Evening star., 1936-08-16
FIGHT ON DISEASE
SEEKS PLAIN TALK.
First Step in Social War
Is Recognition OF Facts,
Surgeon General Says.
BY DR.. THOMAS PARRAN,
u. 9. Public Health Service.
written for the Associated Press

(Written for the Associated Press)
An intensive, Nation wide attack on
public health enemy No. /, syphilis, is
to be launched in the near future
through q network of Federal and
State health authorities, public and
private institutions and practicing
physicians.
however. an appreciation and under
standing Of the problem by the pub
lie. For centuries. people have con-
sidered that it was immoral to even
speak Of the disease. but in the fu-
ture it must be recognized as a health
hazard and probably least Of all as a
question Of morals.
From now on, syphilis must not only
be talked about but be fought active
ly because 1t Is increasing so that If
all conditions due to syphilis were re-
ported as such, 1t would probably be
found the leading cause of death in
the United States today. Such a stu
alton can not be allowed to be OBJ
scured any longer by the fog of ig-
norance.
Little Combating Done.
We can be justly proud of our rec
ord In the United States in fighting
tuberculosis and reducing its occur
renee to the point where we can talk
about eradicating it entirely. 1t is
shameful however, that so pitifully
little has been done In fighting syph-
Ills. cases Of which are more numerous
than measles. twice as numerous as
tuberculosis and 100 times more nu-
merous than infantile paralysis, to
which so much public attention has
been directed in recent years
There Is an even greater opportun-
ity for the eradication of syphilis,
against which we have made no prog
ress, than for the eradication OF
tuberculosis. The fact that the re-
suits Of the disease crowd our jails,
our poor houses and our insane asy-
lums Is not due to q lack of scientific
knowledge. because we have at hand
specific methods of controlling it
which are better authenticated by
science than the means of control
ling tuberculosis.
Suggested Procedure.
Then. since the methods Of treat
ment and eradication are known, the
steps to be taken are these:
I. Finding cases of syphilis prompt
ly through widespread use of Wasser-
mann test and treating them imme-
diately.
2. Examination Of all persons hav-
ing contact with a patient found to
have the disease.
3. Preventing the birth Of synthetic
children by requiring blood tests be-
fore marriage and early in each preg-
nancy.
4. Teaching the facts about syphilis
to all people.
We know in general where syphilis
Is. Half the cases are found in per-
sons between 20 and 80 years of
age with six men having it for every
four women infected. 1t Is four times
as prevalent in cities as in rural
areas and six times as prevalent
among colored as among white per-
sons.
To date, New York, Massachusetts,
and Maryland are among the States
undertaking adequate programs OF
syphilis treatment and we have great
hopes that many others will under
take the work in the near future.
$4,000 for Research.
Under the terms Of the social secur-
ity act, $lo.000,o00 is allotted for pub
lie health work. Two million dollars
will be used for basic scientific re-
search and the remainder will be al
loted to the States for the investiga-
ton and control of disease The States
are given wide discretion in the use Of
these allotments. but it is hoped that
large part of the funds will be spent
on the discovery, treatment and eradi-
cation of syphilis.
The Public Health Service Is assign
ing medical officers to the States. re-
questing them to lend assistance In
setting up their programs and is now
aiding schools for health officers and
other physicians on syphilis work in
preparation for establishing adequate
facilities to meet the demand for
treatment which we expect when the
public learns what they are faced with
and the excellent chance for cure
which can be promised.