ADDRESSES 
Given At The 
SOUTHEASTER!! REGIONAL CONFERENCE 
[1 ON 
SOCIAL HYGIENE 
under the auspices of 
The American Social Hygiene Association 
The United States Public Health Service 
The Social Protection Section, 
Federal. Security Agency 
The Georgia Social Hygiene Council 
The Georgia Scate Department of Public Health 
Conference Area 
Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina 
Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi 
TEEMS: SOCIAL HEALTH IN WAR AND PEACE 
Wednesday, February 3» 
Biltmors Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia 
THE GEORGIA SOCIAL HYGIENE COUNCIL 
Room State Office Building 
Atlanta, Georgia 
Dr. Ralph E. Wager 
President 
Emory University 
Dr. C, Dan Bowdoin 
Secretary 
State Department of 
Public Health, Atlanta 
N. Baxter Maddox 
Treasurer 
First National Bank 
Atlanta 
Executive Secretary 
Mrs. Charles D, Center 
Room State Office Building 
Atlanta, G-eorgia HEADQUARTERS FOURTH SERVICE COMMAND 
OFFICE OF THE COMMANDING GENERAL 
CGS/eh 
Post Office Building 
Atlanta, Georgia 
February 27, 19^3* 
Dr. Thomas A. Storey, Special Consultant, 
American Social Hygiene Association, 
Georgian Terrace Hotel, 
Atlanta, Georgia. 
Dear Dr. Storey: 
Inclosed herewith is a copy of Colonel Souder1s 
paper which was presented at the Regional Conference 
on February 3> which has been approved for publi- 
cation in the American Social Hygiene Association Journal. 
When granting approval for publication of this 
paper The Surgeon General’s Office requested that the 
Librarian of the Army Medical Library be notified by 
letter promptly when the article is published, giving 
the name of the journal, the title of the paper, and the 
date of publication. If reprints are furnished, they 
requested that one be forwarded to the Librarian for 
deposit in the reprint file of the Army Medical Library, 
Sincerely yours, 
Elizabeth Henderson 
Secretary to Colonel Souder. 
1 THE HEALTH OF THE ARMY 
AND 
PROBLEMS IN SOCIAL HYGIENE 
Ghas. G. Souder, Colonel, Medical Corps 
February 3> 19*+3 
2 Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, the Medical Department of 
the Army is appreciative of this opportunity to discuss v/ith you matters 
pertaining to the health of our troops. Doubtless many of you have near 
relatives in the service. An attempt will he made to tell you briefly of 
the provisions which the Array has set up for the medical care of our 
soldiers. Also, it is hoped that there can be pointed out to you things 
which your organization may be able to do which should prove of great 
assistance in the preservation of the health of our men. 
In a civilian community the officials thereof as a whole give 
but slight attention to matters concerning the health of the citizens; 
this is left to the consideration of Health Departments and physicians. 
Many times Health Officers experience great difficulty in impressing the 
need for health work upon municipal and state authorities. In a military 
organization the interest of all officers in the health of the command 
is theoretically, and in most instances practically, very great. This 
is true because a military unit which is depleted by illness or injury 
is not well fitted for training or for combat. Military commanders of 
every grade are fully responsible for all matters pertaining to the health 
of their commands; the Medical Officers who are their advisers are re- 
sponsible for pointing out to commanders the sanitary defects which 
lead to illness, and for recommending procedures which will keep the 
health of the command at its best. 
An Army f or the most part is made up of young men. Among these 
chronic disabling illness seldom occurs. The physically unfit have been 
excluded from the ranks through careful physical examinations given at the 
time of entrance into military service. During the present emergency a 
very high percentage of the Selective Service registrants have been found 
physically defective, Unfortunately, because of the great demand for man- 
power, we are now faced with the necessity of taking into the service many 
people who are not qualified for full military duty. We will have to fight 
this war with an Array, many of the members of which are not physically up 
to par, and therefore, not fully qualified to withstand the effects of 
insanitary situations they will meet in the war areas or even in the camps 
where they are being trained. The medical attention required, in order 
that a part of these men may be rehabilitated to that extent which will 
fit them more nearly for military service greatly increases the demands 
upon our medical facilities. Soldiers new to the service are highly 
susceptible to communicable disease and even those who are entirely 
physically fit and who may have been hardened by a long period of training, 
still are high susceptible to many of the diseases commonly associated 
v/ith military life, 
\ 
All of the wans of history up until the time of the Franco- 
Prussian War have been accompanied by large outbreaks of contagious 
diseases. These have occurred in the civilian as well as in the military 
populations, and many times in the past epidemics of disease have seriously 
threatened the successful outcome of campaigns and have in not a few 
instances entirely thwarted the objectives of great military commanders. 
During the Franco-Prussian War the German Army used vaccination 
against smallpox with very great succdsss. This was the first notable 
instance of the application of a disease prevention measure to a large 
y military force. The experiences of the American Army (during the Spanish- 
American War and of the English Army during the Boer War lead to very 
great advances in the control of diseases which are spread through food 
and water and hy means of flies. The advances thus gained gave great 
impetus to military sanitation in all its phases. At the present time 
we feel sure that our Army never again will experience more than the small- 
est epidemic of typhoid fever, nor do we feel that typhus fever will 
seriously interfere with our military campaigns. We may, however, he 
faced with serious problems in connection with Bubonic plague, yellow 
fever and malaria. During military operations such as those which we 
are now conducting overseas, many communicable diseases are controllable 
only with greatest difficulty. Satisfactory means for the prevention 
and spread of many diseases which pass from person to person through 
contact have not been developed, and with some of these we may experience 
serious trouble. We all have in our minds the possibility of a repetition 
of the influenza epidemic of 1918, and we are not sure that we have control 
measures which would be successful in the event that this disease made 
its appearance. 
Doctors are required for the Army at the rate of six and one- 
half per thousand strength. Other members of the Medical Deparitoent, 
nurses, dentists, veterinarians, and enlisted personnel, are provided 
in appropria/be numbers. The Army is now becoming so large as seriously 
to deplete the numbers of doctors and nurses essential to the care of 
the civilian population. Statements have been made that the Army is 
using too many doctors and nurses and is using those it has inappropriately. 
The Army has set up its plan for medical service on the basis of exper- 
ience in former wans, and. on its peacetime experience, and, of course, 
has made allowances to some extent for the unexpected, such as the 
appearance of epidemics of disease. Had it not done so, and the medical 
service been crippled by lack of personnel, in the event an epidemic 
appeared, then who are so critical of our apparent freedom in the 
use of doctors would have been the first to assail us for failure to pro- 
vide adequate medical attention, 
A good many of our doctors are used on duties which are not 
strictly professional. That is, they are used, in administrative capacities. 
It is necessary that this be done because the oversight and management of 
medical service cannot be entrusted to persons basically unacquainted with 
the medical requirements and military procedure. In every place that v/e 
can do so, such as in the oversight of strictly clerical work, the manage- 
ment of nesses, the distribution of supplies, the execution of many details 
of sanitation, the work is carried on by Medical Department personnel other 
than doctors. 
It seems wasteful to many people that the doctors assigned to 
combat units are not used more freely in strictly professional work. This 
criticism arises from a complete misunderstanding of the medical needs 
during combat. This combat service must be carried, on by persons highly 
skilled in the work. It cannot be haphazard in any respect, but must fit 
smoothly into the plan for battle. Troops in combat must be freed from 
their sick and wounded with the utmost promptness, for humanitarian reasons 
and in order that those who have become incapacitated maybe given the best 
medical attention at the earliest possible moment. To do otherwise is 
exceedingly wasteful of human life. By prompt removal of the wounded from 
the battle-field, and the application of satisfactory treatment, a very high percentage of wounded may he returned to combat at an early date. 
This makes possible an enormous saving in trained manpower and avoids 
feeding into the combat forces a constant stream of inexperienced soldiers. 
During the first World War the British, American, and German Armies were 
able to return over 60$ of their wounded to combat. 
Our present plans will provide the most expert medical and 
surgical attention very near the battlefronts, and will get the wounded 
to satisfactory places for treatment within a very short time after the 
receipt of their wounds. In order that this may be done the medical 
troops in combat must carry on their work with the utmost efficiency. 
Therefore, during the training period they must acquire accurate know- 
ledge and experience in the operation of our medical facilities. They 
cannot be diverted from this combat training and put to work in our 
hospitals caring for the normal sick and injured. Were we to do this 
we would return to the haphazard medical attention afforded the Armies 
of aJl nations prior to the time of our Civil War, and were we to do 
this we v/ould again be assailed by those who are now so critical of the 
use we make of doctors. 
The health of the present Army has been unusually good. In this 
area we have had no epidemics of disease except to a localized and minor 
extent. During the earljf part of we had a very large number of men 
in hospitals. Thewe patients were suffering chiefly from mild influenza 
and pneumonia. The period of excessive hospitalization did not last 
long. During the early part of I9U2 the amount of such illness was very 
small, and, in fact, its incidence did not exceed that of the peacetime 
Army. Until within the last few months we have had but a small amount 
of meningitis. During January v/e have had a considerably larger number 
of cases of this dises.se than v/e had during the previous two years and 
there has been a rathdr sharp rise in the case fatality ra.te, However, 
the present occurrence of meningitis is of much less consequence in this 
area than it was during the years 191? and 1918. Even though there was 
widespread poliomyelitis in the civilian population of the Southern States 
in 19*4-1, the Army had but few cases. Pneumonia is present all of the time 
and v/e have had a large number of patients ill with this disease. How- 
ever, thanks to modern methods of treatment, the deaths from pneumonia 
now number only about 1,5$ of those attacked in contrast with 25$ of those 
attached twenty-five years ago. Malaria is endemic throughout most of 
the Southeastern States and it was fully expected that the Army would 
have large numbers of patients with this disease. This has not been the 
case. The number of patients has been exceedingly small, 
I should like now to talk with you frankly about a group of 
diseases which give rise to more trouble in the Army than anything else, 
the venereal diseases. This is done in the hope that the many activities 
of your widespread organization may bring to bear that influence which 
v/ill assist us in the solution of this problem. 
During the year* 19*42 we had in this Service Command approxi- 
mately 37*000 cases of venereal disease; 15$ of then syphilis, 75$ gonorrhea. We have, of course, a large number of colored troops and these contri- 
bute a. large proportion of our cases, hut the number of cases among white 
troops is very large indeed. The sources of these diseases are entirely 
beyond direct military control and for their eradication we must depend 
upon civilian action. Our soldiers are well informed as to the nature 
of and dangers from venereal disease, and as to methods for their preven- 
tion; however, when they are freed from camp restrictions and encounter 
the moral laxity and civic carelessness with respect to prostitution so 
widely prevalent in many of your communities, they quietly forget all 
they have been taught. 
The civilian communities in these seven Southeastern States 
have not responded promptly and freely to the Army’s request for suppres- 
sion of prostitution. In every instance we have met with resistance 
rather than a free and open acceptance of the idea that the suppression 
of prostitution is important to the control of venereal disease. In 
two communities it has been necessary to bring Federal lav/ into operation 
and we believe that the operation of this law will have to be made more 
extensive throughout the Command, Why any community should countenance 
prostitution, either clandestine or commercial, with all its attendant 
cv*ils, is difficult to understand. 
There is a problem of morale here, both civilian and military. 
