Health Service Reports KU VD Cases 'Extremely Low'
By Jerry Kern Second Part of a Series
Although the number of cases of veneral diseases has increased in the United States in the past few years, the exact opposite is true at KU.
Two cases of VD—one of syphilis and one of gonorrhea—were treated last year at KU's Watkins Memorial Hospital.
Dr. Raymond Schwegler, acting director of Watkins, said hospital authorities are frankly perplexed by the extremely low figure. In fact, an investigation is under way at the hospital to determine why the figures are not sensible.
"WHEN I PRACTICED downtown before moving to Watkins, the story was the same. I treated hardly any KU students for VD," he said.
Watkins comes in contact with about 85 per cent of the student body, which is about 11,500 students. The hospital's front office handled 63,000 cases last year, and only two were for VD.
Several medical men in the community have offered possible reasons for such a low figure, and yet these are only possible reasons. No one has been able to answer the question "Why?" with any substantial or empirical facts.
One reason for this was pointed out by Roger Johnson, administrator of Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
"DUE TO A new and easy system of treatment, most VD patients are treated as out patients in a doctor's downtown office. Hospitals keep no records on out patients. Also, many doctors do not keep records of simple cases of gonorrhea which constitutes most of the VD cases, and which is cured quickly and easily in its early stages," he said.
Therefore, extensive research would be necessary to trace facts and figures including all VD patients. But this fact alone does not substantiate the low figures for KU.
D. Drale Clinton of the Douglas County Health Service reported that the Health Service treated about 120 cases of VD last year. About 10 of these cases were KU students. He said, however, that nine out of 10 of these cases were gonorrhoea.
Dr. R. L. Hermes, Lawrence physician at Medical Arts Center, said the significant rise in venereal diseases is among high school students, not college students.
"High school students are usually not aware of the dangers or the nature of venereal disease. Lack of education is largely responsible for the rise of VD in this group of young people," he said.
"VD HAS ALMOST been wiped out among educated persons." Dr. Hermes said. "For the KU student, the size and type of town has much to do with it. Lawrence has a high degree of education in its environment."
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Education is perhaps the most important factor in the control of venereal disease. This fact is stressed by the American Medical Association and is supported by many medical men.
Accurate and wholesome information is necessary in solving any problem, Dr. Schwegler said.
"You can't expect ignorant masses to act intelligently. If you give information to an educated person, he will act on it. In this sense, the KU student is quite rational," he said.
DR. RALPH JOHNSON, Lawrence physician at Medical Arts Center, believes that education in this area during the high school years is necessary for stopping the rise in this age group.
"However, sex education of this type in the schools is a very touchy problem not only in this community, but also in many others. There is the fear in the minds of parents that sex education in the schools may trigger an over interest in sex." he said.
Some blame the rise in venereal diseases on lax moral standards. Dr. Schwegler believes, however, that this is not necessarily so.
"Is human nature changing, or are only the methods of solving today's problems changing?" he asked. "Perhaps what many people interpret as lax moral standards is only the reception of facts for the first time in fair perspective."
VENEREAL DISEASE at KU is not a problem, Dr. Schwegler said, "but if we let our guard down, it can be a big problem."
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