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SYPHILIS
PUBLIC ENEMY NO. 1

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ANTI-VD PROPAGANDA FILM
DIRECTED BY

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LIEUTENANT-COLONEL
DR LUCIEN JAME

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ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
AT VAL-DE-GRACE

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AND SM ROULLET
SOCIAL HYGIENE LECTURER

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In France, each year,

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an average of 650,000 people die.

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Of these, 140,000 deaths
are caused by a venereal disease,

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known as syphilis.

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Syphilis, therefore,
causes 1 death in 5.

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This shocking figure,
albeit an underestimate,

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justifies the current, very strong term:

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"Public Enemy No. 1",
to describe syphilis.

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This powerful foe,
this social scourge must be defeated.

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Our nation has no other choice.

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For this, we need your help.

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You must learn to recognise
syphilis's surreptitious tricks,

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as well as how it begins
and how it progresses.

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Finally, you must
be convinced that it can be cured.

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<i>Syphilis,</i>
<i>commonly known as "the Pox",</i>

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<i>is caused by a very motile microbe</i>
<i>called a treponema.</i>

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<i>You can see it here,</i>
<i>moving in all directions.</i>

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<i>It can be identified by its twisted,</i>
<i>spiral shape, like a corkscrew.</i>

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<i>It is precisely this motility</i>

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<i>that allows it to enter the skin</i>
<i>and mucous membranes</i>

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<i>during sexual intercourse.</i>

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<i>Syphilis is not solely spread</i>
<i>via the genital organs.</i>

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<i>It can also be spread by,</i>
<i>for example,</i>

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<i>kissing someone</i>
<i>with contagious syphilis.</i>

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<i>The microbe enters the body</i>

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<i>through even a small scratch on the lip.</i>

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<i>Once introduced into the skin,</i>

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<i>the treponema silently multiplies</i>
<i>over the course of 20 days.</i>

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<i>This is the incubation period,</i>

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<i>in which there is no sign whatsoever</i>
<i>at the inoculation site.</i>

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<i>Afterwards, the first visible stage</i>
<i>of a syphilis infection appears.</i>

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<i>This is the first symptom,</i>
<i>called a chancre,</i>

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<i>which takes the form of an ulcer,</i>

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<i>a small, round spot, sometimes so subtle</i>
<i>that it goes unnoticed.</i>

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<i>When the treponema</i>
<i>has penetrated the lip,</i>

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<i>the chancre appears</i>
<i>at the point of inoculation.</i>

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<i>The ulceration is accompanied,</i>
<i>and this is a very important sign,</i>

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<i>by swelling of the lymph nodes.</i>

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<i>Here, these are the glands</i>
<i>situated under the jaw</i>

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<i>which enlarge progressively.</i>

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<i>The chancre most often appears</i>
<i>on the genital organs.</i>

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<i>It is bright red, </i>

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<i>and normally about</i>
<i>the size of a 50-centime coin.</i>

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<i>Usually, there is only one.</i>

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<i>However, it is possible</i>
<i>for 2 or even more chancres to appear</i>

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<i>with the same colour and dimensions.</i>

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<i>The chancre is not painful.</i>

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<i>When pressed between the fingers,</i>
<i>it feels hard and resistant</i>

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<i>leading to the name "hard chancre",</i>
<i>as opposed to "soft chancre".</i>

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<i>It is also accompanied by swelling</i>
<i>of the inguinal lymph nodes.</i>

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<i>These glands are painless</i>
<i>and do not weep.</i>

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<i>It is very important to consult a doctor</i>
<i>as soon as a chancre appears,</i>

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<i>before commencing</i>
<i>any local or general treatment.</i>

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<i>The doctor</i>
<i>will then confirm the diagnosis</i>

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<i>by taking a sample of the serous fluid</i>
<i>coming from the ulcer.</i>

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<i>This serous fluid,</i>
<i>placed on a glass slide,</i>

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<i>will then be examined</i>
<i>under a microscope</i>

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<i>to look for the treponema.</i>

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<i>Next, the doctor</i>
<i>carries out a blood test.</i>

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<i>If appropriate treatment</i>
<i>is undertaken straight away,</i>

