“Dramatic" Rise In Infectious Syphilis In United States

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32351, 17 July 1970, Page 16

“Dramatic" Rise In Infectious Syphilis In United States

(N.Z. Press Assn.— Copyright) ] NEW YORK, July 15. < The rate of infectious * syphilis throughout the United States increased 8.5 - per cent in the last year, . a rise “so dramatic that J national emergency action , is needed,” a health society , has aid. New Jersey led the in- ■ crease among the .States, while New York City topped the country’s urban areas, according to a United Press International report. The American Social Health Association, a voluntary agency championing the fight against venereal disease, said that 20,531 cases of infectious syphilis were re-

ported in the United States during the fiscal year 1970, an increase on the 18,769 reported during the previous year.

New Jersey showed a 55.3 per cent upsurge in the disease in the fiscal period ending June 30 almost seven times the 8.5 per cent national increase over 1969 —while New York reported a 29.8 per cent increase with 3,230 cases. It topped the list of cities with populations of 200,000 or more. “This increase is so dramatic that national emergency action is needed,” said Dr James S. McKenzie-Pollock, the association’s medical director. “I think a dangerous situa-

tion is upon us. Unless we take every effort to stop this increase, we’re in trouble,” he said.

He attributed the rise, particularly in the last five months, to “the increase in sex.”

“There’s not only more sex, especially among the young people, but more indiscriminate sex,” Dr McKenzie-Pol-lock said. He also said that some 750,000 other Americans were plagued with noninfectious syphilis. The association said that the “alarming upsurge” of infectious syphilis compounded the problem of venereal disease because “the epidemic of gonorrhea is already out of control.”