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Innocent victims
I92I.
PUBLIC H E A L T H .
s e n t e n c e c a n n o t be read in a n y o t h e r w a y except as a c o m p l e t e admission of the principles and value of the policy of i m m e d i a t e selfdisinfection. T h e r e is no o t h e r way which e d u c a t e d people can possibly look at it, for to cleanse t h o r o u g h l y m e a n s to cleanse scientifically, and t h a t involves the intelligent use of disinfectants, and it also involves the dissemination of knowledge a m o n g the general public, as to w h a t d i s i n f e c t a n t s should be asked for, and how t h e y should apply them. T h e second s t a t e m e n t is to the effect t h a t a c h e m i s t can sell a n y s u b s t a n c e f o r which he is asked, " so long as the s u b s t a n c e s are not sold a c c o m p a n i e d by any written or printed r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s or i n s t r u c t i o n s as to use." F u r t h e r c o m m e n t is surely u n n e c e s s a r y . T h e s e two s t a t e m e n t s t o g e t h e r c o n s t i t u t e an e n t i r e l y suitable c l i m a x to the record of the M i n i s t r y in this subject. " In a t h o u s a n d y e a r s men will s t u d y us as we s t u d y savages. W e are like the s a v a g e s who p r a y for rain and then go out and s h o o t poisoned a r r o w s at the t h u n d e r and lightning which brings the rain. We, too, fight the l i g h t n i n g s a n d slay the thunder. W e feat" new t h o u g h t s and m u r d e r them. W e a,'e afraid of prophets, and stone them. W e d r e a d the t r u t h and s a n d b a g it. T h a t is why out, civilisation is only a higher f o r m of s a v a g e r y . If we w e r e t r u e to the t r u t h as f a r as we see it we should provide less food for the a m u s e m e n t of posterity." T h e Society of Medical Officers of H e a l t h in its c o r p o r a t e c a p a c i t y has e x p r e s s e d no opinion for or a g a i n s t prophylaxis a g a i n s t v e n e r e a l disease. T h e r e are m e m b e r s of the Society holding s t r o n g views in both c a m p s , and the c o l u m n s of this journal are open to a d v o c a t e s on either side. W e have no desire to s u p p o r t a n y one society as a g a i n s t a n o t h e r , and we r e g r e t that s u p p o r t e r s of the N,C.C.V.D. leave the a r g u m e n t s of their o p p o n e n t s a l m o s t unanswered. B u t " Public H e a l t h " is the j o u r n a l of a Society which has for its chief aim the p r e v e n t i o n Of disease, and as such it m u s t n e v e r r e f u s e to s u b m i t for the j u d g m e n t of its r e a d e r s any honestly conceived s c h e m e for the protection of the health of the community.
ISI INNOCENT
NEW VENEREAL
VICTIMS. DISEASE
CENTRE.
L o r d Dewar, as president, in a n a p p e a l for f u n d s for St. P a u l ' s H o s p i t a l , which has been selected by the Ministry of H e a l t h as a centre for the free secret treatment of venereal diseases, says : - " I t is tragic to see the sufferers--men, women, a n d even little c h i l d r e n - - i n n o c e n t little mites k n o w i n g not f r o m what they suffer or why they should. I t is t h o u g h t b y m a n y t h a t venereal disease is a sign of guilt, but large numbers of our patients are innocent victims. " I t was f o u n d impossible to do justice to the ever-increasing work in the present hospital ~t R e d Lion Square, a n d the committee has obtained larger a c c o m m o d a t i o n in End.ell Street, where twenty-eight beds for in-patients and a c c o m m o d a t i o n capable of dealing with IOO,OOO visits of out-patients per a n n u m will be provided. It will cost ~5o,ooo to complete, purchase, rebuild a n d equip the new hospital." THE
REAL
ISSUE.
T~e Sanixar3/ Record and Municipal Engineering, in a recent issue, s a y s : " W e do not think that more t h o u g h t - p r o v o k ing a n d arresting letters h a v e ever a p p e a r e d in our columns t h a n the one f r o m Sir G. Archdall Reid last week a n d t h a t f r o m Miss E t t i e M. Rout which is p r i n t e d in the present issue. T h e y are statements of stern facts which' cannot be ignored. F o r generations we in this country have p u r s u e d a policy of suppression so f a r as the public discussion of venereal disease is concerned. Its very n a m e was a n a t h e m a in a n y public print. But t h a t d a y is p a s s e d for ever. S t a t e s m e n a n d reformers have elected to enter upon a w a r f a r e against it, as sanitary reformers h a v e been d o i n g with r e g a r d to all other preventive diseases during the last two or three generations. I f the problem is to be seriously tackled, preventive as well as curative measures m u s t be recognised as essential to a successful issue. T h i s has been the p l a n of c a m p a i g n in fighting zymotic &sease, a n d must be in all others. F a r be it f r o m our desire to lower in any degree the highest m o r a l s t a n d a r d . Chastity alone is the sure preventive, the real g u a r a n t e e o f f r e e d o m f r o m this d r e a d disease. Yet we h a v e to deal with stern facts, a n d if we can prevent the further
PUBLIC H E A L T H .