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<i>the treponema disappears,</i>
<i>the chancre heals,</i>

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<i>and blood test results remain negative.</i>

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<i>If, however,</i>
<i>the chancre isn't recognised,</i>

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<i>if the patient</i>
<i>doesn't seek medical help,</i>

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<i>or they seek inadequate treatment,</i>

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<i>syphilis will secretly continue to grow,</i>

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<i>and the treponema will multiply,</i>

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<i>invade the bloodstream,</i>
<i>and spread through the body.</i>

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<i>The secondary stage of syphilis</i>
<i>will then commence,</i>

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<i>first with a measles-like rash,</i>
<i>called "roseola", </i>

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<i>in pink patches</i>
<i>on the chest and sides,</i>

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<i>as well as the back.</i>

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<i>We also observe white</i>
<i>or pink-ish white blotches</i>

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<i>on the mucosae,</i>
<i>known as mucous patches.</i>

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<i>We see them in the mouth,</i>
<i>on the tongue, </i>

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<i>throat, and genital organs.</i>

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<i>These patches,</i>
<i>filled with treponemata,</i>

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<i>are very dangerous,</i>

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<i>as they lead to large numbers</i>
<i>of direct or indirect contagions.</i>

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<i>Direct contagion by sexual intercourse,</i>
<i>or by kissing,</i>

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<i>indirect contagion</i>

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<i>via a variety of objects</i>

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<i>which the syphilitic,</i>
<i>with contagious mucous blotches,</i>

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<i>has brought to their lips</i>
<i>or contaminated with their saliva.</i>

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<i>Don't copy this careless young man,</i>

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<i>ignorant of the fateful consequences</i>

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<i>of his thoughtless </i>
<i>and seemingly trivial actions.</i>

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<i>This secondary stage</i>
<i>is particularly threatening.</i>

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<i>The treponema, carried by the blood,</i>

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<i>will invade and damage</i>
<i>all the body's organs.</i>

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So, you understand how treatment
must be aggressive and prolonged,

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to avoid even more severe symptoms,

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which are all the more surprising

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as syphilis can progress undetected
in the body for years.

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<i>These are </i>
<i>the tertiary stage's symptoms,</i>

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<i>which can appear 5, 10,</i>
<i>or even 15 years after the chancre,</i>

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<i>the most typical being syphilitic gumma,</i>

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<i>which presents as a painless abscess,</i>
<i>leading to an ulcer</i>

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<i>which spreads progressively,</i>
<i>and begins to weep.</i>

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<i>Tertiary syphilis can reach any part</i>
<i>of the body and affect any organ,</i>

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<i>having the same ruinous effects.</i>

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<i>Thus, the bones of the nose</i>
<i>decay and disintegrate.</i>

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<i>The liver and kidneys</i>
<i>can atrophy in the same way</i>

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<i>and no longer carry out their functions.</i>

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<i>Arteries can harden, </i>

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<i>in some cases</i>
<i>leading to arteriosclerosis.</i>

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<i>At this stage, syphilis is partial</i>
<i>to certain body parts,</i>

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<i>particularly the arterial vessels,</i>
<i>and the largest of these, the aorta,</i>

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<i>at the base of the heart.</i>

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<i>The aorta will dilate, </i>
<i>an aneurysm will silently develop,</i>

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<i>which will eventually burst.</i>

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<i>Suddenly, active and </i>
<i>seemingly in perfect health,</i>

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<i>a still-young man can die</i>
<i>from a ruptured aneurysm.</i>

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<i>In other cases,</i>
<i>arteries in the brain burst,</i>

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<i>leading to what is</i>
<i>commonly known as apoplexy.</i>

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<i>This can result in permanent paralysis</i>
<i>of part of the body,</i>

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<i>leaving the patient incapable,</i>
<i>and reliant on family or society. </i>

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<i>But the most severe complication</i>
<i>is damage to the nervous system.</i>

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<i>When the spinal cord is affected, </i>

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<i>the syphilitic can display</i>
<i>symptoms of locomotor ataxia.</i>

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<i>See the gait of this man</i>
<i>who has lost control of his movements.</i>

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<i>It must be noted</i>
<i>that syphilitics make up</i>

