MEDICINE AND MORALS 



eases. Greater attention needs to be called 

 to their wide and in many communities in- 

 creasing prevalence, making it proper for 

 all to be on their guard against them. Few 

 know about the alarming commonness of 

 gonorrhea, especially among women, or the 

 great number of malignant and stubborn 

 disorders to which it gives rise, making it 

 perhaps, on the whole, as mischievous a 

 complaint as syphilis itself. Few persons 

 are aware that the most innocent man or 

 woman in the world may contract these dis- 

 eases, a fact which ought to produce greater 

 frankness on everyone's part in referring to 

 them, and greater freedom on the part of 

 patients in seeking medical relief. 



In keeping so much to themselves their 

 knowledge on these subjects many physi- 

 cians are no doubt influenced by fear of 

 seeming to solicit patients. Others perhaps 

 think that the knowledge referred to, if 

 made general, would lessen the demand for 

 medical services and hence the profitable- 

 ness of the medical calling. We should dis- 

 like to recommend any policy which would 



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