Basic HTML Version
J anuary
1972
treats the effect aod not the root cause.
The campaign against VD must be
focused not only oo microbes, but on
morals - especially oo wrong sex atti–
tudes aod practices.
Pt·omismotts
sex
habits are the real
CAUSE
behind VD's
fantastic spread. Unfortuoately, it is
neither fashionable nor expedient for
those who know the conseguences of
such sex practices to speak out.
We have swuog from Victorian
prudety to open sexual license. True
Christian - or bíblica! - morality has
been labelled prudishness because it was
misinterpreted by traditional Christian
moralists.
Seeking to free themselves from
prudery, official public agencies, many
churches and leaders have come to re–
gard sound teaching of moral values as
impractical or even guestionable. Too
many people hold to the idea that each
person must decide upon his own life–
style. Unfortunately, the consequences
of a particular life-style may be very
tragic. VD is one of those consequences.
Sorne researchers, of course, do see
the real cause of VD. They are crying in
the wilderness that we must have a
change
in our moral values if we are to
prevent the disease. "The chronic vene–
real disease patient needs an entire moral
re-education," said one doctor in a pop–
ular medica! journal, after reviewing
the problem.
This fact must be sguarely faced by
the individual who is looking for
protection from the plague of VD. The
disease, when it strikes, is over–
whelmingly the result of factors involv–
ing illicit or promiscuous sex rela–
tions - pre-marital, extra-marital or
homosexual.
Venereal disease organisms may be
abundant an1ong persons in a given
area, but no transmission of the disease
can take place unless sexual or
intimate
contact is made with infected persons.
In the words of one publication of
the American Medica! Association on
the subject: "Married couples who ab–
stain from extra-marital intercourse
have no trouble with the disease [if no
pre-marital infection was acquired].
Neither do single people who abstain
from sexual congress before marriage."
This may be an increasingly unpopu–
lar view, but it is
RICHT.
It is the only
The
PLAIN TRUTH
25
lbout lonorrhea
G
ONORRHEA,
commonly cal!ed
"the clap," "gleet" or "the
drip," is caused by a germ called
gonococcus.
It
is rarely a ki ller, but
it is a severe crippler and shortener
of the life-span. It occurs
10
or more
times as freguently as syphilis.
Gonorrhea organisms can enter the
body only through moist membrane
openings. Tbe gonococci are parasitic
bacteria! organisms that live by pene–
tmting cell walls and absorbing the
nutrients they require. Primarily,
they settle in the genital areas. Here
they can damage the intricate and
specially lined areas of the male and
female sex organs, especially the fe–
rnale Fallopian tubes through which
the female egg must pass. Attempts
by the body to heal darnaged areas
may render a man or woman sterile
by closin8 tubes with thick, fibrous
scar tissue. This is a major cause of
steril ity as well as genital problems
occurring years later in !ife.
Most men readily show symptoms
of gonorrhea infection, although
sorne do not. For women, it is more
tragic - about
80 percent
sl1ow no
attention-drawing symptoms. This
has produced a dangerous, vast
reservoir for potential infection
among those engaging
in
illicit or
promiscuous sexual relations. Only
after serious damage has been done
will many women feel pain and seek
treatment.
No lnfallible Test
The usual early symptom of gon–
orrhea is a copious pus-like dis-
s11re
way to stop the veoereal disease
upsurge. Even in an age of greater sex–
ual promiscuity, VD is greatly prevent–
able if an individual is living properly.
What the individual does with bis
own life is his decision. But there are
conseguences for following a wrong
life-style. The effects of sexual promis–
cuity are clearly documented. What you
do
with the information from this article
is your decision. You must choose
whether you will apply it or not.
lf
you are a parent with adolescent
or teen-age children, it is the writer's
hope tbat you wi l! properly teach and
instruct them in proper moral values
while there is yet time.
O
charge from the genitals that occurs
from a few days to three weeks after
infection. In meo, urination usually
becomes painful. A smear test is a
common, but not infallible, means of
con6.rmatioo. There is no reliable
blood test for gonorrhea, which
means that if the discharge stops,
confirmation of the disease may be
very difficult. More complicated tests
would then be reguired.
Symptoms may disappear without
treatment, but the victim is usually
infectious for maoy years. The dis–
ease may remain dormant (but sex–
ually infectious) until some time in
the future when the germs may
extend into glands, joints or other
organs causing arthritis, heart com–
plications, bl indness, brain damage
oc
other chronic conditions sucb as
sterility. Unless immediately treated,
most victims of gonorrhea will suffer
sorne type of tissue damage. This
may or may not be serious.
As a result of passage through an
infected birth canal, babies a(e
threa~ened
with infection of the eyes
and potential blindness within a few
days. This used to be a major cause
of blindness in children. Since laws
have been passed in most states re–
quiring a solutioo of silver nitrate to
be put in the oewborn's eyes, this
problem has been significaotly
reduced. Transfer of the gonococci
to the
eyes
by means of freshly con–
taminated bedding, towels or hands
is always a danger to victims or
young children associated with
them.
MISSING DIMENSION
IN SEX
If you would like further under–
standiog of the vital area of sex and
marriage, write for our authoritative
book,
The Missing DimenJion in Sex.
You can have your FREE copy of this
important book by writing to our
address nearest you, found in the staff
box inside front cover. The publishers
must, regrettably, refuse to send the
Missing Dimension In Sex
to un–
married minors. But it is hoped that
parents will recognize the urgency of
placing this helpful and informative
volun1e in the hands of their adoles–
cent chi ldren.