THREE COUNTIES AGAINST SYPHILIS

South of Savannah, the waves of the Atlantic break on the shores of the Golden Isles of Georgia. Once the rendezvous of buccaneers, later seat of rich manorial plantations, these islands have character and charm. Witness the picturesque ruins of the old slave hospital where Negro slaves were treated more than a century ago. Westward, the marshes of Glynn and the Sidney Lanier oak under which the poet sat while he wrote the songs that have made these marshes famous. On the main, its harbor sheltered by the sea islands, is the old town of Brunswick, county seat of Glynn County, rich in traditions, important part of the old south, thriving seafood and industrial center of the new. Here are important crab and shrimp fisheries, canneries to preserve the catch for shipment. One of the South's largest wood pulp mills. A modern plant for distillation of pine oil and other wood byproducts, a thriving veneer and box industry, all together giving employment to thousands of workmen. Brunswick, center of a rural area, is typical of communities throughout America. Here a demonstration in syphilis control can be carried on, a test program for work in other places, south or north. The United States Public Health Service joined with the health departments of Georgia and Glynn County to set up such a project. This is not the story of syphilis, the disease, it is the story of public health organization to stamp out syphilis. In Brunswick, the work resembles that of any city. Private doctors are given free drugs to treat all their cases of syphilis, so that those who can afford to pay but little may go to their own doctors. Thus, the private physician treats those who can afford to pay at all. At the health department, a modern public clinic treats 275 patients each week free of charge. Systematic efforts have been made to find syphilis, bring it to treatment. Blood tests are a part of school health examination. Every child here has already been tested. In small communities in the outlying region, the story is the same. Here at Saint Simon's, 35 patients come to the clinic each week. And rural doctors receive free drugs and financial aid for the treatment of poorer patients, just as do the doctors of the town. But beyond the towns, beyond the doctors' offices, beyond even roads, are the woods. This is a rural land, a land of forest, fewer than 10 people to the square mile, deep in the piney woods. How will one reach these people? How reach those who work at country sawmills, who gather gum from the pine trees, and tend the turpentine stills? Here are people who have neither means for travel to urban centers nor leisure to travel. The health officer must reach these, too, if he is to meet his responsibility for the protection of the community. If this mountain will not come to Muhammad, Muhammad must go to the mountain. Hence, a mobile clinic that travels throughout three counties, Camden, McIntosh, and Glynn. Let's follow its journeys day by day. Monday, 107 miles, 106 patients. Tuesday, 110 miles, 129 patients. Wednesday, 112 miles, 118 patients. Thursday, 40 miles, 40 patients. Friday, 100 miles, 90 patients. Saturday, 60 miles, 44 patients. For the week, 519 miles, 527 patients at 24 clinics. This silver top is the symbol of the service. Along the road, the clinic itself becomes a bus to bring patients who live at intermediate points to the treatment center. At the clinic stop, the patients gather. Next to church, the biggest event of the week. Find syphilis, bring it to treatment. That is the story of control. The treatment renders the patient non-infectious, stops the spread of the disease through the community. It's a far cry from the swift and shining trailer to the ox cart, but many come to the clinic in this way, while many more come on foot, some walking 10 miles or more for treatment once a week for 70 weeks. They gather at that rural forum, the country store, to compare notes on this new contribution to the life of the community. The school bus serves in a new capacity. It brings more patients to the clinic. Doctors on wheels. The clinical methods of the finest hospitals reach out to serve a rural land. Inside the trailer is a completely equipped clinic. Electric sterilizers, refrigerator, fans, and lights are fed by a 110-V generator in the tow car. No time is wasted in setting up for work. 3 minutes after arrival, treatment can begin. The clinic serves as a health center not only for syphilis. This boy is being immunized against typhoid fever. At crowded stops, the county nurse sets up her stand nearby. In the forward part of the trailer, blood is taken for laboratory test. Arsphenamine is administered. Two patients may be treated at once. Here a specimen of blood is taken for a test. Arsphenamine injected into the blood kills the germ of syphilis, and the patient can no longer transmit the disease to others. Each patient gets simply written detailed instructions so that the illness will be fully understood. Behind the curtain in the rear of the trailer is a complete examination room with its own equipment and sterilizer. Here, bismuth is administered. Bismuth prevents the tragic relapses of heart and brain.