Emphasis on this matter appears in the recent publication of Dr, John H, 
Stokes of Philadelphia.* Dr. Stokes is eminently known to the medical 
profession, and his statements in this connection are entitled to atten- 
tive consideration. Dr. Stokes says in part - 
"We are confronting a morale problem in this war that has 
important and serious elements of difference from the last. Scientific 
discoveries may and in fact are already enhancing the effect of a general 
loosening up of sex standards. As evidence of the loosening v/e witness 
a shift of the infection source from professional prostitute to casual 
which has delayed and even defeated the approach to control at a number 
of important points. We find the girl friend or pickup performing her 
uncertain offices without cost, which confounds the police attack on 
prostitution; and we find among women and girls of the most unexpected 
types an almost avid desire to show the boys a good time. Solicitation 
seems to be climbing to unheard of proportions in many cities, and the 
dating mechanism developed during peace is superfunctioning in tine of 
war. Some peculiarities of our national effort are important too. We 
are concentrating troops overwhelmingly in the South, in areas where both 
white and colored races have a phenomenally high incidence of venereal 
disease. The color line is thinning, drawing on the Negro reservoir of 
infection, the highest in the country. Transportation has done things 
to a peripheral cantonment control which worked in the last war but is 
far less • effective in this. The population as well as the armed forces 
is on the move, and civilians, equally with the soldier and sailor, are 
1 PROBLEMS IN THE APPLICATION OF RECENT SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES TO THE 
WARTIME CONTROL OF VENEREAL DISEASE, John H. Stokes, M. D., J.A.M.A., 
Vol. 120, No. lU, p.1093, Dec. 5, 19^2, 
6 swept into the morale wrecking effects of change, break-up of home and 
stabilizing influences, loneliness, unrest. Liquor has been less effective- 
ly dealt with, later in the game, than in the last war. And now scientific 
discovery, the one day cure of the maligned but often effective fear pro- 
ducting deterrents of disease, is knocking the props out from under our 
platform,11 
Formal commercialized prostitution, organized on a big business 
basis, was not particularly prevalent in the Southeast, rnd has been pretty 
well removed. Amateur and clandestine prostitution is highly prevalent. 
The girls engaged in this activity are young, many of them being between 
fourteen and seventeen years of age. Quite a number of them have left 
their homes in a spirit of adventure, many of them because of poor economic 
conditions, and because of situations which are unpleasant for a number 
of reasons. Better working conditions for girls with better financial 
returns would do much to keep many of them away from prostitution. There 
is no doubt that many of them coould be trained for industry and their 
productiveness added to the war effort. 
The Array is able to secure information a.s to the cities and 
towns in which venereal diseases have been acquired. These places range 
in population from small villages to large cities, and, of course, are 
scattered over all the country. The eight cities where most cases of 
venereal disease were reported as having been acquired in the South- 
eastern States during the first eleven months of were Columbus, 
Jacksonville, Atlanta, Fayetteville, Savannah, Macon, Columbia, and 
Augusta, Four of these cities you will note are in the State of Georgia, 
and these four cities were responsible for of the infections acquired 
in the fifteen leading cities of the Southeast. For the months of October 
and November of last year Atlanta lead all other cities in the Southeast 
as a source of venereal disease. No other city in the Southeast approached 
Atlanta, except Birmingham, Our soldiers flock to the cities for recreation, 
and it is in mr cities that the greatest effort must be directed toward 
the control of clandestine prostitution. 
Among 19,000 reported sources of infection in the first ten 
months of records show that over 20$ were acquired in Georgia. 
Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida accounted for over 5O71° °f the cases. 
All men examined for Selective Service, and many of those who 
volunteered for service, have had their blood tested to determine whether 
or not they have syphilis. During the period November 1, to August 
31, there were 1,955*823 such examinations of whites and negroes. 
Syphilis was found to be present at the rate of U6 men in each thousand. 
The rate for negroes was 2U5* that for whites 18, In the Fourth Service 
Command, that is the seven Southeastern States, the total rate was 128 
men per thousand. Among negroes the rate was 2J7 and among whites 
The negro rate in these states was the highest in the country and the white 
rate was second to and but vdry slightly lower than that in the South- 
western States. The lowest rates were experienced in Wisconsin, New 
Hampshire, North Dakota, and Utah. One of the charts which has been given yon shows the relative 
occurrence of syphilis among selectees and volunteers in the forty-eight 
states and the District of Columbia. Please note that the Southeastern 
States occupy the top position in this diagram. The comparative standing 
of the states in this area is alarming in that it indicates the enormity 
of the reservoir of syphilis with which our soldiers have contact. It 
can he assumed in all fairness that the situation with respect to gonorrhea 
is of vastly larger magnitude. In these seven Southeastern States the 
concentration of troops is much greatbr than elsewhere in the nation. You 
have but to realize the contiguity of the great mass of venereal disease 
and the large number of soldiers in order to understand that the Army is 
particularly anxious that civilian communities enforce measures for the 
suppression of prostitution and set up facilities for the detection and 
treatment of venereal disease. 
The second chart shows the relative prevalence of syphilis, 
white and colored, in the states of this Service Command, Venereal 
disease is much more prevalent among the negroes but is by no means small 
in the white population, and the responsibility of your citizens cannot 
logically be eva.ded by relying on a belief that the problem is more im- 
portantly one pertaining to the negro race. It is doubtful that you can 
conscientiously remain averse to the fact that syphilis is more prevalent 
in your states than elsewhere in the country. You should acquaint your- 
selves with the venereal disease control programs which your communities 
are carrying on and aid these programs in every way possible. In the 
event you find no such activity present you should at once set about 
seeing that such is properly initiated, organized, and prosecuted, 
I wish to thank you for the opportunity of speaking to you, 
A little bit has been told you about the health of the Army which it is 
hoped will be instrumental in having you believe that your soldiers are 
being well cared for medically. This, undoubtedly, is true to a greater 
extent than ever in the history of our Army. An effort has been made 
also to elicit your interest in bringing about a solution of the most 
serious disease problem with which the Army has to deal. There is every 
reason to believe that the efforts of an intelligent body of people, such 
as constitute this audience, can go far toward removal of this menace to 
the welfare of our troops. R/.TE PER 1000 TESTED - COLORED 
RATE PER 1000 TESTED - WHITE 
SYPHILIS 
SELECTEES AND VOLUNTEERS 
Based on serologic tests of 
164,860 white, 106,114 colored 
Southeastern States 
NOV. 1,1940—HUg. 31,1941 
From records of U.S.P.H.S. 
9 SYPHILIS 
SELECTEES AND VOLUNTEERS 
Based on serologic tests of 
2,159,139 white and colored 
United States 
Nov. 1,1940 — Aug.31,1941 
From records of U.S.P.H.S. Address of Rear Admiral 
George D. Murray, Chief of 
Naval Air Intermediate Training 
Command, Pensacola, Fla,, Before 
the Regional Social Hygiene 
Conference, 
Biltmore Hotel, February 3r&» 
Atlanta, Georgia., 
"CIVILIAN LIFE AND THE SOCIAL HEALTH OF THE AIR FORCES'* 
I am very glad to appear 'before this Association. It represents 
a group of patriotic Americans who are performing a valuable service for 
the civilian and military population of our country. The control of 
venereal disease is a matter of the utmost general importance, hut quite 
naturally I am most concerned with the venereal disease problem as it 
affects our Navy, and it is this aspect of the problem that I would like 
to discuss with you today. 
The Naval Commander, whether he be leading a Task Force or com- 
manding an Aviation Training Center, is always aware that the performance 
of his mission may be adversely affected by the loss of manpower due to 
disea.se, because many a campaign has been attended by more casualties 
from disease than from bullets. The Naval Commander must rely on medi- 
cine, and more specifically preventive medicine, to maintain his crfw 
at the maximum of physical efficiency. 
With regard to venereal diseases, it has become theoretically 
possible, I am told, to practically abolish then by means of modern 
diagnostic methods and treatment. It goes without saying thaf such a 
possibility is very attractive to military authorities. 
However, the organizational and other problems involved in this 
fight against venereal disease are not simple and are not solely within 
the province of the military. There are only certain measures that the 
military authorities can institute and other complementing ones, the civil 
authorities must effect. This conference is a good opportunity to dis- 
cuss: (l) what ha.s been done; (2) what requires improvement, and (3) what 
new steps, if any, should be undertaken. 
As early as 1939* the War and Navy Departments, the U. S. Public 
Health Service, and the State Health Departments entered into a broad 
eight-point agreement designed to insure the over-all success of the 
venereal disease control program. The respective duties of the contract- 
ing parties are so comprehensively outlined that, if strictly followed, 
they wo\ild inevitably produce a good result. For its part in the task, 
the Navy has trained certain medical officers whose sole function is 
venereal disease control, and these officers have been allocated to 
stations where large numbers of men are in training. 
More specifically, the Navy undertakes the following: 
1, It provides prompt and complete care for the venereally diseased person. We well understand that speed in discovering the in- 
fectious case and speed in instituting treatment are of prime importance 
in controlling venereal contagion. 
The greatest effort is made to achieve this end, both with 
respect to diagnostic and therapeutic measures. Impromptu examinations 
are made for the detection of unreported cases. The educational program 
includes regular lectures and talks and a direct appeal to the men to report 
infection and obtain prompt treatment. These are fixed policies of the 
Navy, 
2, Hand in hand with treatment goes the effort to discover 
the source of infection. We are v/ise enough these days to know that it 
is as important to destroy the source of infection as to treat the estab- 
lished case. Venereal disease control officers take contact histories from 
infected subjects end cooperate with civil authorities in locating and clean- 
ing up the sources of infection. We try to prevent infecting the civil popu- 
lation by prompt treatment and by quarantine until the danger of infection 
is over. But an infected civil population is a constant menace to military 
personnel, and the cleaning up of this most important link of the vicious 
cycle of contagion would be ? boon to everybody, 
3. Education in venereal prophylaxis and provision for pro- 
phylactic treatments are other measures vigorously employed by the Navy, 
Every now and then it is urged by well-intentioned persons that such in- 
formation and such free offering of preventive facilities stimulates 
promiscuity. 
We are not blind to moral issues, but we are realistic. 
Prophylactic information is not given to the exclusion of advice on, and 
urging of, abstention from promiscuous sexual exposure. Indeed, all 
activities concerning prophylaxis are admixed with advice pointing out the 
benefits of avoiding infection. Undoubtedly, a percentage of the personnel 
are beneficially influenced thereby. But we do not take the narrow attitude 
that venereal disease is the wages of sin and must be borne. This is not 
to say that we have no penalties for the c?.cquisition of venereal disease. 
We do maintain a misconduct status. There is a penalty of time and money 
lost while on the sick list for venereal disease, and the more subtle penalty 
of recording the infection on the service record. 
U. The official policy of the Navy as regards prostitution is 
uncompromising repression. We are thoroughly convinced tha.t no system of 
regulation, leglization, connivance, or the slightest tolerance of this 
practice is wise or efficacious. Aside from the moral offensiveness nf any 
police-regulated, medically inspected system, this system has always proved 
an eventual failure wherever and whenever it has been tried, 
5. The provision of recreative and sublimative station activi- 
ties for military personnel is attempted, wherever possible. No one is so 
naive as to think that human lust can be completely abated by ping-pong; but 
sports, reading, movies, etc., do cut the total incidence rate of sex exposure. 
