ny years ago married a minister who infected her
with syphilis and kept her from medical attention until the disease
was in a highly developed stage, and even then conspired with an
inefficient doctor to keep her ignorant of the nature of the disease.

[Sidenote: The right to knowledge.]

These are not extreme cases, for any physician with large experience
knows that such things are common. Medical literature is full of such
painful recitals of venereal tragedies. It is not desirable that all
young women should know the details of such tragedies, but they should
know that dangers exist. Parents and educators will not have done their
duty until they cooperate to give all young women the protective
knowledge they have a right to demand.[4]

[Sidenote: Best people must lead.]

There is another way of looking at the possible effect of the social
side of sex-hygienic instruction. It is sure to make a decided
impression upon many young people of the type that we regard as the
best in every way. These will be the leaders of the future and they in
turn will help improve conditions. Perhaps it may all work out as the
drug problem is being solved. Widespread social and hygienic
information regarding the harmful effect of alcohol, cocaine, opium,
and other drugs has first of all impressed leading citizens; and these
are beginning to control by laws those who cannot be reached directly
by education. In some such ways those who are impressed by formal
sex-education may lend a hand in influencing many who could not be
touched directly by hygienic education.

[Sidenote: Legislation needed.]

There is no doubt that public enlightenment regarding the dangers of
social diseases will soon lead to legislation and public medical work
which will contribute greatly towards reduction of the diseases. For
example, legislation with reference to venereal disease should require
doctors to report cases to health officers, should forbid "quack"
advertising of fake "cures," should forbid sale by drug stores of
nostrums for personal treatment, should provide dispensaries and
hospitals for reliable treatment at reasonable cost, should require
medical examinations for marriage licenses and provide for such
examinations at moderate charges or at public expense, should require
certain sanitary precautions in care of eyes of new-born infants, and
should provide for discovery and treatment of congenital syphilis in
school children. These are lines in