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January
1972
D r. Edwin
J.
DeCosta, professor of
obstetrics and gynecology at North–
western University, noted that "Study
after study indicates that 5 to 10 percent
of young women have gonorrhea, even
pregnant young women, even pretty
young women, even 'clean' young
women from nice families - even mar–
ried women with grown children." He
said,
"If
we are ever to get rid of gon–
orrhea we must ferret out the reser–
voirs and treat tbem." But other experts
admit that treatment, by itself, will
never stop the VD epidemic. We shall
see why later.
At the University of Southern Cali–
fornia
f
County General Hospital in Los
Angeles, fully 6 percent of the women
giving birth to babies in 1970 were in–
fected with gonorrhea. The d isease
could have infected (and blinded if not
discovered) the eyes of the children as
they passed tbrougb the birtb canal dur–
ing delivery.
These alarming statistics are the cea–
son the American Social Heal th Associ–
ation reported : "Gonorrhea
is
now
pandemic [everywhere affecting unusual
numbers] and threatening the health
and welfare of the next generation."
While syphilis is again showing alarm–
ing increases, it is gonorrhea, the subtle
crippler, that is really "out of control,"
according
to
health authorities.
Increasing the danger is the high in–
fection rate among United States troops
in Vietnam. Some say 20 percent of
United States personnel serving there
have at sorne time contracted VD.
Many will return borne, unaware of
the "bomb" they're carrying.
Drugs- tbe Per fect Solution ?
Why, in our era of "mirade" drugs,
has there been a sudden resurgence of
venereal disease -
especially gon–
orrhea? Surprisingly, the "success" of
med ica! science is partly to blame for
VD resurgence. But only partly.
The era of penicillin in treating VD
started in 1943. Because of its dramatic
effect on the course of the disease,
many developed false confidence. They
thought they could forget about VD
as a danger and could safely engage
in a "fling." Along with this euphoria,
many felt there was no longer a great
need to inform new generations about
The
PLAIN TRUTH
VD's crippling and k illing potential.
Proper understanding and respect for
VD and its subtle dangers fell to a dan–
gerously low level. This attitude largely
continues to the present. In light of the
facts about VD, this false confidence
and ignorance have proved to be
unfortunate.
Modern drugs, chiefly penicillin,
have had remarkable success in stopping
VD infections and in cutting down the
severe crippling and death rates caused
by VD. But they can prevent serious
damage only if applied early enough in
detected cases.
Modern drugs are not miracle work–
ers. They cannot replace or restore vital
tissue after it has been destroyed by the
advanced stages of the disease. After
vital tissue is gone, it is irreplaceable.
Jncreasing numbers of treatment fail–
ures are unsettling health o!ficials be–
cause of growing drug resistance by the
gonorrhea organism.
Gonorrhea, by far the biggest VD
problem, is developing highly resistant
strains to penicillin and to the alternate
drugs used by those allergic to
penicillin. VD from Vietnam has had
an especially high resistance to
penicillin. This is not surprising since
gonorrhea, historically, has developed
resistance to everything used for its
treatment.
Concerning this problem, Dr. Walter
Smartt, chief of the Los Angeles County
VD Control C!inic, said, "All our steel–
capped bullets have turned into
rubber."
As a result of these resistant strains,
one shot or a series of shots may not do
the trick. Sorne, thinkiog themselves
cured, suffer relapses. Even with syph–
ilis, which is not noticeably resistant
to drugs, many months and even years
of observation may be required to en–
sure a cure.
1n 1943, a single injection of 100,-
000 units of penicillin usually stopped
gonorrhea, but today it may go as high
as 4.8 million units or more. Sorne offi–
cials fear we are approaching an upper
threshold where the amount of dosage
that can be routinely and safely given
has been reached.
T reatment Of ten Losing Battle
Many health officials know that treat–
ing VD victims is a painstaking, frus-
u.s.
lonorrhea
Bpidemic
1950-1970
(Cases Reported
in 100,000's)
Gonorrhea
100%
Growth
in Just Ten
Years.
23
S()Uiee-: U, S, Publlc Hufth Servic•
trating and often Josing battle.
By the time most individuals related
in a chain of infection (often involving
hundreds) are contacted and treated,
the disease has spread far beyond the
group. (This is especially true of gon–
orrhea, where as little as a three-day
incubation period after infection per–
mits the d isease to be spread again.)
The expense of tracing aod con–
tacting individuals can be enormous be·
cause some are living in distant cities,
states or nations. Besides this, many
individuals infected each year
e
12 to 30
percent in sorne areas) get reiofected
within twelve months of treatment -
many within one month.
Overconfidence in drugs and growing
resistance to drugs are only two aspects
related to the VD upsurge.
Many infected victims are not found
because of the physicíans' reluctance to
report cases ( they report less than 20
percent of the cases) in order to protect