60 SPIROCHETES 



As to the second type of prevention, the protection of the unin- 

 fected by education and administrative measures, great advances 

 are being made. One of the most important measures, and one 

 to which we are slowly coming, is the compulsory notification of 

 the Public Health Department of all cases of venereal diseases so 

 that whatever action seems best may be taken to safeguard the 

 public health. There can be no question but that such a record- 

 ing of venereal diseases would work for the best good of all con- 

 cerned, both the patient and the public. Laws compelling the 

 notification of health departments of venereal diseases now exist 

 in eleven states and a number of cities in the United States, 

 but only in rare instances are they enforced. Such a law in 

 modified form has been passed and is being enforced in Western 

 AustraUa. 



With the notification of venereal diseases, many other prac- 

 tical measures could be inaugurated, such as the exclusion of 

 infectious syphilitics from occupations connected with the 

 preparation and serving of food; the careful instruction of 

 syphilitics concerning various phases of their disease, and possible 

 means of transmission, thus in many cases securing their active 

 cooperation; and the effective prevention of the marriage of 

 syphilitics. The last is one of the most important measures 

 that could be adopted. Many states at present prohibit the mar- 

 riage of persons with venereal diseases but without enforcement 

 of notification these laws are worse than useless, since they may 

 give a false sense of security. Knowing the awful consequences 

 of inherited syphilis it is the duty of society to prevent the 

 marriage of syphilitics even with the full knowledge and consent 

 of both parties. The Royal Commission urged only the full 

 information of the undiseased party in marriage, allowing the 

 union to be made if then consented to. In this they seem not 

 to have given due consideration to the rights of the next genera- 

 tion. With compulsory notification of venereal diseases, and a 

 law refusing a marriage license to any person who has or has had 

 syphilis and cannot pass the accepted laboratory tests for the 

 disease, the pitiful results of hereditary syphilis could be largely 

 prevented. Even the remote possibility of the spectacle of a 

 diseased wife and of stillborn, insane, or physically imperfect 

 children should be enough to induce any man worthy of the 

 name to take every precaution to avoid such a tragedy, but if 