This enumeration is not the whole story of the military effort 
against venereal disease. Each item and activity has a further elaboration 
in actual operation that cannot easily be explained. It is sufficient to say that additionally there is a continuous augmentation of effort from a day-to- 
day consciousness of what venereal disease means to the whole country. 
- Now, let us look on another aspect of this picture. What are civil 
authorities contributing to the venereal disease control effort, and how suffi- 
cient is it? In most discussions of the venereal disease control program by 
civilian authorities there is a tendency to consider the job as primarily be- 
longing to the military, I should like to present the view that the opx/osite 
is in fact the case; i.e., that the civil job is the more important, both with 
respect to immediate and future benefits. Moreover, if well done, it is the 
more effective. 
Consider the following facts: In peacetime, the military popu- 
lation is small. A large percentage of the personnel are earnest, hard-working 
career men. Many are married and the heads of families. Consequently, a very 
small program and few facilities suffice for venereal disease control. With 
the onset of war and mobilization, there is a sudden, tremendous aggravation 
of the problem without an established procedure to handle the situation. 
Prostitutes gather around the larger stations. At the same time, the military 
authorities are beset with the need to do firt things first; i.e,, train the 
officers and men, gather arms and equipment, plan the offensives, etc. And 
another thing, the new men come from the civil population, where education in 
matters relating to venereal disease has probably never been effectively 
presented. 
With this in mind, can it be that while the war is being wa&ed, the 
problem of controlling venereal disease should be in greatest measure the 
military concern? That is a mistake, for the additional reason that if civil 
authorities wash their hands of the problem, it will surely return to them in 
a more serious form than ever when the war is over and won (as it will be). 
The greater portion of the present military personnel v/ill resume civil pur- 
suits; and if a. large fraction of them is infected, the care and the long-term 
evils of their infection v/ill become a civil concern. Every community that 
evades responsibility in this regard now will be the worse for it later. 
Another word about what the civil population presents us by way 
of men and milieu. Shown below is a chart of the nation according to the 
prevalence of syphilis in the draftee population. 
RATE PEP 1,000 
6,6 - Ik.3 
15.0 - 29.9 
30.0 - 59.9 
60,0 - 99.9 
100.0 - 171.5 
Montana 
Washington 
California 
Arizona 
Louisiana 
Idaho 
Oregon 
N, Mexico 
Arkansas 
Mississippi 
Utah 
Wyoming 
Missouri 
Tennessee 
Georgia 
Minnesota 
Colorado • 
Indiana 
N.Carolina 
Florida 
Vermont 
Pennsylvania! 
West Va. 
Maryland 
S.Carolina 
Mass. 
New Jersey 
Nevada 
Texas 
Conn. 
Kansas 
Oklahoma 
Kentucky 
N, Dakota 
Iowa 
Illinois 
Virginia 
S. Dakota 
Michigan 
Ohio 
Alabama 
Nebraska 
New York 
Delaware 
Wisconsin 
Maine 
New Hampshire 
Rhode Island 
Rates per thousand for two million selectees blood tested 
for syphilis, corrected 
for age, race and residence within each state; reports received Nov. through 
August, - 
(Rates for Idaho, Kentucky, 
Oregon, and Vermont are not corrected/ This conference would seem to be held almost in the geographic center of the 
most diseased section of the country. Let us not seek extenuating circum- 
stances, That is the situation. To me, this points a moral, a lesson, and 
a direction of cure. 
The solution, of course, is for both the military and civil 
authorities to be intensely, continuously, and cooperatively active in 
managing and in prosecuting every phase of the venereal disease control pro- 
gram. Everybody is aware that civil agencies are doing a great deal in 
combating venereal diseases. Health departments are treating gra.tis all 
infected persons who come to them spontaneously, or who can be discovered, 
persuaded, or compelled to come to them. The extent of this case finding, 
case holding, rnd therapeutic effort is great, even if somewhat irregular 
and insufficient in some places. Law enforcement agencies have promised the 
strictest observance of existing laws and in many instances have made notable 
records; but sometimes a verbal sincerity has been substituted for the real 
thing. In some places, laws for the abatement of prostitution are insuffi- 
cient, and public health regulations are below the requirements of the modern 
age. It evidently behooves local, county, and state governmental units to 
tighten up their administrative and executive work, to employ existing laws 
fully and enact needed legislation where none exists, to make this critically 
essential work a success. 
Another point. I am further advised by the Medical Department 
anri its experts on epidemiology and statistics that venereal disease rates, 
even when low, are nothing to get complacent about. A static rate, even if 
satisfactory by comparison with figures of the last war, or of a decade ago, 
or even of last year, is not a healthy situation. Static rates only swing 
upward. Without being Utopian, it is urged that the rate be kept constantly 
falling; and if it approaches zero, so much the better. It is like war; 
stalemate is defeat. 
In consequence of this, military commands are constantly hammering 
away at activities that' favor the spread of venereal disease. They want a 
continuous offensive against the source of infection. 
Eor instance, take the simple matter of requests to place civilian 
businesses like hotels, taverns, etc., out of bounds. There is a great reluc- 
tance on the part of the Service to interfere with the economy and local 
management of regions abutting upon Naval reservations. We lean over back- 
wards to avoid this. But we cannot be pushed too far. We have been compelled 
to protect the war effort in this regard in isolated instances by invoking 
the May Act, which is virtually a vast “out of bounds’1 procedure. So that, 
even with the best cooperative will in the world, it sometimes becomes neces- 
sary to take drastic action. 
Again, we are frequently urged by 11 holier than thou” outsiders 
to restrict the liberty and movement of our men off duty. It is true that 
some commands have cut their venereal disease rates to practically nothing 
by virtually quarantining or restricting to the station all but a very small 
percentage of their personnel. We are. not in favor of this because such 
isolation from the everyday affairs of civil life is not good for the morale 
of all concerned, nor fair to sober, moderate men. Many of our men are married 
and have families, and the Navy shows no favoritism in conferring tasks or "benefits. It "becomes impossible under the circumstances to restrict the 
liberty of any men when the daily demands of duty are over and well done. 
Of course, the sex appeal of sailors is something to conjure with. But 
one must be reasonable with restriction. We ask the civilian population 
to provide a wholesoneness of social diversion, because these are the nation’s 
men. 
Let us then resolve to apply what we already know and to co~ 
operate as wholeheartedly for the defeat of venereal disease as for the 
defeat of our other enemies. Remarks "by 
Major Harold J. Gordon, M,C., 
Lawson General Hospital, 
Medical Dept,, Replacement Pool, 
presented during discussion led 
by Captain Bertram Grosbeck, Jr., 
M,C., United States Navy, 
Chief Medical Officer, Pensacola,Pla., 
at the Southeastern Regional Conference 
on Social Hygiene, at the Biltmore Hotel, 
Atlanta, Georgia, February 3rd, I9U3. 
Major Harold J. Gordon, M.C., Lawson General Hospital, Medical 
Department Replacement Pool, in'.discussion cited Steubenville, Ohio, as 
a city which furnished a model of action for any community which wished 
to repress prostitution. Its action was: 
(1) A determination of the health commissioner to takie action. 
(2) The acceptance of his advice by the mayor. 
(3) Instructions by the mayor to the chief of police, and 
the selling of the program by the mayor to local judges and prosecutors. 
(U) Action; 
(a) The nadanes were notified that all houses were to close 
and stay closed. Most of these accepted the dictum. 
(b) Two madames who tried to "cheat” were tried and sentenced 
to a year each, 
(c) All of the less hardened prostitutes were slated for 
rehabilitation; a. few of the older ones, considered hopeless, were ordered 
out and told to stay out. 
(d) Those slated for rehabilitation were carefully examined 
and such as needed treatment were given it, 
(e) The chief of police interviewed each one to determine 
whether or not the background and present attitude was such as to make 
it probable that an opportunity at proper employment would be acceptable, 
(o The health commissioner and the chief of police went 
to defense management, vouched for the girls, and secured employment for 
£|hem, 
(g) Reports received some months later showed that these 
girls worked as well as and gave no more trouble on the average than the 
usual defense female worker, 
(h) Prostitutes from other communities, hearing of this plan, 
came to Steubenville and asked assistance in getting out of the racket and 
into legitimate employment, 
(i) Continuous follow-up by the police in finding indivi- 
duals reported as contacts and in assisting in getting recalcitrants under 
treatment has kept the city as clean as an industrial community can be. Also nentioned was the fact that the majority of infections 
today cone from "good girls with had habits and good hoys with had 
habits”. The correction of this condition is along range program, 
based upon a correct appreciation of the need for guiding biological 
impulses: 
(X) There are three powerful biological urges of nan: 
(a) The urge to keep alive an an individual 
(b) The urge to keep the species alive, 
(c) The urge to better oneself spiritually which 
distinguishes man from the lower animals, 
(2) The first and third of these urges get guidance from 
birth in well regulated families, - from parents, teachers, physicians 
and the clergy. 
(3) The second urge, that of keeping the species alive, has 
been almost totally neglected in our modern economy. Therefore, sexual 
promiscuity has been fostered through ignorance of young people with 
regard to sex. It is essential that proper guidance in sexual control 
be incorporated in the training which young people get in caring for 
their physical and spiritual well-being. Address given by the 
Honorable Alan Johnstone, 
General Counsel, Federal 
Works Agency, Washington, 
D, C., before the Southeastern 
Regional Conference at the 
Biltraore Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia, 
February 3» 19^3» 
THE LAW AFT) SOCIAL HYGIENE 
As I came to your great city of Atlanta today to take part in 
this meeting I thought hack twenty five years. Just that long ago I 
was sent here hy the Government to attack the same problem that we 
consider now. We were at war then as we are today. Then, as now, the 
venereal diseases were the greatest cause of disability in the armed 
forces. 
This plague came to the army from civil life. The army cured 
its soldiers. It taught them the truth about these scourges. It com- 
batted false standards of conduct and health. Men learned to respect 
their bodies and to think of their future wives and children. I heard 
a great Commander of that day - Leonard Wood - say, "Do not think of 
these men in uniform as anything less than the best you have got, and 
they will rise to the level of your opinion," Under the leadership of 
two great War Ministers, Baker and Daniels, America organized the cleanest, 
fittest army and navy the world had ever known. And after peace the 
services kept up their fight for fitness so that in 1939 the venereal ra,te 
of the Army reached the all time low of JO per thousand per year or 3 
per hundred per annum. The military authorities made great strides. And 
so did the civil population - but not so great. When the war clouds 
gathered again and men came to the army from civil life the rate increased 
by more than 25$ to U2,5 per thousand per year. Since then it has de- 
clined and is still declining as military and civil action has quickened. 
We did not finish the last way. We won the war but lost the peace. 
This nation had a new birth of freedom in 1917“’ 181 When the tumult and 
the shouting died our exaltation passed away] We became "practical" in 
the twenties and returned to "normalcy". We forgot our idealism and 
sought to gdt rich. After the debauch of that decade cane the headache. 
After the joy ride the crash] The great depression came in the thirties, 
a depression of money and of mind and spirit. In agony we survived it. 
And a.s we entered the forties we faced war again - the unfinished war 
that threatens freedom everywhere and holds in peril the life of this 
nation. We need all our strength to wage it. Our armed forces are the 
cutting edge of our sword. The civil population is the mass of steel 
that gives strength and rigidity to the blade. 
I speak: of the role of the law in the eradication of these plagues. 
