“The friend of humanity may with some confidence anticipate a gradual diminution in the prevalence of venereal diseases, and may hope for their complete extinction in a not too distant future. All that is requisite for the attainment of this end is that those engaged in the study and practice of general hygiene, and those concerned in the safeguarding of public morality, should not weary in their efforts; and that scientific research should pursue its aims firmly and clearly, uninfluenced by the tyranny of custom, and independent of prejudice.”—K. F. Marx.
CONTENTS OF CHAPTER XV
The suppression of venereal diseases — Organization of the campaign against them — International Conference in Brussels — Foundation of the German Society for the Suppression of Venereal Diseases — Three methods of carrying on the campaign against venereal diseases.
Personal Prophylaxis against Venereal Diseases: Rôle of cleanliness — The preputial secretion and balanitis — Importance of circumcision — Technique of the cleansing of the genital organs before and after sexual intercourse — Examination for disease — Dangers of repeated coitus — Special protective measures — The condom — Varieties and technique of its use — The instillation of solutions of silver salts — Their relative value — The inunction of fat — Metchnikoff’s ointment for the prevention of syphilis — Antiseptic washings — The public advertisement of protective measures — Legal protection against venereal infection — Opinions of legal authorities on this subject (von Liszt, von Bar, Schmölder).
The Suppression of Venereal Diseases by Medical Treatment: Favourable conditions as regards syphilis — Mitigation of the syphilitic virus — Mercury and its importance — A “triumph of medicine” — Methods of employing mercury in the treatment of syphilis — Mode of action of the mercury cure — Means for the after-treatment of syphilis — Curability of syphilis — Treatment of gonorrhœa — Necessity for microscopical examination and the scientific methods to be employed — The different modes of treatment — The determination of the cure of gonorrhœa — Facilitation of the treatment of venereal diseases for the great mass of the public — “Krankenkassen”[330] and venereal diseases.
State Action and Public Action in the Campaign against Venereal Diseases: Statistics of venereal troubles — Blaschko’s researches — Frequency of venereal diseases in Denmark — Among various classes in Germany — Prussian statistics of April 30, 1900 — Conclusions deducible from these statistics — The different sources of infection — Prostitution the principal source of infection — Danger of youthful prostitutes — Measures to be taken by the State against the diffusion of diseases by prostitution — Regulation — Criticism of this measure — Its illegality — Its uselessness and its dangers — Favourable results of the withdrawal of “moral control” — Prostitution and crime — Soutenage — Criticism of Lombroso’s theory of the relations between prostitution and criminality — The brothel question — Diminution in the number of brothels — Dangers of brothels — Brothel streets and the limitation of prostitution to definite quarters — Proposals for the examination of the male clientèle — Criticism of these proposals — The true way towards the suppression of prostitution.
CHAPTER XV
The motto which I have placed at the head of this chapter on the campaign against venereal diseases and on the attempt to suppress them is taken from an interesting academic essay by the former professor of medicine at Göttingen, K. F. H. Marx, who is well known to have been the physician of Heinrich Heine during the latter’s student life in Göttingen. The title of this essay is “The Diminution of Diseases in Consequence of Advancing Civilization,” p. 35 (Göttingen, 1844).