Evening star., 1946-10-01
Doctors Warned
OF Big Gain in
venereaI Cases
D. G. Health Aide
Urges Tightening
In Report System

Urges ib9HteHiHy
In Report System
The postwar venereal disease rate
here has increased to such an extent
1t should challenge the National
Capital to take remedial action, a
Health Department official declared
today.
Speaking to the Scientific Assem-.
bly, Of the District Medical Society
at the Hotel Stat1er, DR.. s. Ross
Taggart, director of the Health De-
partment's venereal disease unit.
proposed more specific reporting Of
infected cases for treatment. He
also called for a vigorous educa-
tional campaign on the menace to
community health.
During a panel discussion yes
terday on recent advances in cancer
control, DR.. r. r. Spencer, chief of
the National Cancer Institute at
Bethesda predicted that eventually
the dread disease would be conquered.
Predicts Drug Treatment.
Scientific advances In biochem-
istry, DR.. Spencer said, provide the
most promising approach to solu-
ton of the cancer problem. Even
tually the most successful treat.
ment will be by drug, he predicted,
which will be able to stop cancer
cells selectively.
In the meantime he said early
detection of the disease and prompt
treatment were the best procedures.
Surgery or radiation, or a combina-
tion of the two, he said, had often
produced helpful results. Several
physicians participated in the SYM
postum.
In his address today on venereal
disease, DR.. Taggart said reports of
increased illegitimate births and
delinquency stress the moral and
social unrest"
New Admissions Up 100 Per cent.
Taking figures from the Health
Department, hospital clinics and
private practitioners, the physician
said early syphilis for the first six
months of 1916 showed an increase
of Is per cent over cases in the
same period In 1945, and gonorrhea
a gain OF so per cent.
Health Department clinics, he an
nounced, have had 100 per cent
increase in new admissions during
the first six months Of 1916 over
those in the same period of 1945,
and gain OF so per cent in total
admissions to the clinics.
The medical society,"" he de-
clared, "can i'll afford to discount
the problem Of venereal disease in
Washington"
Charging that "the private prac-
titioner of medicine is playing q
very small part in reporting con-
facts for investigation" DR.. Tag
CART asserted that, out of 1876
cases listed with the Health De-
partment for investigation, only All
were turned in by private physi-
clans.
This is not healthy situation" I"
declared DR.. Taggart" Although it
is not known how many cases Of
venereal disease are under treat
ment by private practitioners, 1t is
estimated that at least a number
equal to or greater than those under
treatment by the Health Depart
ment or hospital clinics are seen by
the private practitioner.
''The only conclusion one can
make is that there SHOULD be greater
participation by private practition-
ers, in interviewing all venereal
cases diagnosed and furnishing
identifiable names and addresses for
investigation in order to bring more
infected individuals under treat
ment."
To help the physicians implement
such a program, the Health De-
partment distributed to doctors at
the meeting a new booklet, describ-
ing the dangers of venereal disease.
how it can be treated, and providing
blank forms for, reporting names
and addresses Of persons to whom
the case has been exposed.
The person reporting is in
structed: do not put your name
on this form. No one can trace
this report to you. You will be pro-
tected. List all names. Withholding
name does not protect that per-
sons health" The form is to be
sent to DR.. George C. Ruhland, Dis
trict Health Officer.
Mass injection of populations with
penicillin has been speculated on as
one of the possible means to the ulti-
mate control of syphilis and gonor-
rhea, DR.. Eugene Gillis of United
States Public Health Services said.
"Or perhaps some as yet undiscov-
cred antibiotics," he continued, "to
eliminate even the small residue of
disease infection and other
escaping other disease
finding methods"
Public Meeting Tonight.
An open public meeting at SIS
O'Clock tonight at the hotef will be
addressed by Capt. George M. Lyon,
Naval Medical Corps, on Atomic
Energy and Your Future Health"
The Districts traffic problems
were to be discussed at a luncheon
today by Traffic Director George E.
Keneipp.
The assembly, which is featured
by q number of scientific and COM
mercial exhibits, and a collection Of
war souvenirs, will close with the
annual dinner tomorrow night. The
speaker viii be Maj. Gen. Alden II.
Watt, chief of the Army's Chemical
Warfare Services. About 1000 doc
tors and members of the allied pro-
fessions are attending this largest
scientific assembly in the history Of
the society.
Citizens Meet Tonight
The Rock Greek Hills Citizens, AS