Prevention and Treatment of Venereal Diseases in the Lithuanian Army, 1919–1923

Abstract

In the early 20th century, many armies suffered from venereal diseases. Lithuanian army that participated in the Wars ofIndependence (1918–1920 [1923]) was no exception. Although venereal diseases did not claim many lives, they forced smallarmy to give up the services of many soldiers. Historical analysis of archival documents of the Lithuanian Ministry of NationalDefense, military periodicals, Statutes and medical books of the Lithuanian army from the period 1918–1923, has beenconducted. The venereal disease that bothered the Lithuanian army the most was gonorrhea accounting for 78.4% of theoverall incidence of venereal diseases in 1919. The Sanitation Department of the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defensetook strict measures to stop the spread of gonorrhea and other venereal diseases. This institution paid attention to regularhealth examinations, registration of patients, disease traceability, education, preventive treatment, isolation, and prostitution.In case of illness, treatment was carried out in a special hospital named II Separate Infirmary. Until 1923, the treatment wascompulsory even to soldiers who have completed their service. Difficulties were encountered in different areas because thesoldiers avoided treatment, hid their illness, and visited uneducated doctors. There was a lack of laboratories to carry out theresearch, and the treatment of the patients was expensive and harmful. Despite all the difficulties, the fight against venerealdiseases in the Lithuanian army was won. In 1923, the incidence of gonorrhea was twice as low. The incidence of otherdiseases has also decreased. Having carried out its main work the Sanitation Department narrowed its activities in 1923.