The law is the expression of the public opinion and conscience of the 
people. For a hundred years and until well after the turn of the present 
century we derived our opinion and schooled our conscience on sex morality 
and hygiene from two great characters in modern history. They were 
Napoleon Bonaparte and Queen Victoria, Napoleon was a great Commander and a great lawyer. He conquered 
Europe and dictated the Code Napoleon - the finest re-statement of the 
Roman or Civil law. But in sex he took counsel of his lust. And on 
the hygiene of sex he surrendered his great mind to a complete fallacy. 
He said that there wan a sex necessity in men which made promiscuity 
inevitable and he formalized the double standard of sex morality. He 
established a system of public toleration and regulation of prostitu- 
tion with medical inspection and certification of prostitutes. The 
first doctrine de-moralized modern France. The second poisoned its 
blood stream. When Abraham Plexner and Raymond Fosdick published their 
scientific studies on Prostitution and Police Systems in Europe, they 
showed what havoc the Napoleonic system had wrought on the police, the 
courts and the public health. And at the second battle of the Marne when 
Prance nearly fell in the first world war she had more soldiers in hos- 
pital from venereal infection than from battle wounds. 
Victoria was a woman of great strength of character. She 
established a great commonwealth of nations in which the humanities 
played an important if not the dominant role. She respected order and 
enforced it. So great was her respect for order and for decency that 
when disorder appeared that she could not conveniently correct she ignored 
it. When indecency occurred that baffled her administration she con- 
vinced herself that it did not exist. Influenced by these attitudes 
we established a public silence on these great scourges and spoke their 
names only in whispers, 
Napoleon’s system was seductive. It was thought to be smart to 
believe in it, Victoria’s attitude was smug and comfortable. Under it 
we cleansed ourselves by simply ignoring the dirt. 
We embraced both systems. We rjassed laws to satisfy our Victorian 
ideas. We failed to enforce them to satisfy our Napoleonic complex. And 
so when Lord Bryce examined our institutions and wrote his critique on 
municipal government he exposed the rot at the core of our great cities. 
Organized vice was so intrenched that it was big business. Public offi- 
cials who had the courage to expose it and to suppress it had to run the 
gauntlet. They were blamed by good people for stirring up scandal. They 
were attacked by the underworld in the political forum. Some of then 
were actually indicted in the courts for doing their plain duty. 
I call to mind Atlanta's great police chief James L. Beavers. 
He was indicted here for smashing the red light district. He might have 
been convicted but for the courage .and sagacity of his counsel James Key. 
That Beavers was vindicated and Key was elevated to the Mayoralty is a 
tribute to the good sense and decency of this city. 
We have corns a long way in a quarter of a century. Almost uni- 
versally we have repudiated false notions and outgrown prudery. In the 
administration of Theodore Roosevelt we attache- the interstate and inter- 
national traffic in women and children. The Mann Act caught some innocent 
people but it brought consternation to the ponderer, the procurer and the 
corrupt official. Out states have all passed modern laws for the repression 
19- of prostitution. I iiritnassed the passage of the first one in Georgia in 
1918, It has sone defects hut it is a good statute. 
Of the lh states where the laws are adequate one is in the south- 
east. It is North Carolina, 
Of the 8 additional states where laws are ad.equate except as against 
the nale customers of prostitutes, 2 are in the southeast. They are South 
Carolina and Mississippi. 
Of the 21 additional states where laws are fairly adequate against 
prostitutes and their exploiters 6 afe in the Southeast. They are Alabama, 
Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee and Virginia. 
While these laws represent great advance in public opinion there 
are 8 states in this region in which repair work is needed in the legis- 
lature, The "irecise steps which should be taken are well known. Further 
advance should be made in this legislative year. Each of us should inform 
himself on the need in his state and see that it is net. 
The Congress too has been a.lert to protect the armed forces 
against vicious influences and disease. In it passed the May Act. 
Under its authority the Secretaries of War and Navy may prescribe a zone 
around military and naval establishments in which the keeping of brothels 
or vicious practices violate the federal law. It is a sound statute, But 
a. curious policy has developed with respect to it. The War and Navy De- 
partments have announced that the federal statute will be invoked only 
wjien state action under state law fails. True this is a challenge to the 
states but it means danger to the armed forces. The May Act has been 
invoked in but two places, parts of Tennessee and North Carolina, The 
underworld has no respect for this Alphonse-Gaston attitude. In many 
places where state action has failed, federal action has not been swift 
and sure. I suggest that the May Act should be universally invoked. 
Enforcement of state laws except in spots is fairly good. It can 
be improved. Constant vigilence here as in every place of danger is the 
price of safety. 
Let me be emphatic if not dogmatic. 
The Venereal diseases are first threats to our safety. 
They can be controlled. 
They are spread by prostitution and promiscuity. 
Men and women who exploit the weakness of their fellows and profit 
from this filthy business are common outlaws and ought to be stopped in 
their tracks. 
Toleration and attempts at regulation have uniformally failed. 
However pitiful the victims of this ttraffic they should be 
apprehended, treated and cured. We quarantine for smallpox. How follish to allow carriers of 
the big pox to roam at large. 
The human rights and public safety involved in the enforcement 
of these laws demand the attention of the best minds in the legal pro- 
fession and among our public servants. 
Our police and our courts need the support of an informed and 
antive public opinion. 
The Southeast is a great military training area. The camp and 
station commanders need the help of the civilian communities, A soldier 
and a sailor are precious fighting units. They must not be disabled 
from community neglect. 
We are getting ahead with the war. But we need all our strength 
to win it. 
In the issue lies all that we have. 
Our men are dying on land, on sea and in the air. But, God rest 
their souls, x’reedom is living] 
We shall need all our sagacity and force to secure the peace. 
The well springs of the race must not be polluted. 
Our liberties are dear to us. Our destiny in the world is great. 
The President has said that this generation has a rendezvous with 
destiny. 
We must not fail that rendezvous. Address of Assistant Director 
Hugh H. Clegg of F, B. I. 
before the Regional Social 
Hygiene Conference, 
Biltmore Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia, 
February 3, 19^3* 
NOT LAWS ALONE 
It is a pleasure to "be here, I am glad that I can come as an 
humble representative of the staff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation 
and bring to you a message of greetings from the Director of the FBI, the 
Honorable John Edgar Hoover, We are glad that you have an interest in 
our problems. We are glad that you recognize that our problems of law 
enforcement and internal security are also your problems, and your co- 
operation and the cooperation of all citizens is essential for the 
successful operations of the FBI. It is not by laws alone that law 
enforcement can succeed. It is not law alone which will make successful 
the intelligence operations on the Horae Front, There must first be the 
indomitable will of the people, accompanied by the cooperation of all 
our citizens, in order for efficient law enforcement organizations to 
do their jobs. 
In this country we do not have, and we would not tolerate, a 
Gestapo. Domestic servants are not sent into our homes to spy upon 
conversations between husband and wife and family members, nor would 
we tolerate spies in our churches or assembly places or our schools in 
order to determine if any spoken word or deed is critical of any leader 
or any party or any group. In a country whose government is of the people, 
by the people and for the people, \\re have a right to expect, and we must 
depend upon an aroused, alert public, each member of which will be vigilant 
in matters of safety and security and will report promptly to the nearest 
representative of the FBI any indication of espionage, sabotage or Fifth 
Column activities in any form. For the laws to be effective, they must 
have the united support of our citizens who will recognize their own 
obligations and duty and, in recognizing their duty, they will do it. 
President Roosevelt, in reviewing the handling of intelligence 
matters on the domestic front during World War I, found that in 1917-18 
there were twenty-one Federal investigating agencies with jurisdiction 
over spies and saboteurs. Add to that the ten thousand local, county 
and state law enforcement agencies and the further fa.ct that their 
ties were not coordinated and the information obtained was not intelligently 
correlated, and we find that there was confusion. In order to avoid such 
chaos during the present emergency, the President on September 6, 1939* 
issued a Directive designating the FBI as the coordinating agency in the 
handling of all matters relating to espionage, sabotage and subversive 
activities in the domestic field, and he called upon law enforcement 
organizations to report promptly to the FBI any information indicating 
the presence of such treachery in our midst. 
Pursuant to this Directive, the FBI inaugurated a series of 
Quarterly Police Conferences which are held in over cities every three months for the purpose of setting in motion and keeping in operating 
condition the machinery for national cooperation and coordination. 
An example of the necessity and effectiveness of such a co- 
ordinated plan of action would he shown in an illustration involving 
a traffic violator who might have been arrested many months ago in a 
midwestern city. The speeding motorist was very promptly halted hy an 
efficient traffic officer who escorted the motorist to a local police 
magistrate. Upon entering a plea of guSlty, the violator paid a fine of 
$37.50, including court costs, and with a smile on his face he returned 
to his car and went merrily on his way toward the V/est. What the traffic 
officer did not know was that the motorist was a. German spy. He further 
did not know that in a locked compartment of the automobile were blueprints 
and specifications of what was purported to be a secret weapon being manu- 
factured for the United States ITavy, The traffic officer also did not 
know that in an automobile half a block to the rear two Special Agents 
of the FBI who were keeping this motorist under surveillance. They watched 
him throughout his travels to the Pacific Coast, They saw him make con- 
tacts with confederates, aiders and abettors. They saw him confer with 
his confederates and they also sai.v the collected information delivered to 
a central clearing agent on the Pacific Coast. They saw these blueprints 
dispatched to the Past Coast to a German Agent who would undertake to have 
them transmitted to Germany. These enemy agents were successful in getting 
these blueprints and specifications out of the country, and the Special 
Agents of the FBI were successful in locating and identifying all of the 
sixteen members of this ring of co-conspirators anr1 traitors. Through 
the cooperation of the ITavy Department, the blueprints and specifications 
had been placed in a convenient location for the benefit of the spy, since 
it was learned frhat he was looking for and since it was decided that he 
should be furnished the misleading blueprints and specifications which our 
Government wanted him to have. The effective system of counterespionage 
inaugurated by Mr. Hoover in this and other instances resulted in the 
identification of all the members of the ring of spies and their subsequent 
afrebt and incarceration. If the local officer had located the blueprints 
and even if he had been able to obtain a conviction of the speeding motorist 
in the state courts on a charge of espionage, it is true that this one spy 
would have been disposed of, but the effective counterespionage work ex- 
tending to all members of the ring beyond the city limits and the county 
limits and the state limits made the problem a national and, in fact, an 
international one. The problem of coordinating all the activities and all 
the information of this type is the responsibility that has been delegated 
to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 
Similarly, in the fingerprint identification work of the FBI, there 
is a national coordination and more than 60,500,000 fingerprint cards are 
the result of the combined cooperation of law enforcement and national 
defense groups. Approximately 100,000 additional fingerprints are being 
received each day in this central clearing house maintained in Washington 
by the FBI. In the FBI Technical Laboratory, there are experts making 
use of scientific and technical knowledge and equipment, studying latent 
crime problems for the FBI as well as for local police officials - again creating a central clearing house and a national coordination of scien- 
tific research and scientific treatment of law enforcement problems. 
The ZB I also collects, compiles and publishes statistics showing the 
extent, trend and fluctuation of crime throughout the nation, these 
statistics being submitted by cooperating law enforcement organizations. 
So, it is small wonder that the President designated the Federal Bureau 
of Investigation as the agency to coordinate the activities of the local, 
county and state police agencies in our war effort. 
