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ONE year ago I had the privilege of presenting to you a record of some outbreaks of syphilis and gonorrhea which had come under my observation over a period of years. I wish now to present more recent investigations.There is not too much education but too little actual epidemiology; not too much attention to treatment of cases known but too little prevention. There should be a real constructive program rather than just palliation. Just as with other communicable diseases we must have a case finding machinery-and when cases are found something must be done about them. The reason progress is so slow is because of our prudery and our false sense of modesty.You know as well as I, that when we talk smallpox, typhoid or undulant fever, we talk it right out. We get the information. We collect the data, and we never ask ourselves questions about the propriety of our actions. When it comes to syphilis or gonorrhea we hush it and pass it by. We begin to qualify with ifs and ands and buts-we wonder if it is not too delicate a thing really and purposefully to investigate. Silly shame takes hold of us and we think silence is the best way out.

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