In North Carolina a woman has been
awarded 10000 damages against
her husband Tor similar infection
and the Supreme court has upheld
ne Judgment,
The Nebraslca case Is important
bscause Il asserts that a physicians
duty 10 protect the public health
phy under certain circumstances,
transcend his duty to hold his pa
tents confidence inyiolable. The
North Carolina case is also import
ant becaiis Mt sets aside In this par
ticuiat case the legal barrier that
prevents a wife from testifylng
kssirst her husband and bringing
kuit against him.
All three cases are valuable in
Mountaineering incorrect statements
often made that the ycnereal-dis-
ease lawIfalls almost exclusively on
women and lets men go free. State
laws OF course govern in all such
cases but the fact that every state
IN the union has now adopted many
IL NOT ali OF the venereal disease
lawg. gives ground for expecting
similar action in other states. Ger
tsinlystheiwtde dissemination Of the
three decisions should go far TO curb
diseased persons who deliberately
expose others to infection.
curiously enough the District OF
Columbia Is the only part Of conti-
mental United States that has no We
nereaI disease laws. Congress,
which makes the laws for the Dis
tsict, has not yet acted.
The fact that the North Carolina
decision makes 1t likely that mar
rage will henceforth be no adequate
defence against suit for transmit
ting infection will probably hasten
tte adoption by the states Of laws
recurring every applicant for a mar
Rage license to present certificate
BY reputable doctor certifying
that he IS free from venereal dis
ease and providing that withoutthis
noalieense: shall be issued.
twenty states have already adopt
ediaws torbiddtng persons with We
sfiefeaf tisSaSe To- marry. seven OF
these, New Hampshire, New Jer-
sey, North Carolina, oregon, WASH
ington and West Virginia, having
acted during the precent years
SESSIONS. Asimilar bill is now pend
ing in Florida.
Alliof the 20 states do not require
medical examination and certifica-
ton that the applicant is free from
Tenereal disease. "Such certit-
Gates should be required In every
state, insists the Public Health
Service .tAny decent man with an
incurred infection who marries does
soseither because he does not realize
The seriousness Of his action or be-
cause he belives that he Is cured
The necessity for an examination
should bring Its seriousness home to
him and should DO welcomed by
him as q protection for his wife and
children No real man should OBJ
iect 70 medical examination re-
CURED ~ law.