THE CONTROL OF VENEREAL DISEASES BY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS

Abstract

H 'EALTH departments are created and financed to safeguard the public health. Each state and municipal health department has its own peculiar problem in deciding how it can most efficiently spend its appropriation. The character of the work of health departments has entirely changed in the past twenty-five years by reason of laboratory discoveries, and their application to public health measures. Probably the next generation will see even more striking changes. Notable achievements have been accomplished in health measures directed against diphtheria, tuberculosis, typhoid, yellow fever, malaria, hookworm, and other serious diseases. But two of the most common and dangerous of communicable diseases -syphilis and gonorrhoea-have been practically left untouched by health departments. There is, however, one striking exception, namely, the Health Department of the City of New York. Its sane and scientific work in venereal diseases merits the commendation of all medical men. This department was the pioneer in establishing free complement fixation tests for syphilis and gonorrhcea. The results of their laboratory work, and their methods of reporting cases, have demonstrated that there is a practical method which any state or city can apply to the control of v-enereal diseases. Personally, after many years' experience in laboratories, in hospitals, in the autopsy room, and in private practice, I have no hesitation in stating that the ravages of syphilis and gonorrhoea are far greater than those caused by diphtheria, scarlet fever and typhoid combined. Yet not so many years ago, these diseases occupied much of the attention of health authorities. It seems reasonable and proper to believe that the time has come when every state and municipal health department should, yearlv, spend some part of its appropriation in attempting the control of these diseases. The Worcester District Medical Society's Committee on Venereal Diseases, of which the writer is a member, recently sent out to its members a pamphlet, a part of which is quoted below: