y words gonorrhea and syphilis were
unknown to them, I use these expressions not as figures of speech, but
in their literal meaning. All avenues of acquiring such knowledge
being closed to them--lay people don't usually now and they surely
didn't then purchase and read strictly medical works--where could they
obtain the information? The result was that when a woman was so
unfortunate as to contract a venereal disease from her husband, she
did not understand its character and did not suspect its source. Which
was a rather good thing--for the husband. Family peace was more
secure.

=Present Exaggerations.= Now a change has taken place in this respect,
and, as is often the case with recent changes, the pendulum has swung
to the other extreme. The silence of former days has given place to
shouting from the housetops. The last phrase is also used almost in
its literal sense. Many men and women, deeply stirred by the venereal
peril, and sincerely anxious to guard boys and girls from venereal
infection, have been indulging in very reprehensible exaggerations.
Particularly lurid have been the exaggerations as to the prevalence of
the disease in the male sex, with its consequent disastrous effects on
married women. A statement made by a Dr. Noeggerath (a German
physician who practiced at the time in New York), nearly half a
century ago, to the effect that 80 per cent, of all men have gonorrhea
and that 90 per cent. of these remain uncured and infect or are apt to
infect their wives, has been shown to be a ridiculously absurd
exaggeration. If it had been true, the race would now be at the point
of dying out. Nevertheless, this statement is copied from book to
book, as if it were gospel truth, as if it were a scientifically and
statistically established fact instead of a wild, sensational guess.
An esteemed New York physician, Dr. Prince A. Morrow, did excellent
pioneer work in calling attention to the dangers of venereal disease.
But, as is the case with so many "reformers," he permitted his zeal to
run away with him occasionally, and he made statements which caused
and are still causing the judicious to grieve. The statement, for
instance, that there is more venereal disease among innocent, virtuous
wives than among prostitutes is one to cause the real honest
investigator to weep (over the human tendency to exaggeration), or to
burst out in uproarious laughter. The ridiculousness of this statement
becomes especially evident whe