Confidential Chats with Boys

by William Lee Howard

I have hinted in these Chats that there is one factor that does more to injure man’s brain and body than all the ordinary diseases in the world. It is such a big factor in making or unmaking man that I shall only point out here the importance of knowing all about this disease and other troubles following the disease.

This disease is sexual in its origin. Of course you all know that venereal diseases exist. You have heard about syphilis and gonorrhea. I have classed them under one disease only because they arise from one cause. Besides these two there are many complications arising from both.

Now what is the truth about these diseases? Why should a boy, girl, everyone, know about these fearful things if they intend keeping away from the women who spread these vile troubles?

Just because the danger does not lie altogether in those of evil habits and professions. If the diseases were only caught by those who lived immoral lives, and stayed with these people, it would not be necessary to go into full details. But these diseases do their great injury to the innocent and ignorant—those ignorant of these important matters.

The germs of these diseases are now everywhere—in the schools, public drinking cups, on hotel towels, on the lips of girls who freely allow you to kiss them. They can be left by the cook on the tasting spoon, are found upon the seats of public toilets, on soiled linen, anywhere man and woman goes and works to-day. You may have your eyesight completely destroyed by getting a few germs in your eyes by rubbing your face on some apparently clean towel. In fact, the ways you can contract these diseases are too numerous to mention; you must know them all.

The greatest fact for you to know is how both syphilis and gonorrhea can ruin your brain; gradually, but surely. If you have had some of the germs of syphilis enter your system through the lips by drinking from the shop cup, or perhaps from kissing a good girl who has a syphilitic sore on her lips from a similar cause, deep into your system goes the poison unknown to you until too late. Then, if you don’t know the whole truth about these matters, nothing can help you. Remember it is ignorance of these subjects that does the harm. If you know what a sore in the throat means; if a pimple on the lips look suspicious to you, then a full sense of what it MIGHT be sends you to the reputable doctor and your disease may be stopped from going further.

These are the diseases the quacks thrive upon. These are the “Blood Diseases,” “Kidney Troubles,” sores on the scalp and body they advertise to cure. They know you are ignorant of the real truths concerning these awful diseases and they play up to that ignorance and bleed you for all you are worth. And when they get through with you there is a general ruin of both your brain and body.

Not one of us can avoid the danger of contracting these diseases; the germs are all around us to-day. You must know all about them to make you safe, your sister safe, your mother from running the risk of giving it to the little baby.

What, for pure, moral persons? Yes; these are just the people who should be armored against the plague. Knowledge will protect them; ignorance will not.

Then there is a lot you should know about the women who directly spread the plague. You must know all these things if you are to start in a career amidst life as it is to-day.