Pursuant to this designated authority and in keeping with the 
friendly cooperative relationship with police, the PBI focused one of 
its series of Quarterly Police Conferences during the past year on the 
subject of "Enforcement of Laws Affecting Prostitution". Conferences 
with police executives and selected members of their staffs were held 
in 32S cities of the United States and there were 22,259 police officials 
present at these conferences who participated in the program having for 
its purpose the conservrtion of manpower by eliminating the principal 
source of venereal infection - commercialized vice. The FBI has for its 
function the enforcement of the May Act only after the Secretary of War 
or the Secretary of the Navy has invoked the May Act in any specific area. 
It is our earnest hope that it will not be necessary to invoke the May 
Act in many instances or in many sections. The Police of the nation join 
us in this hope. The local police, already aware of the evils of prosti- 
tution particularly in wartime, nevertheless had this matter reemphasized 
to them by outstanding physicians and public health authorities who co- 
operated with the FBI in these Quarterly Police Conferences, The 
expressed the hope tha.t now the citizens were sufficiently aroused that 
they would support the police in their efforts, that the courts and the 
prosecutors would be sufficiently alert and that, from a law enforcement 
standpoint, a contribution could be made toward the elimination of this 
menace. 
In numerous cities, based upon the hope that there would be public 
and judicial support of police activity, the red light districts were closed. 
Prostitutes were incarcerated. In one of our southwestern divisions a 
Mexican police executive was present at the conference, and he returned to 
his city and made a report to the authorities there. Although this Mexican 
city has been widely known as an "open town", the police officials and the 
military authorities there advised that, since the FBI wanted the laws 
affecting prostitution enforced, they would close up the brothels in this 
Mexican city which they proceeded to do even though a substantial amount 
of revenue from these enterprises would be cut off. 
The police believed that housing and rehabilitation facilities 
would be provided for the girls engaged in commercialized vice. The police 
have in the past filled their jails but they could find no adequare source 
of rehabilitation facilities. The police filled their jails again on 
numerous occasions until the judges felt that they could impose no more 
sentences because of inadequate detention facilities. The police in other 
places have filled their jails and found political interference dominating 
the picture, and the panderers, pimps, procurers and prostitutes were set 
free because of corrupt political dictation. So again it might be repeated, it is not by laws or law enforce- 
ment alone that *we can successfully combat this offense or any other type 
of criminal activity. There must be public support to bach the police, 
to inspire the prosecutors, to give confidence to the judge and to make 
certain that rehabilitation agencies perform their functions. 
It appears from information received that at tines certain groups 
take it upon themselves to become active in activating the program for 
control of prostitution. It would appear that certain types of activation 
might prove important, and it would further appear from the examples and 
the weaknesses in the program that the function of activation should be 
directed toward the weak spots in the over-all program. 
An interesting case involves a middle-aged woman who conducted 
massage parlors in one of our larger cities. Her fees ranged from $5 to 
$50, depending upon the type and extent of the "Therapeutic treatments" 
desired. The treatments were administered by young girls dressed 
initially in nurses uniforms. Although their training in matters of 
hygiene had been sadly neglected, they were fully informed on the subject 
of "Anatomical Phenomena", SpecirJL nurses1 fees of $50 would be charged 
for calls involving all-night services. All "atients were given legiti- 
mate types of treatments until their backgrounds were studied. Commercial 
detective agencies were employed to investigate all customers who sought 
additional services in order to make sure they were not connected with 
the police. But the police were on the alert. An officer was sent to 
another state. He bought and operated a garage for some time. He then 
sold the garage and moved bac£ to the city and obtained another garage. 
His background was apparently a safe one. He was accepted as a "patient" 
first for a regular massage; then his request for special services was 
favorably considered. When all preparations were complete, he gave the 
pre-arranged signal. The police raided the establishment. The Madam 
was convicted. Since her record was a lengthy one, she was sentenced for 
three months. 
Some activation was needed there but not v/ith the police. She had 
been arrested ten tines previously. Two cases were pending; she was dis- 
charged in eight instances. The police had done their job, 
A police chief of an important city in a national defense area 
recently announced that he had been gratified at promised housing 
facilities and rehabilitation programs for prostitutes. He ordered his 
men to get busy again. The judge willingly imposed sentences long enough 
to hold the girls until the program could become effective. The program 
has not adequately materialized. The Chief has crowded his limited 
facilities. As more girls are sentenced, it is necessary to release an 
equal number who return to their old profession in an endless chain parade. 
It is high time for some activating of the activators after months have 
elapsed, it is downright aggravating. 
In another instance, seven witnesses were called in to testify at 
the trial of a White Slave case defendant. They travelled hundred of miles 
and waited for nearly three days before it was announced that the case 
would not be mrosecuted. Time after tine, the records show that officers have cone into 
court with prostitutes, pimps, procurers, panderers, white slavers and 
perverts, only to have the defendants placed on probation, given a sus- 
pended sentence, given nominal jail sentences or actually dismissed. At 
tines, the officers with actual evidence of the violations have been 
publicly criticized in the court room for doing their sworn duty in en- 
forcing the law. The accompanying and resulting discouragement is to be 
expected. 
It appears that there is a definite need for activation. The 
activators, however, should first identify and locate their objectives. 
The medical men and the law enforcement officers appear to have identified 
their problems and to be busy on their jobs. Medical and enforcement 
techniques have been developed. The laws are adequate. No secret weapons 
are necessary. It is time for the activators to stop their cogitating 
and their endless talking. It is time for them to go to work. 
What needs to be done? There is a need to eliminate public 
indifference, and a sharp edge should be put on individual responsibility. 
Now is the time in a government of, by and for the people for our citizens 
to eliminate corrupt political control of, by ai\d for corrupt political 
cliques. Sufficient appropriations for adequate, carefully selected, well- 
trained and well-equipped police personnel should be provided. Police, 
prosecutors and judges should be selected on a basis of fitness, and 
their positions should provide compensations which will attract those 
with the best qualifications for these jobs. Hone training and religious 
teachings must not be neglected in such a program which signifies that 
it is not by laws alone that our job can be done, but the spirit and 
will of the people must be made manifest and then the people must act 
through the instrumentalities of the law to express this will. 
Through civic and patriotic organizations, both men's and women's 
groups, public apathy must be dispersed. Medical science is prepared. 
The law enforcement profession is ready and at work. Now just what or 
who is holding up this job? ist-1071 
From: Informational Service 
Office of Defense Health and Welfare Services 
Federal Security Agency 
West Peachtree Street 
Atlanta, Georgia 
COMMUNITY ACTION 
By; S, G. Lippincott, Field Representative 
Social Protection Section 
Federal Security Agency 
Presented before the Southeastern Regional Conference 
on Social Hygiene, Biltmore Hotel, Atlanta, 2:30 p.m. 
February 3» 19^3 
In this morning*s meetings officers of our armed services outlined 
the elaborate and meticulous care that is given within these services for 
the prevention and treatment of war casualties among bur service men. The 
skill and thoroughness of our whole medical program in the armed services 
is reassuring to every one of us, for all of us have near and dear ones 
in these services. 
But is it not surprising that one of the speakers this morning 
had to admit that local communities in war areas of this region have not 
responded readily to requests of the Army and other federal agencies to 
assist them in preventing venereal diseases among armed personnel? Is 
this not appalling in the light of the fact that these diseases took 
roundly 37*000 service men from active duty in this southeastern region 
alone during a year of war in a nation at war for its very existence? 
And is it not a source of further surprise and shame to those of us who 
claim this region as our home that we have so far failed to recognize and 
provide for the cere of the other thousands of casualities of war in this 
region, the women and girls who were the sources of infection for our service 
men? 
I am not here to speak as an alarmist, to cry "wolf,wolf," nor 
criticize unjustly, But out of my experience during the past seventeen 
months, as a regional representative in this region of the Social Pro- 
tection Section in the Office of Defense Health and Welfare Services 
of our national government, I want to share with you what some of our 
communities are beginning to do and what they can do to prevent these 
casualties among our armed forces and among our women and girls. Let’s 
call a spade a spade together, and not a damned old shovel on the one 
hand nor a useful implement of garden husbandry on the other. 
The job of the Social Protection Section is to help states and 
local communities prevent the spread of venereal diseases among the mili- 
tary and production personnel stationed near them. 
27 Some object that the he-men of our armed forces need no protection, 
stating that these well-fed, well-trained and toughened men are thoroughly 
capable of caring for themselves under all circumstances. This is incon- 
sistent with acceptance of immunization shots against typhoid, small-pox 
and other diseases. If we are to expose lonely men without women to the 
wiles and devices of infected party girls without check or restraint, we 
may as well leave to the service man1s hardihood his resistence to other 
disea.ses that rob him of the ability to fight our enemies. 
Others say that the difficult problem of community control of the 
spread of venereal diseases among military personnel is a federal responsi- 
bility. "Let the Array care for its own men. If there were not a demand 
for casual relationships of women with service men, there would be no 
women making themselves available for the purpose". This stall is 
ridiculous from several angles. If there were no such demand, there would 
be no such women and no men either, for human reproduction would have lost 
its self-starter or at least its storage battery, T;he demand is inherent 
and inescapable; but its expression can be modified in both quantity and 
quality. How its expression is modified determines the health, the morals 
and the calibre of civilian and service man alike. 
We must work at the cause or source of this problem, and it is 
axiomatic that venereal infections are sustained not on the military reser- 
vation but in civilian communities. We must also keep constantly before 
us the fact that we have direct and total responsibility in our communities 
and in our homes for the thousands of casualties among our girls and women 
from whom our service men have become infected in this region,, So this 
difficulty resolves itself into what is primarily community weakness, 
community neglect and community responsibility. It points up a community 
responsibility not to do something for the Army or Navy or other federal 
agency but for itself and for its own youth, whether this youth be girls 
or boys, in uniform or out. 
The war has not caused the present breakdown of health or morality 
among our youth. It has simply given us a. statistical mirror and perhaps 
a more fully expressed demonstration of breakdown which ha.s been powerfully 
and actively present the past several decades. Let’s search out some of 
its causes and some ways to repair the breakdown. 
Causes of our social breakdown, of which thousands of venereal in- 
fections are the result include: 
1. Taboo still smothers knowledge of sex relationships. This is 
true among our best families, in which parents leave children to learn the 
facts and pleasures of life when they face them. Our sense of pride in 
our ability to mention venereal diseases without blushing clearly indicates 
the continued existence of this tahoo, Our first impulse to punish rather 
than understand and help sex delinquents is further proof of it in our 
thinking. 
An associate of mine who is a South Carolinian and who was working 
in a neighboring State a.sked a conference with the superintendent of the State hospital. She was eastern trained and experienced in one of the 
best psychia.tric clinics there. The case under discussion involved 
serious emotional difficulties, and she sought help from the superinten- 
dent with psychiatric training and practice and possibly the use of his 
hospital facilities. It was her first interview with him, and to save 
a busy man’s time she launched directly into a summary history of the 
factors involved insofar as she could see them. When she had finished, 
the superintendent asked, "Where did you learn to talk like that," She 
answered "In psychiatric clinic, during my training." The superintendent 
grinned and admonished her, "I warn you that you talk about sex in this 
State entirely at your own risk," 
2. Dishonesty and indirection too often characterize our approach 
to the question of healthful sex relationships. This begins in the home. 
Should we blame our children for their accura.te imitation of their elders? 