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<i>most of the population in asylums.</i>

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<i>When the treponema</i>
<i>penetrates the brain,</i>

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<i>the complications worsen further:</i>
<i>progressive general paralysis,</i>

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<i>then lunacy, with its regression.</i>

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<i>This necessitates</i>
<i>being sectioned in most cases,</i>

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<i>and shortly leads to death.</i>

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<i>The last point,</i>
<i>which I feel is especially important,</i>

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<i>concerns the hereditary</i>
<i>and social consequences of syphilis.</i>

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<i>If an infected individual marries,</i>
<i>clearly he will contaminate his wife.</i>

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<i>What is more,</i>
<i>the children born of this union,</i>

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<i>the heritors,</i>
<i>as we call them, often die at birth.</i>

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<i>Any survivors risk being marked for life</i>
<i>by this inherited defect,</i>

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<i>as well as transmitting the illness</i>
<i>to their own children</i>

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<i>if they are not </i>
<i>treated correctly from birth.</i>

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<i>The anti-syphilis treatment</i>
<i>at this stage,</i>

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<i>once again, leads to</i>
<i>almost miraculous recoveries.</i>

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<i>Sadly, due to ignorance and negligence</i>

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<i>on the part of their parents,</i>
<i>poor, innocent victims of syphilis,</i>

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<i>stunted in their development,</i>

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<i>will swell the throng of retards:</i>

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<i>idiots, who will spend their lives</i>
<i>behind the walls of an asylum.</i>

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<i>I don't want to dwell</i>
<i>on this sad, but true image </i>

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<i>of syphilis when it is ignored</i>
<i>or inadequately treated.</i>

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<i>With this in mind,</i>

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<i>I must point out the importance</i>
<i>of the prenuptial examination</i>

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<i>which should be mandatory</i>
<i>for couples looking to marry.</i>

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<i>This would avoid much distress</i>
<i>and family drama.</i>

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<i>Analyses of the blood and fluid</i>
<i>surrounding the brain and spinal cord</i>

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<i>are our best methods</i>
<i>of testing for syphilis,</i>

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<i>when carried out</i>
<i>by reputable laboratories.</i>

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<i>Of course, syphilis testing</i>
<i>leads to syphilis treatment.</i>

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<i>We have a wide range</i>
<i>of medicines available,</i>

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<i>especially effective when injected</i>
<i>into the veins or muscles.</i>

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<i>A syphilitic's future depends</i>
<i>on the first doctor seen</i>

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<i>and the treatment given </i>
<i>from the beginning of the illness.</i>

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<i>Diagnosis must therefore</i>
<i>be made as soon as possible</i>

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<i>and be totally accurate.</i>

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<i>Be careful of quacks,</i>
<i>and don't trust their miracle claims,</i>

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<i>shown in adverts, offering a treatment</i>
<i>too quick to be true</i>

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<i>using ineffective medicines.</i>

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<i>If you are contaminated,</i>
<i>your natural first port of call </i>

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<i>is your trusted family doctor.</i>

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<i>National servicemen,</i>

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<i>see your regimental doctor</i>
<i>as soon as you have the slightest worry.</i>

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<i>Also, be aware that in the VD clinics,</i>

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<i>free to all in Paris</i>
<i>and throughout France,</i>

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<i>you can receive,</i>
<i>free of charge if needed,</i>

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<i>the medicines that you may require.</i>

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<i>If everyone followed this advice,</i>

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<i>much suffering and heartache</i>
<i>would be avoided.</i>

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<i>Hope and joy would be reborn</i>
<i>in families, their health reconquered,</i>

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<i>because today,</i>

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<i>we can beat the treponema.</i>

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<i>We can, thanks to long treatment,</i>

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<i>deliver the body from this cruel germ.</i>

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<i>We know how to cure it.</i>

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<i>I want to finish on this word, </i>
<i>"cure".</i>

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<i>Yes, syphilis can be cured.</i>
<i>Syphilis can be healed!</i>

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<i>In exchange</i>
<i>for this incredible deliverance,</i>

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<i>we only ask for patients</i>
<i>to do the right thing, and persevere.</i>

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Subtitles: Michael Craig