[117:1] See Ed. Carpenter, "Civilisation: Its Cause and Cure."
[129:1] The Conference was held in the ball-room of the Club of the
Allied Officers at Cannes.
[129:2] In this connection, it should be noted that there was a time
when syphilis was unknown in our civilisation. It cannot be traced with
any certainty in Europe before the fifteenth century, although its
origin is involved in some controversy. The attempt to suppress venereal
diseases by proper treatment is of little more than twelve years
duration. Three men--Wassermann, Ehrlich, and Noguchi--have supplied the
knowledge whereby the evil may be attacked. See "Motherhood and the
Relationship of the Sexes," p. 283, _et seq._
[132:1] "The Fight against Venereal Disease," by Raymond B. Hodick, _The
New Republic_, Nov. 30, 1918.
[134:1] My own opinions have been greatly influenced by what has been
done in England with regard to drink, and in the American Army in
maintaining the health of the Army by restricting prostitution, which
explains a change in my attitude, since writing the chapter on
"Prostitution" in _The Truth about Woman_.
[141:1] On this question the testimony of the American Army is urgent.
They say, "Prophylaxis is under favorable circumstances secondary only
in effectiveness to actual prevention of exposure.... When every other
means have been used to make contact difficult if not impossible,
prophylaxis, while not one hundred per cent. efficient, is invaluable as
a last resort, and has contributed a large share towards maintaining in
our Army the lowest venereal disease rate ever before known." Article
before cited.
_Fifth Essay_