Can we ourselves explain how our preachments on monogomy and our long 
toleration of segregated, red-light districts define between them a logical 
and easily followed pattern of conduct for our children? 
3. Uncertain employment and wages rob youth of full outlets and 
growth. The girl who leaves sordid surroundings in search of work and the 
thrill of uniformed companionship in war areas often finds herself with- 
out food or ability to earn it excepting by sale of favors to soldiers. 
Most women discovered now as sources of venereal diseases are not long- 
time professional prostitutes, but young girls supplementing a deprived 
background with a little fun and earning enough on the side to enable 
themselves to live on the wages they can earn without skills or education. 
In a city of this region such a girl was picked up and brought to the local 
health department because she was alleged to have infected a soldier. Both 
her serological tests and her smear were positive. She had an open syph- 
litic lesion on her mouth. She was fifteen years old; and her case is not 
as exceptional as one ipight wish, 
U. Child Labor laws and ordinances governing the hours and places 
of employment for women are largely not existent or not enforced in this 
region. To those travelling in war areas it is quite usual to find young 
women and girls tending bars and waiting tables in cheap taverns and 
restaurants at any hours of the night. These employees are augmented by 
many unescorted women and girls, 
5. The unprincipled business practices of hotels go unnoticed by 
most of the good citizens who consider themselves the bulwark of community 
decency. The practice of having women available at hotels or on call is 
traditional hotel service. It has been considered necessary. 
6, Public services which can improve community conditions that 
breed disease are not supported by the citizens, and consequently the 
community gets the inadequate results they ask for. County and cith health, 
welfare and recreation departments frequently come out at the little end 
of the local budget. The service a department can give is not always 
accepted. In one city of this region a police department has had its pro- 
gram for repressing prostitution wrecked by a community that objected to a raid made on unsavory meeting places of Negroes. Some of the cooks 
in the first families failed to appear the next morning. Notwithstand- 
ing the fact that this city is in a war area where the incidence of 
civilian venereal infection is hound to he reflected in rates of disease 
among service men, and notwithstanding the fact that 73$ the Negro 
women held for examination were infected with one or more of the venereal 
diseases, the police department has been denied the further right to hold 
anyone for any purpose without formal, previous and individual warrant, 
7. Among the exponents of the many angles of attack on the problem 
of venereal infections, each follows his own line with fanatical indif- 
ference if not antagonism to the others. Medical men want 100$ pasteuriza- 
tion of all sources of infection. The law enforcers want nil infraction 
of law eliminated or punished. The lawyers and courts want the letter of 
the lav; fulfilled. The ministers wnat all sin stopped or paid for - by 
disease if necessary. The educators want all citizens to gain understanding. 
The social service workers want skilled casework services applied in full 
to all maladjustment. And we community organizers want to coordinate, even 
when services available are so inadequate that their coordination is like 
adding zeros to zeros. 
These various positions are rather extremely stated. But there is 
sufficient reality in this single-mindedness of the proponents of causes 
in the field of venereal disease control to indicate a need for awareness 
on the part of all of them of the help each can bo. This awareness should 
engender collaboration by all, for in our human world nothing works out 
100$ successfully. Just os all people differ so all corrective approaches 
can have value to certain individuals. 
The causes of the spread of venereal diseases, as seen from the point 
of view of the community can be broken-down still further, but let’s content 
ourselves today by considering how to remedy these major causes. The causes 
themselves suggest ways to correct them, 
First, the deep-lying fundamental causes that exist in the minds of 
men, such as an attitude of taboo and dishonesty or indirection in approach- 
ing the matter of healthful sex relationships, must be replaced by under- 
standing, by direct admission of our adult shortcomings, by direct effort 
to face this matter squarely and by ingenious, articulate effort to develop 
the answers which satisfy the devastatingly honest inquiry of youth. This 
job lies within the field of parents, educators, psychologists and the true 
spiritual leaders. I cannot tell them how to do it, and I will not presume 
to tell them. All I can say is that their efforts have to he practical and 
concrete. As the youths themselves put it, this better be good. 
Second, assured employment and adequate minimum wages for the heads 
of families is another long-time goal for which we must continually strive 
and sacrifice. War-time employment and war-time wages do not correct decades 
of living below decent subsistence levels. We citizens have a responsibility 
for securing permanent employment for all workers and income levels that give their children full advantages. 
We can meet this responsibility hy encouraging, supporting and 
paying for in finished products the efforts of industry to bring about 
such stabilized employment; also by demanding and supporting broad social 
security measures, though our beginning efforts may have some flaws in them. 
Third, by community demand and support we can get enforced laws 
and ordinances which prevent the employment of women and girls in such 
occupations and at such hours that we foster meetings of service men and 
girls for the spread of infection. 
Fourth, unprincipled operation of hotels is hard to stop. But 
determined and broad community pressure to correct such abuses has never 
been observed during my months of experience. Yet the fact that hotels 
can clean house when the management wants to has been conclusively proved 
in this region. Bo we want them to clean up badly enough to make it more 
comfortable for them if they do than if they do not? 
Fifth, the public services that protect our youth will do for us 
the job we expect of them and the job we enable them to do. Have we taken 
the trouble to learn what our directors of police departments, health 
departments, social welfare agencies, recreation services and schools 
really need? Most of them would rather run good shows than poor ones, 
but have we offered our support and our money to help them run good pro- 
grams for us and for our children? 
Sixth, and most important, all individuals and groups that are work- 
ing on venereal disease control can be most effective when they work together. 
This includes officials of military stations as well as all civilian officials 
and groups. But here again, let us remember that willing and able as mili- 
tary officials are to assist communities with control of venereal diseases 
by making pertinent confidential information available to officials and 
reliable civilian agencies, this assistance is definitely for the benefit 
of the community itself, as well as the armed services. 
The immediate task before us is to use present available and possible 
means to reduce venereal infections among military, production, and civilian 
personnel. We are at war and time is of the essence. Therefore, devices 
and combinations of devices may have to be used now to which we were not 
accustomed during peace-time. For example, my friends in public health tell 
me they have ordinarily preferred the educational to the forceful approach 
in getting infected individuals under treatment. If they lost an infected 
person from clinic attendance, they would prefer to lose him rath,sr than have 
him compelled by law to return, giving him and others the impression that 
treatment was a matter of criminal instead of medical procedure. Yet, these 
same friends tell me now.that after police raids have been made on places 
frequented by unescorted and infected women, their clinics are swamped by 
the return of delinquent patients who come in voluntally for treatment. So, 
for the present, it is evident to them and to all of us that the careful, 
intelligent use of law enforcement is a means of getting and keeping large 
numbers of infdcted persons under treatment. But let us never forget that in the use of any service in this field, we are ourselves human “beings 
helping other human “beings, 
I grant that in meeting our present great need to lessen venereal 
infections, we cannot wait to educate a new generation more completely, 
to change old adult attitudes, or to set up complete model laws and adequate 
public services. Yet, if we use what resources we have wisely and with 
broad understanding, we can take a great step forward toward developing 
the long-time services we want. And during war, we can change many 
attitudes and practices if this is- necessary to victory. So, we do not 
delay community action by waiting for some master mind to be unleashed 
in our midst or for some master plan to burst into bloom. In the best 
American tradition, we carve what we need from what we find cat hand, 
though it be a wilderness; and when we do this, democracy comes to assist 
us through our state and federal governments. 
Practically, this means that as we are faced by additional needs 
for law enforcement, health, social, recreational or educational services, 
we use existing agencies wherever possible, We may have to adapt them, 
strengthen them, pull them into stronger combinations by inter-agency 
working agreements. But if we are smart, we do not waste time and launch 
a new set of rivalries by sotting up new agencies and new staffs just 
because an old inadequacy or a. new need is discovered. Another practical 
consideration in promoting effective community action is to keep all parts 
of the citizenship informed of the necessity and importance of the job being 
done. Give all a part in it. If Negroes are to be reached, tap the Negro 
leadership. If production workers are to Tbe reached, use their organiza- 
tions. If management can help, or hinder, for that matter, bring in 
management. All of us need to be needed and much work is done easily when 
its leadership is imaginative and skillful enough to let many groups and 
individuals see how badly and importantly they are needed. 
In summary, these basic yet simple principles of effective community 
action simmer down to this for all of us: 
(a) We choose any part of this job that suits us best, then work 
on it intelligently with the best professional assistance that can be bought 
or developed, 
(b) We work together, pooling our particular interest and activity 
with the related efforts that are directed to the same goal, 
(c) We begin where ws are with what we have, bettering the quality 
of our services as we go and getting outside assistance as we prove our need 
for it and our ability to use it effectively. 
(d) We carry all our citizens with us who have or can be given ears 
to hear and eyes to see, getting our job across to them in their own medium, 
whether it be the heart-throb column of the local paper or a lecture in the 
academy of medicine, 
ft) We remain consciously and continuously human beings in our re- 
lationships with all other human beings. (f) We do the war job before us with such thoroughness, ingenuity 
and soundness, that we all gain the knowledge of what we want in our long- 
time programs and develop some of the democratic community techniques for 
getting these programs established in the coming post-war world that is to 
be free of disease and want, 
Finally, I should like to outline how these principles of community 
action have worked in specific war areas. 
In Charleston, a large committee of citizens, including management 
and labor, city and county, along with representation from all army and 
navy posts and stations, was set up by the Mayor, who is also city-county 
coordinator of the Civilian Defense Council. Police health and welfare 
directors of the city and county participate in this action group. The 
Mayor and the Admiral of the Sixth Naval District shared in launching it 
and in charging it with its job, to minimize venereal infections in the 
war area. The large committee empowered the chairman to select a small 
executive committee with to act on call. 
In this framework, all military stations report daily to a civilian 
coordinrtor the prostitution and related activity in the community of which 
they have knowledge, Depending*upon the nature of the activity, either the 
health department or the police department locate the individuals subject- 
ing the armed forces to disease. Operators of taverns used as places of 
pick-up are compelled to clean up or close up. Employed girls and women who 
are found infected are placed under voluntary treatment and permitted to re- 
main there as long as they continue treatment and do not again become 
spreaders of venereal diseases. Recalcitrant sources of infection are 
committed for two or three months to State quarantine hospitals, where they 
receive rapid medical treatment, occupational training, redirection and 
placement to the extent they can be led to accept these prior to discharge. 
Inexperienced and more or less accidental first offenders a,re resisted by 
the welfare department oi* U, S.O. - Travelers Aid to get out of the practices 
of promiscous sex relationships before they are well into them. And in- 
cidentally, the development and continuance of this job has so far required 
monthly meetings of the over-all committee, weekly meetings of the executive 
committee, as well as some called meetings. But the work of these citizens 
and officials has itself been one of the best sources of community informa- 
tion, and has given a series of stories to the newspapers. My last figures 
on Charleston showed a low rate of infection in the Sixth Naval District, 
a large part of which is the Charleston Navy Yard; rates below ten ;oer 
thousand per year in four array stations nearby, but a high rate in the 
remaining array unit. But both Array and civilian officials have the ways 
and means for tackling this high ra.te and are using them. And finally. 
Charleston is not precisely the place where girls and women choose commer- 
cial dates as an easy livelihood, and neither are infections among them 
going unnoticed and untreated. 
