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- Title
THE IMPORTANCE OF ADOPTING THE WASSERMAN TEST FOE SYPHILIS AS A ROUTINE MEASURE IN THE EXAMINATION OF THE INMATES OF PENAL INSTITUTIONS.
- Authors
Spaulding, Edith R.
- Abstract
The article presents information about importance of adopting the Wassermann test for Syphilis as routine measure in the examination of the inmates of penal institutions. Realizing from clinical symptoms that a large number of the inmates of the Massachusetts reformatory for women were infected with syphilis, it was thought advisable before instituting modern treatment to examine the blood of every individual in order to ascertain the prevalence of the disease among those showing no symptoms. During the last three months, the Wassermann test has been done on 239 women, the blood being tested at the neuropathological laboratory of the Harvard Medical School. Dividing the women into groups, according to their offenses people have the following results. Of those cases sentenced for prostitution under the charge of "Common Night Walker," 63.3 percent gave a positive reaction. Many cases show no clinical evidence of the disease on entrance, and give no history of an infection. Especially is it true of women that they may have been wholly unaware of the presence of the disease. In connection with this it will be remembered that but 48.5% of our positive cases gave any history.
- Subjects
MASSACHUSETTS; WASSERMANN reaction; WOMEN prisoners; DISEASES in women; CORRECTIONAL institutions; SEXUALLY transmitted diseases
- Publication
Journal of the American Institute of Criminal Law & Criminology, 1914, Vol 4, Issue 5, p712
- ISSN
0885-4173
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2307/1132649