SOME SPECIAL FEATURES OF MASSACHUSETTS' PROGRAM FOR VENEREAL DISEASE CONTROL

In recent years, venereal disease control programs have been presented and discussed from various angles at all kinds of medical meetings. After the high tide of enthusiasm in this direction, engendered by the abnormal conditions of the war time period, most health administrators expected that there would be a recession of financial and popular interest in this newly inaugurated work of health departments. This has occurred; also many tentative schemes enthusiastically advocated during the hectic war time period, particularly in the direction of popular education and forcible repression, have failed to meet the acid test of consistent support by general public sentiment. Appropriations have in many instances fallen off sharply, and in some instances practically disappeared. It has been demonstrated that it is not at present possible to get the public to receive educational, epidemiologic or isolation policies for syphilis or gonorrhea on the same plane and in the same