In Spartanburg, a similar army-community participation has been set- 
up. There the health department has been doing its regular follow-up of 
contacts and the police department its regular job of picking up bell-hops, taxi drivers, and women engaged in prostitution or related practices. Here, 
the girls held in jail are not only given health examinations, hut an oppor- 
tunity to talk with a staff member of one of the local casework agencies. 
In those instances where a social treatment plan can he worked out, the 
court directs that the plan of social treatment he used instead of passing 
sentence. Also in Spartanburg, the Negro leadership became sufficiently 
interested to ask an over-all educational campaign in Spartanburg. Their 
interest and their evident willingness to participate in such a campaign 
under sponsorship of the local social protection committee was so great 
that the State health department gave weeks of the time of its educational 
director in the division of venereal disease control to help them. The 
campaign fairly raced through the community with radio time, newspaper 
space, motion pictures, mass meetings, etc,, lavishly given and widely 
received. Diagnostic and treatment clinics felt a great impact of the 
effort. 
Examples of some progress are almost endless, but those just described 
show a few ways in which communities a.re beginning to tackle this problem 
for themselves, and to add the results of their efforts to those of the 
surgeons, venereal disease control officers and line officers within our 
armed services. 
In this outline of community action for the protection of our o\m 
thousands of casualties from venereal diseases among women and girls, and 
for the supplemental protection of our armed service men, little that is 
new has been said. No new principles of community organisation, of public 
health, of law enforcement, or of gaining the higher levels of accomplish- 
ments that are nourished by the love of a man and woman are set forth. 
Like the principles of democracy, these others are now old; and also like 
the principles of democracy, their benefits can be enjoyed only through 
concrete use. We can use them, and we must use then, in our individual 
and community action, or else for us and for our children they are already 
lost. INDUSTRIAL hygiene* 
By 
Lester M, Petrie, M.D,,M.P.H. 
Director Industrial Hygiene Service 
Division of Preventable Diseases 
Georgia Department of Public Health 
The death last month of Dr. George Washington Crile, Founder 
of the great Cleveland Clinic, brings back to our minds the great dis- 
aster which occurred in 1929 when the Cleveland Clinic was destroyed 
by fire with the loss of 125 lives. This disaster was a spectacular 
illustration of an industrial health exposure, the control of which is 
typical of what we are doing in industrial hygiene today. The modern 
electric welding arc causes the nitrogen in the air to be oxidized to 
nitric vapors N0w, NOg, It was the inhalation of these same nitric 
vapors which caused death in most of the victims of the Cleveland disaster, 
although during the actual exposure to these vapors the only symptoms were 
some irritation of the eyes and respiratory surfaces, and the severe lung: 
symptoms and collapse followed frequently by death did not set in until 
four to eight hours later. In this type of poisoning, unless the history 
of exposure is recognized, the resulting illness and death may easily be 
misdiagnosed as ordinary pneumonia. But whenever an electric arc welder 
does his welding in enclosed spa.ces, as in the ballast tanks of ships 
or inside boilers, he is exposed to potentially dangerous concentrations 
of these vapors and of other dangerous metallic fumes, unless safe air 
is assured by the correct use of carefully designed ventilation equipment. 
The illustration just given is only a typical example of the 
hundreds of recognized occupational disease hazards which exist in our 
modern industrial plants. There is no complete listing of all occupational 
diseases. Some one asked little Johnny, "Have you heard the latest", and 
received the prompt reply, "Ho, 1tain’t out yet". The same applies to 
occupational diseases. The latest "ain’t out yet". Day by day, Dupont 
or Dow Chemical or someone else comes out with some new industrial chemical 
or some new process which adds new hazards to our already long schedule 
of occupational diseases. Without attempting to enumerate them all, we 
can classify most of them however under the following headings* 
1) Infections 
2) Dust diseases 
3) Metal fume fevers 
U) Chemical poisoning, including gases, fumes, vapors, 
mists, smokes, etc. 
5) Harmful rays and emanations, such a® x-rays, radium, 
and other radioactive substances, and ultra-violet, 
and infra-red rays, 
6) Harmful changes in temperature, pressure, and humidity. 
7) Occupational dermatoses or skin diseases. 
S) Allergy 
9) Fatigue 
10) Electric Shock 
* Read before the Southeastern States Social Hygiene Day Meeting in 
Atlanta, Georgia,, February 3, 19^3. A “beginning awareness of these problems wps evidenced when the 
Medical Association of Georgia organized an industrial relations committee 
in 1921. The name was changed to the Committee on Industrial Health in 
The Georgia Department of Public Health has long realized its 
obligations under the broad coverage of our health laws to assume leader- 
ship in matters pertaining to the life and health of the industrial 
workers. In 19UI, we established our Industrial Hygiene Service in the 
Division of Preventable Diseases. Qualified medical, nursing, and chemical 
personnel were employed. Special laboratory- facilities were provided and 
a reference library was started under a trained librarian. Field equip- 
ment has been provided by which samples of toxic in the 
industrial environment are collected for identification and evaluation. 
Recommendations for their control are then prepared and submitted to 
managment. Through the industrial hygiene service all the facilities 
and resources of the State Health Department are made available to our 
State industries. Assistance from the Division of Industrial Hygiene of 
the National Institute of Health is also available and is frequently used. 
The great general scarcity of highly specialized equipment such 
as we have, as well as a scarcity of personnel qualified to use it and 
interpret the findings, make it practically impossible for our Georgia 
industries to obtain similar industrial hygiene services elsewhere. 
Nevertheless, there are no fees charged, for our work is considered to 
be a public service in the interest of public health. For convenience 
vie have prepared for free distribution the following one page outline of 
services available to industry, 
"INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE SERVICES WHICH ARE AVAILABLE TO INDUSTRY 
L. SURVEYS: 
(a) To est imate the cost of illness to both the employer and 
the employees, 
(b) To gain information as to absenteeism resulting from illness, 
whether it be of occupational or non-occupational origin, 
(c) To gain information relative to the medical, sanitary, safety 
and v/elfare facilities available to plant employees. 
(d) To evaluate the potential health hazards and the existing 
control or preventive measures in the plant, 
2, QUANTITATIVE STUDIES. To evaluate the exposures of workers and to 
provide a basis for control measures. These include; 
(a) Studies of toxic dusts, fumes, vapors, gases, mists, or other 
air contaminants. 
(b) Illumination studies. 
(c) Humidity and temperature studies. 
(d) Studies of any other environmental conditions which may effect 
the health of workers, 
(e) Clinical laboratory studies of workers affected by hazards, 
3, CONTROL MEASURES. Assistance in the elimination of specific hazards in plants where studies have indicated their existence; 
(a) Hecommendations for corrective measures, 
(h) Reviewing plans and specifications for new installations. 
(c) Checking the effectiveness of corrective devices through 
quantitative field determinations after they have keen put 
into operation, 
f 
U, RECORDS. Assistance in developing and maintaining physical examination 
and absenteeism records, and assistance in statistical analyses of such 
records, 
5. CONSULTATION SERVICE. Medical, nursing, engineering, and chemical 
problems which relate to the health and productive ability of workers, n 
We work in close harmony with the industrial hygiene service of 
the United States Army and with similar organizations in the Navy and Mari- 
time Commission. But since a greater portion of war material is produced 
by private industry, the responsibility for industrial hygiene service to 
privately owned plant's under war contract has been delegated to us. So 
many important problems associated with war plants are being brought to 
us, that our work for the duration is practically confined to plants 
having war contracts. We regret that certain industries in the State, 
which are not engaged in war materials, will have to wait, not only be- 
cause the war industries require all our time at present but also because 
priorities moke it impossible for a non-essential industry to secure 
protective equipment. 
Our discussion, so far, has been stressing the diseases and 
accidents which are indigenous to the occupations. And as long as 
industry was interested primarily only in those accidents and illnesses 
for which it was held accountable by compensation laws, industry did not 
concern itself particularly with illnesses of non-occupational origin. 
Hence, in the past, well-organized industrial services have hardly been 
found except in a few of the larger companies. Most of these have grown 
like Topsy through a r; ther haphazard method of trial and error. Most 
often the interest in health has resulted from accidents and injury 
compensation cases and the extent of the service has usually been a 
safety program and provision for surgical care of compensation cases. 
Efforts to prevent the illnesses of non-Industrial origin had been limited 
even in these larger organizations and had. been nearly non-existent in 
the smaller. They had not realized that over ninety percent of their 
lost time for illness is due to non-industrial causes and that progressive 
companies elsewhere have estimated savings as high as $J0 per employee per 
year for a preventive program for non-industrial illnesses. 
Failure of industry to plan for these medical services has left 
the employee to shift for himself. Most of the workers’ wages have been too 
low to meet the cost of first-rate medical care in addition to the everyday 
necessities of life. Even in the light of the above limitations, it is 
probably that the attention given to their employees by some of the larger 
concerns has been a considerable factor in their success. In this competi- 
tive world they have found that productive capacity per man is just as important as productive capacity per machine. It makes little difference 
in terms of lost production whether a man and his machine are idle because 
of an industrial accident or because of some non-industrial illness such 
as pneumonia, tuberculosis, heart disease, or syphilis. In either event, 
the production is lost, but statistics such as I quoted before show that 
non-occupational illnesses and accidents account for more than ten times 
as much illness absenteeism as do all occupational illnesses and accidents 
combined. Let’s see what this means. It has been estimated that illness 
end accidents accounted for man days lost from work in American 
War industries in one year. Ten percent of that is *40,000,000 man days 
lost because of occupational accidents and diseases as compared with 90 
percent or 360»000,000 man days lost because of non-occupational illnesses. 
If this can be reduced by 20 percent to 50 percent as has been estimated 
through application of present knowledge of preventive medicine, why not 
do it? We have developed an overall balanced industrial health program 
whose objective is to contribute our share to that reduction. 
This model health program, which we are promoting, highlights 
the prevention of preventable illnesses, especially those known to be ' 
leading causes of death or morbidity among industrial workers. Especially 
emphasized are; 
1) Occupational diseases and accidents 
2) Chest x-rry for tuberculosis 
3) Blood test for syphilis 
U) Immunization against smallpox, typhoid, and tetanus 
5) Prevention of nutritional deficiencies 
Arrangements are made with the local health department and members 
of the local medical profession for suitable follow-up control measures 
and treatment. 
Among the first places where we attempted to put this program 
in effect were our Georgia shipyards. Our program, in principle, received 
the enthusiastic endorsement of the regional representative of a large 
insurance company which was involved. At his suggestion, and to facilitate 
the machinery for putting the program into effect, the plan was written 
up and submitted to the Maritime Commission in Washington for consideration 
on a nationwide scale. This was found necessary to secure the backing 
needed to put the program into effect in the Georgia yards. An outgrowth 
of this has been the establishment of a health control section in the 
Labor Relations Division of the Maritime Commission, which has established 
minimum health standards for all the Maritime Yards, Machinery has been 
set up with the assistance of medical and engineering personnel loaned to 
the Maritime Commission by the United States Navy to assist in setting 
up these standards in the yards and to assure their maintenance, A model 
program is already underway in one Georgia Maritime Yard and similar 
programs are being developed in the other Maritime Yards in our State. 
The success of any industrial health service depends first and 
foremost on adequate medical, nursing, engineering, and chemical personnel. 
The problems in all these fields are so diversified and intricate that we 
have yet to find any one person who knows all It he answers. Through our 
pooled resources however, our industries are able to develop more effective 
programs with the personnel which they ha.ve available. The mechanisms through which the control of the many illness 
hazards is attempted include 
1) Adequate housing and equipment for medical and safety depart- 
ments, strategically located within the plant. 
