Jfeattk
by
Otto McClarrin
VENERAL DISEASE:
EPIDEMIC RUNNING.
RAMPANT: Not so many
years ago, fear of
illegitimate pregnancy
undoubtedly dictated
some of our social
standards. And that may
be what kept venereal
disease under a degree of
control in the United
States. During the last
decade - the era of new
sexual freedom and the
pill - VD has soared.
The use of the pill and
IUD for contraception
likely have a role in the
rise of sexual freedom; at
I)
does cure VD, and it did
curb it for a time. But
during the last several
years the disease has
grown , to epidemic
proportions and is running
rampant now.
Millions of dollars are
being spent by federal,
state and local health
departments trying to
prevent and control VD.
But for every case
detected, another is
infected before treatment
is given, and another, and
another.. .Sometimes the
trail from a single VD case
can lead to a hundred or
the same time they offer more contacts.
no protection against VD
as did contraceptive
methods in use previously.
Behavioral scientists
could have a field day
explaining the why's of
the VD disease. But the
government epidemic
fighters are faced with the
grim facts: the current
estimates from HEW's
Center for Disease Control
(CDC) in Atlanta are that
2,500,000 people contract
gnorrhea each year and
80,000 get syphilis. It's
an estimate because many
private physicians fail to
report cases); the actual
statistics show a relentless
rise each year, particularly
for gonorrhea. Next to the
common cold, it's the
most prevalent disease in
the country. And in its
way, just as difficult to
conquer.
PENICILLIN CURES
VD: For several years after
penicillin was in wide use,
health authorities thought
they had the age-old VD
nrohlem licked. Penicillin
Venereal disease is a
subject many families shun
as a topic of conversation
(often at the same time it
is invading their own
homes). They regard it as
more a social stigma than a
health problem. But a
health problem it is,
posing a particular threat
to young people, women
and babies. Venereal
diseases can lead to heart
disease, blindness,
crippling, insanity,
sterility, babies born blind
or deformed. Often there
are no early symptoms,
especially in women.
That's why health
authorities are trying to
bring an understanding of
VD to public attention.
Their primary aim is to
reach teen-agers and young
adults and get them to
visit a physician or clinic
to be tested if they are
sexually active, because
VD can be cured. Also
they want to teach them
how to prevent the spread
of VD, because there are
ways. And they want them
to know the importance to
their lives and others of
preventing, finding, and
treating VD before it does
damage.
R UN - A - W AY
EPIDEMIC: Greater use of
condoms to combat a
runaway epidemic of
venereal disease, while also
practicing birth control,
was urged by a public
health expert recently.
And tests are under way to
determine whether vaginal
preparations, such as
chemical foams, can bring
the same double benefit of
contraception and disease
control as condoms, said
Dr. John C. Cutler,
professor of International
Health at the University of
Pittsburgh.
The condom is a proven
means of preventing VD,
Dr. Cutler told a
symposium at the New
York Academy of
Medicine on sexually
transmitted diseases, of
which there are 14. Both
condoms and vaginal
chemicals can be bought
over the counter, or
through vending machines,
making them easily
available to young people
who are hit by the highest
rates of sexually
transmitted diseases, Dr.
Cutler said. He was
especially concerned about
the very ' high VD rate in
the 15-24 year age group."
-y have a
nice weekend...
...say hello
to a stranger
Dental Patient's Behavior
Can De Misleading
Dental treatment or
oral hygiene procedures
cause some patients to
cringe with paid, while
others react with stoic
tolerance. It is very
difficult to gauge the
intensity of a patient's
discomfort by his overt
behavior, a British
psychiatrist has
suggested.
According to reports
received by a company in
the U.S. dentists in our
country have reported that
the only way they may
become aware of the pain
of dental hypersensitivity
in some patients is when
they apply a jet spray of
cold air or water to a
specific area of the mouth.
Some of the reasons for
stoicism suggested in the
past have included family
conditioning, a high
threshold of pain
tolerance, and the fear
that admitting paid will
result in more pain in the
form of dental treatments
and expense.
Developing a good
doctor-patient relationship
is the psychiatrist's
recommendation for
monitoring accurately
anxiety or pain, and for
helping the patient to
overcome his fears.
Patient education is
another offered by
dentists who find that
knowledge of new
procedures and techniques
that cut down on time,
expense and pain
encourages a patient to
discuss his dental problems
more openly and not to
anticipate discomfort.
Home treatment is
sometimes possible, too,
and for teeth that are
overly sensitive, the
"treatment" may consist
of changing toothpastes to
one containing strontium -chloride
(Sensodyne) to
block the stimuli that
produce the pain.
4&
SENIOR CITIZEN'S CORNER,
HELPFUL IDEAS FOR SUCCESSFUL RETIREMENT
Prevent Burglary
Burglary is the nation's fastest
growing felony. A prowler enters
someone's home every 15 seconds
in this country. The rules for
protecting your home and family
from burglary are quite simple
and basic.
Make entry by the burglar dif
ficult. Use substantial door and
window locks. Utilize exterior
lights at night when you're home,
plus inside lights when you're
not.
Get to know your neighbors.
Make them fully aware of your
family's living habits who
comes and goes to your house and
when. . If you should notice a
stranger who appears to be doing
something out of the ordinary,
call the police immediately.
When you're not at home:
Lock all outside doors and
windows.
At night, leave one or more
lights on in locations not visible
from windows. For extended ab
sences, there are inexpensive
plug-in timers that will turn
lights on and off.
Leave a radio playing, pre
ferably tuned to a talk show
with volume low. This might
create the impression of conver
sation. Do not leave notes indicating
your absence.
Shut and lock the garage
door.
Don't leave keys in obvious
places like the mailbox or under1
a flower pot.
When you're at home:
Keep outside doors locked.
Don't admit strangers un
der any pretext.
Install a chain lock or have
caller identify himself prior to
opening the door.
Don't keep valuables out in
the open.
Report any solicitor or
salesman without proper creden
tials to the police,.
CAN BE PURCHASED
B & G PIPE SHOP
COLEMAN GROCERY
TAKOMA PARK, MO' - While helping his mother sweep a Chattanooga theater 45 years ago, Cleavant Derricks found a
badly needed $5 bill and the inspiration to write one of the nation's most famous gospel songs, "Just a Little Talk With
Jesus.' The song has been recorded by more than 300 singers. But Derricks, now 65 and stricken with cancer and living near
poverty never received a cent in royalties. He swapped his song for 50 songbooks he sold at churches and gospel meetings for
ten cents - $5 at most. (UPI).
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