Class Year
2017
Document Type
Student Research Paper
Date of Creation
Fall 2016
Department 1
History
Abstract
Venereal disease was a major contributor to lost man days in World War I so the government attempted to implement an educational campaign beginning in 1918. After a loss of funding, venereal disease became unattended until 1936 when Thomas Parran was appointed as Surgeon General. He made prevention of venereal disease his top priority and began a new campaign, determined to make it more effective and better funding than its predecessor. The subsequent advent of World War II strengthened national interest. With the inspiration of Parran, the Public Health Service and other organizations made movies, posters, pamphlets, books, and school curriculums. Despite these efforts beginning before the war and only intensifying during the war years, venereal disease rates during World War II climbed through 1943. However, in contrast to the first campaign, Parran’s attempt to end venereal diseases was better funded and longer lasting than its predecessor.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Gaiser, Madeleine L., "The Other 'VD': The Educational Campaign to Reduce Venereal Disease Rate During World War II" (2016). Student Publications. 475.
https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/student_scholarship/475
Included in
History of Science, Technology, and Medicine Commons, Military History Commons, United States History Commons
Comments
Written for HIST 421: Seminar: The U.S. and World War II.