2) Pre-placement physical examinations of all employees, and 
assignment of each to an occupation for which he is "best 
fitted. Executives are included in this program, 
3) Periodic examinations, including any special medical and 
laboratory studies indicated as a result of exposure to 
specific hazards, 
U) Provisions for adequate feeding through cafeterias, can- 
teens, vidtory lunches, package lunches, food demonstrations, 
cooking schools for housewives in workers’ families, nutrition 
committees, etc, 
3) Surveys to determine sanitary and occupational hazards and 
engineering and medical control measures, 
6) Nursing follow-up of sickness absenteeism. Production is 
stopped just as effectively if the worker stays home because 
of illness in his family. 
7) Ab senteeism records. 
8) Rehabilitation service. Suitably trained cripples make 
reliable workers and become more stable employees than 
the so-called physically perfect group, 
9) Health education, particularly through the personal touch. 
Also through talks, movies, posters, pamphlets, etc. 
SUMMARY 
f 
Hot many years ago, Industrial Hygiene was considered to be a 
branch of the fields of medicine, engineering, and chemistry dealing almost 
exclusively with diseases due to occupation, Hut we have shown that ill- 
nesses of non-occupationai origin should be of as much or more concern to 
industry. Therefore modern industrial hygiene may be defined as that branch 
of the medical, nursing, engineering and chemical sciences which is con- 
cerned with the study of the effects of environmental conditions in industry 
upon the health of industrial workers, and with the application of the 
principles of preventive and curative medicine and engineering in industrial 
e s t abli shmen t s, 
We know enough to make every job safe, healthful, and more 
productive. The problem is to apply this knowledge. We must be health 
conservators as well as health repairmen. Our major unsolved problems 
today are those of procurement; procurement of materials and equipment 
and procurement of trained personnel. 
-39' Address given by 
Dr. Stuart G. Oglesby, 
Pastor Central Presbyterian Church, 
Atlanta, Georgia, at the Southeastern 
Regional Conference on Social Hygiene, 
at the Biltmore Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia, 
February 3rd, 19^3. 
THE PLAGE OF THE CHURCH IF THE PROOHAM 0? SOCIAL ■HYGIENE 
The Church is in favor of every movement which turns light upon evil - 
evil conditions, evil actions, evil men. Men still love darkness rather than 
light when their deeds are evil, as they did in the days of Jesus. The Church 
has not always used to the full its influence in supporting movements outside 
its own control which seek to better the conditions of life. Whenever it 
does, there always follows much criticism of the Church for going outside 
its true field, especially from those who have been hurt, 
Hon, Alan Johnstone, in his admirable address at luncheon, mentioned 
the fact that in Atlanta about 30 years ago, Police Chief Beavers closed up 
the segregated or red-light district and was later removed from office for 
so doing. Being defended by the late James L. Key, he was restored to office 
and Mr. Key was elected mayor. The older leaders of the churches in Atlanta 
know that this came about through the influence of the Men and Religion 
Forward M®vement, whose guiding spirit was the late John J. Eagan, It was 
this organized group of church people which caused the district to be closed, 
which supplied the money and force to restore the ousted chief of police, and 
which stood behind the candidacy of James L, Key and his program of decent 
government. This story of what the Church did and what the Church can do in 
such matters needs to be told and retold. 
The Church as a whole is now beginning to wake up to the pant it can 
play in the social hygiene program. However the Church is conservative and 
moves slowly in the direction of new things. This is sometimes unfortunate, 
but it is also sometimes fortunate in that thus a much needed stabalizing 
influence on life is provided. And I am quite sure that in this regard the 
Church is not slower than medical associations, or even social organizations. 
If anyone doesn’t believe this, merely let him try something which doesn’t 
fit into the categories of these groups and seems to encroach on their 
preserves’ 
WHAT ONE CHURCH IS DOING. 
Largely due to the influence of John J, Eagan, who took his religion 
seriously and made an earnest effort to put into actual practice in life 
the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, Central Presbyterian 
Church, in the heart of down-town Atlanta, has long been interested and 
active in ministering to the needs of the poor. A Baby Clinic was estab- 
lished 20 years ago and more than 12,000 babies have been given medical or surgical treatment through the Clinic, From the very start a clinic for 
the treatment of congenital syphilis has been conducted. In the files 
of this department might he found the record of many tragic stories. 
Children have been brought to the Clinic temporarily blind, or paralyzed, 
from the effects of this treacherous disease. In this department, the 
volunteer lay workers of the church have truly learned that the way of 
the transgressor is hard, and they have seen abundantly illustrated the 
visiting of the iniquity of the fathers unto the children unto the third 
and fourth generation, . 
* Recently, a new Venereal Disease Clinic was established in the neigh- 
borhood of Central Church, The facilities of our Clinic have been opened 
to the treatment of all patients from this new clinic who are six years old 
and under. 
It is not necessary or desirable for every church to do just this type 
of work, but every church can play some part in the great campaign of social 
hygiene. 
DIFFICULTIES. 
Some of the difficulties which the Church meets in taking part in 
Social Hygiene education are peculiar to its \\rork. This will only be 
listed briefly, 
1. Opposition to instruction from parents. Some parents do not want any 
instruction along this line given their children, while others have a real 
fear of the task being poorly done tjy those who are incompetent, 
2. From Sunday School teachers and church leaders, especially of the older 
generation, often comes surprising indifference, if not open opposition, to 
any program which includes instruction in the matters of sex, 
3. it is very difficult for churches to obtain competent instructors in 
Social Hygiene, Often doctors show a great reluctance to teach this subject, 
U. The Church is prevented from carrying a spiritual ministry to those who 
are confined in hospitals or institutions. One who has a venereal, disease 
is sick not only physically but also mentally and spiritually. Doctors, 
social workers and religious workers should cooperate in his restoration. 
So far, the Church has been offered no share in this work, 
5. The lax marriage laws of the State which permit marriages without physical 
examination have been a source of continual trouble to the Church and to the 
clergy. Even when a minister is most careful to establish the identity of 
the couple he is to marry and their legal right to be married, he is still 
unable to determine whether or not he may be unwittingly perpetuating 
venereal disease, 
THE PART RELIGION CAST PLaY. 
Laws are not enough to establish purity in sexual life. Even lav; en- 
forcement is insufficient. Information is not enough, We know well enough that we do not live up to the information we already possess on many subjects. 
Even light on conditions is not enough. There must be something else if 
permanent results are to be accomplished. 
Religion reaches down and touches the springs of conduct in a man’s life. 
It is necessary that these springs be purified. This can only be accomplished 
by religion - religion working in cooperation with all the other agencies 
at work on the problem. 
The Church alone can teach a high doctrine of marriage in such a way 
that it will be accepted. The Church alone can properly prepare men and 
women for marriage. The Church alone can exalt the procreative functions 
of men and women as ordained of Cod for the purpose of producing a Codly 
seed, or race. 
Working together with other agencies, the Church can, and will, do far 
more in the future in this important work tham it has ever attempted in the 
days past. FITNESS FOR FREEDOM 
Surgeon General Thomas Parran 
U. S. Public Health Service 
Ladies and Gentlemen: You here today, together with fellow 
Americans in many parts of the country, have dedicated a good part of 
your lives to the advancement of social hygiene. As a first objective, 
you have striven to lift the siege of venereal disease from our land* 
Recently you have witnessed events in science which should speed the 
day of success. You sense an ending within the life-time of many of 
us here of the long and terrible bondage in which syphilis and gonorrhea 
have held the people of America. Veterans of a day when courage and 
convictions were all there was to fight with, you have now in your 
hands sharp new weapons forged by modern science. 
Na-tional Social. Hygiene Day is the time when we meet with 
our allies and new recruits to survey gains and losses and to map 
campaigns for the coming year. Hundreds of these meetings are being 
held throughout the nation. 
It was only a few years ago that the nafion finally began 
to realize that syphilis and gonorrhea are prime wasters of manpower, 
that they do enormous human damage, cost enormous sums. It is fortu- 
nate that we began to tackle this problem aggressively prior to the 
onset of war. The basic strategy of the campaign is simple; Break: 
the long chain of infections from one person to another, - a chain 
that has extended across centuries of human suffering; find venereal 
disease and treat venereal disease; reduce the number of infectious 
contacts and the number of infections. Simple in concept, the execution 
of this strategy has been complicated. It has required the training 
of an army of skilled workers, the establishment and upgrading of 
laboratories, the securance of Federal, State and local money, the 
passage and enforcement of laws, the mobilization of community support, 
the organization of treatment centers and hospitals, and coordinated 
research to develop improved control methods. 
A good groundwork has been laid and results are becoming 
apparent. The National Venereal Disease Control Act v/as passed in 
1933. Each year since then, additional funds ha.ve translated its 
purposes into a.ction. The $25,000,000 now being spent jointly by 
Federal, State, local and voluntary sources is being put to work on 
3,000 community fronts in every state. 
Since clinics operating under the Federal-State venereal 
disease control programs have admitted for treatment cases of 
syphilis and gonorrhea, a large part of which were in the ea.rly and 
infectious stages which can be ma.de non-infectious in a relatively 
short time. In addition, hospitals and private physicians have reported 
by victory on this health front. We have seen our own hard work "bring 
signs of a lifting of the long siege in which our people have "been 
held "by syphilis and gonorrhea.. If we are not to lose the gains, 
we must redouble our efforts. This is not a static war. A sharp 
attack is the best defense. We have the weapons to insure victory. 
As our nrtion girds for all-out action to win this war, it 
must cast off every unnecessary burden. We can afford to waste nothing. 
Preventable diseases are a burden that can be measurably lightened. 
Syphilis and gonorrhea should be the first to go. 
Moreover, we can secure results which transcend mere freedom 
from disease. Recall if you will, the President’s reference to our 
"national concern for total physical and moral fitne-ss." Moral laxity 
is at the root of these infections, because of the biologic accident 
that the causative organisms thrive best on genital mucous membranes. 
Therefore, \ve cannot neglect moral prophylaxis even though the sum 
total of its ideals is not attainable here and now. Social hygiene 
falls short of its goal if it deals only with the prevention of dis- 
ease, In fact, I do not believe sexual morality should stand or fall 
on its relationship to venereal infection. We hope our children will 
attain it, not because they fear infection, but because they understand 
and want the advantages of a better way of life; because they respect 
the dignity of the human body and the creative purposes of sex. 
There is a certain analogy here between the objectives for 
which we are fighting the war and the objectives of social hygiene. 
The war is not merely a conflict of arms. It is a conflict 
of ideals and of moral principles. We seek to destroy our enemies 
in order to survive as a free people. We seek to assure the four basic 
human freedoms, to extirpate from the minds of men the atavistic anti- 
Christian concept of slave state and master race. We detest this 
totalitarian, Nazi creed; we put our faith in the Christian, democratic 
concept of the inherent nobility and dignity of man. 
On the social hygiene front, we are seeking to destroy a major 
enemy within our borders, the venereal diseases, in order to survive 
as a more healthful people. That is a first step, attainable in our 
time, but it is not the sole objective. We should not permit the smoke 
of battle to blot out the long-range view; Social hygiene is concerned 
with the health mf man as a member of society, his physical, mental and 
spiritual development in a community of free men. 
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