210 A Short History of Nursing nurses no instruction in venereal disease — indeed, that the very existence of these ills was often con- cealed. The taboo had worked even in hospitals. A strong demand was then made for adequate instruction on these lines. For several years before the war popular interest in the social evil had flagged somewhat, but it was revived by the rude shock given by the war to all fundamental questions of life and health. In cities two tendencies had been co-existing — the deter- mination of evil or ignorant powers to attain some system of "regulation" and of enlightened citizens to combat this by a knowledge of the truth. Both tendencies entered into the army life. Nurses met both, and knew their results. After the war, a nation-wide campaign against venereal disease was planned under the direction of the Surgeon- General of the Public Health Service. The modes of attack were to be similar to those used against tuberculosis: state districts, central free clinics, free early treatment, individual teaching, visit- ing nursing, and popular education. With the close of war, preparations were at once made to equip nurses for this service. Great Britain took similar steps. There the National Council for Combating Venereal Disease approached hospi- tals in 1 91 8 to urge the importance of giving nurses
