The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1922-05-05
DOES IT PAY? :.
A vsry Sensible Question To Ask

II might be well enough IL we
should pause occasionally and ask,
Does 1t pay?" Yes, 1t does pay from
many angles. from every angle. Does
It pay?" usually carries with II the
natural supposltion that you are talk
ing about money-just money Fru'
gal people, people Of foresight, people
who have small means or more liberal
should conserve their incomes, and
often ask and investigate thoroughly
Does II pay?" II II does not, stop,
find out the trouble and remedy 1t.
The question, docs 1t pay?' has
often been asked about the control
measures instituted by the Georgia
State Board of Health in the veneral
disease work. The question as to dol
lars and cents could not be definitely
answered because 1t requires time to
tell II requires the collecting OF Stats
tics and the comparison Of actual fig
ures. This time has come at least IN
one of the States institutions and
touching only one organ of the body
and only one disease, Brain Syphilis.
The physicians at our Insane Asylum
do not guess, they know. The latest
figures from that institution show
decrese of new cases admitted last
year Of A 1-2 per cent as compared with
the year before, due as they state 10
the early and proper treatment OF the
cases in the hands of the general prac-
titioner. Brain Syphilis runs from ~
to 30 per cent Of all cases throughout
the country-say Is per cent OF all
those admitted. Georgia appropriates
one million dollars for the mainte-
nance of her Insane Asylum, therefore,
$3.50. 900 for Brain Syphilis. Four and
a half per cent of two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars is $10,25O.OO;
that was saved to the taxpayers last
year, or just $250.00 more than the
entire appropriation made by the legls-
iature for this department. Does it
pay?
In about five years we can almost
eliminate this disease of Brain Syp-
hills. There is no excuse for its eXis-
tence; it is possible to eradicate II;
we must eradicate it. VIII 1t pay?
In five to eight years you will have
cut your blindness in babies at least
so per cent. 1t is possible for the re-
duction to be 100 per cent; 1t would
be if all mothers were attended by a
physician who is capable, honest and
careful. The nthe So blind children
at your Academy for the Blind at
Macon would not need as the instl-
tuition does today an appropriation OF
$4,000 per year to take care OF them
II reouires 10 years 10 complete the
course, or 100000 Does 1t actually
paw? There is no excuse under heaV-
en- for gonorrheal sore eyes; the poor
innocent suffers for others sins. We
can and we must eradicate this dl-
sease; it is possible; it must be done.
The law requires that the physician
or midwife put the drops in the baby's
ewes when it is born; it is chain
Gang offense if this is not done. If
nitrate of silver, one per cent solution,
is applied the baby will not be pima.
Docs it pay?
Does it pay to confine and treat
infected prostitutes? Does the closing
and keeping closed Red Light Districts
pay? Is it possible by such methods
to control veneral diseases? Does it?
Answer us that? YES; Columbus,
Ga, under the present city admins
tration, with cooperation OF all de-
partments, has proven beyond ques-
ton that it pays. Actual figures OF
Camp Benning will show you that
before this cooperation was gwen
thew had an incidence Of veneral dt-
eease of 500 per thousand men, This
has dropped to only q per thousand.
Does It nav? God alone knows low
much It pays. We have been consld-
ering only money; what Is money?
Trash, as compared to babies who
can see and men and women with rea-
SON and not crazed with brain syphilis.
Trash, as compared to pure moral
lives and happy homes. The taxpay-
ers of Georgia never made a finer,
sounder, better investment than in the
control Of venereal diseases.
The program for the control should
be well rounded; it must have the
elements of education, repression ana
treatment we'll balanced and well exc
cuted, with all who are Interested CO.
operating and co-ordinating their
forces. The legislative department
should be liberal in their approprla-
lions; the judicial department should
give their aid; the physicians should
be careful to diagnose and treat the
cases early and promptly and persist
emily. The people should seek knoWl-
edge that is easily obtainable; the
educators, public speakers and all our
civic and religious organizations
should participate in giving the en-
lightment on sex education.
The Georgia State Board of Health
will supply literature and send speak
ers when so desired and so far as the
appropriation they have will go.
It is possible to eradicate venereai
$1,000. ILL Il naV2