s e n t e n c e c a n n o t be read in a n y o t h e r w a y except as a c o m p l e t e admission of the principles and value of the policy of i m m e d i a t e selfdisinfection. T h e r e is no o t h e r way which e d u c a t e d people can possibly look at it, for to cleanse t h o r o u g h l y m e a n s to cleanse scientifically, and t h a t involves the intelligent use of disinfectants, and it also involves the dissemination of knowledge a m o n g the general public, as to w h a t d i s i n f e c t a n t s should be asked for, and how t h e y should apply them. T h e second s t a t e m e n t is to the effect t h a t a c h e m i s t can sell a n y s u b s t a n c e f o r which he is asked, " so long as the s u b s t a n c e s are not sold a c c o m p a n i e d by any written or printed r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s or i n s t r u c t i o n s as to use." F u r t h e r c o m m e n t is surely u n n e c e s s a r y . T h e s e two s t a t e m e n t s t o g e t h e r c o n s t i t u t e an e n t i r e l y suitable c l i m a x to the record of the M i n i s t r y in this subject. " In a t h o u s a n d y e a r s men will s t u d y us as we s t u d y savages. W e are like the s a v a g e s who p r a y for rain and then go out and s h o o t poisoned a r r o w s at the t h u n d e r and lightning which brings the rain. We, too, fight the l i g h t n i n g s a n d slay the thunder. W e feat" new t h o u g h t s and m u r d e r them. W e a,'e afraid of prophets, and stone them. W e d r e a d the t r u t h and s a n d b a g it. T h a t is why out, civilisation is only a higher f o r m of s a v a g e r y . If we w e r e t r u e to the t r u t h as f a r as we see it we should provide less food for the a m u s e m e n t of posterity." T h e Society of Medical Officers of H e a l t h in its c o r p o r a t e c a p a c i t y has e x p r e s s e d no opinion for or a g a i n s t prophylaxis a g a i n s t v e n e r e a l disease. T h e r e are m e m b e r s of the Society holding s t r o n g views in both c a m p s , and the c o l u m n s of this journal are open to a d v o c a t e s on either side. W e have no desire to s u p p o r t a n y one society as a g a i n s t a n o t h e r , and we r e g r e t that s u p p o r t e r s of the N,C.C.V.D. leave the a r g u m e n t s of their o p p o n e n t s a l m o s t unanswered. B u t " Public H e a l t h " is the j o u r n a l of a Society which has for its chief aim the p r e v e n t i o n Of disease, and as such it m u s t n e v e r r e f u s e to s u b m i t for the j u d g m e n t of its r e a d e r s any honestly conceived s c h e m e for the protection of the health of the community.
ISI INNOCENT
NEW VENEREAL
VICTIMS. DISEASE
CENTRE.
L o r d Dewar, as president, in a n a p p e a l for f u n d s for St. P a u l ' s H o s p i t a l , which has been selected by the Ministry of H e a l t h as a centre for the free secret treatment of venereal diseases, says : - " I t is tragic to see the sufferers--men, women, a n d even little c h i l d r e n - - i n n o c e n t little mites k n o w i n g not f r o m what they suffer or why they should. I t is t h o u g h t b y m a n y t h a t venereal disease is a sign of guilt, but large numbers of our patients are innocent victims. " I t was f o u n d impossible to do justice to the ever-increasing work in the present hospital ~t R e d Lion Square, a n d the committee has obtained larger a c c o m m o d a t i o n in End.ell Street, where twenty-eight beds for in-patients and a c c o m m o d a t i o n capable of dealing with IOO,OOO visits of out-patients per a n n u m will be provided. It will cost ~5o,ooo to complete, purchase, rebuild a n d equip the new hospital." THE
REAL
ISSUE.
T~e Sanixar3/ Record and Municipal Engineering, in a recent issue, s a y s : " W e do not think that more t h o u g h t - p r o v o k ing a n d arresting letters h a v e ever a p p e a r e d in our columns t h a n the one f r o m Sir G. Archdall Reid last week a n d t h a t f r o m Miss E t t i e M. Rout which is p r i n t e d in the present issue. T h e y are statements of stern facts which' cannot be ignored. F o r generations we in this country have p u r s u e d a policy of suppression so f a r as the public discussion of venereal disease is concerned. Its very n a m e was a n a t h e m a in a n y public print. But t h a t d a y is p a s s e d for ever. S t a t e s m e n a n d reformers have elected to enter upon a w a r f a r e against it, as sanitary reformers h a v e been d o i n g with r e g a r d to all other preventive diseases during the last two or three generations. I f the problem is to be seriously tackled, preventive as well as curative measures m u s t be recognised as essential to a successful issue. T h i s has been the p l a n of c a m p a i g n in fighting zymotic &sease, a n d must be in all others. F a r be it f r o m our desire to lower in any degree the highest m o r a l s t a n d a r d . Chastity alone is the sure preventive, the real g u a r a n t e e o f f r e e d o m f r o m this d r e a d disease. Yet we h a v e to deal with stern facts, a n d if we can prevent the further