Montana labor news., 1938-02-24

- $1,000 &A ~ ~"
ter Clarke, M. D., Executive Di-
rector, The American Social Hy-
giene Association, and presented
in cooperation with the Montana
Labor News as part of the observ-
ance of National Social Hygiene
Day.
A great physician once called
syphilis the Great Killer, Captain
of the Men of Death" Everyone
should know enough about this dis
ease to avoid catching it, Anyone
who already has it should know
how to avoid its disastrous effects.
Every citizen can help by learning
the truth and telling others about
this killing disease,
Syphilis is believed to have been
introduced into Europe at the end
of the 18th century. The sailors of
Columbus probably brought it back
to Spain with them from the West
indies. They passed the disease on
to other people and they to others,
until it spread over all Europe and
Asia. The Europeans who settled in
America brought it with them to
this country.
Syphilis spreads from a person
who has the disease to a person who
does not have it. In order to spread
from one person to another, there
must be close contact of the persons
as in SCI intercourse or kissing. Ere
quently a husband infects his wife
and she infects the children. OF
course, the wife may be infected
first and pass it on to her husband.
So it is common to find a whole
family infected.
This catching disease is caused by
a germ called the "Spirochaeta Pal
Ida" which means pale spiral
shaped GERM" because that is what
it looks like under the microscope.
Syphilis germs are able to enter the
body through a tiny break in the
skin or even to pass through that
very thin skin called the mucous
membrane, such as covers the lips
or mouth. Once inside they quickly
5 multiply and are scattered through
! out the body. After a few weeks,
t a small sore usually appears where
the germs entered the body. This
2 is called a chancre. 1t is full of
: syphilis germs. Some weeks or
months later, a skin rash usually
appears and there may be ulcers of
the mucous membranes in the
mouth. All these swarm with germs.
During this time the patient may
S have headache, fever, pains, and be
/ generally i'll. But syphilis is a great
deceiver and he may feel well, have
l no rash or other sign and still be
. infected.
In any case after a while the rash
disappears and the patient nav feel
well again. But the disease is still
. inside the body, usually progressing
S very, very sloWly-so slowly that
for 10 or IS years the infected per-
= son may notice nc i'll effect. Mean
time, the tiny white spirals are
gradually damaging the heart, brain,
= spinal cord, eyes, bones, liver or any
other part of the body, At last the
= infected persons health fails, and
t going to a doctor, he learns that the
cause is syphilis. Sometimes it is
, too late to save sight, mind or life.
2 The victim becomes blind, insane,
t p~aralyzed, crippled, i'll, and finally
dies of syphilis. Most of the deaths
caused by syphilis are due to dam
: age of the large blood vessels and
S heart, or the brain and spinal cord.
! It is believed that about 5 per cent
; of all the people have syphilis. It is
one of the five most prevalent of
! infectious diseases. Syphilis is the
cause of about II per cent of all in
) sanity and about is per cent of
deaths from 'heart disease" In adj
/ dition, there are large numbers of
> deaths directly or indirectly caused
by syphilis of other vital organs. 1t
is really one of the principal causes
; of death. Syphilis can also be
charged with a large part of blind
!; , ness, some deafness, many deformi-
l ties and much prolonged invalidism.
/, During the first 4 or 5 years the
disease is most catching. If a per-
son who has a chancre or a syphilis
rash or ulcers of the mouth has close
: contact with another person, the
!, germs of syphilis are very likely to
!, spread from the diseased person to
the well person.
Fortunately, it is easy to kill the
germ of syphilis. The spirochete
, cannot stand drying or heat or cold
SO that there is not very much dan
ger from cups, spoons, forks and
] knives. Ordinary soap and water,
and most ~antiseptics are effective.
During the World War the method
used to prevent soldiers from being
infected after contact with an in
: fictitious person, was to order soap
and hot water and calomel ointment
I SO per cent to be applied immediate
ly. Physicians know how to give
! this treatment and can prevent in
, lection if the exposed person comes
within one hour after contact. The
6 best preventive method known to