The Menace, an Exposition of Quackery Nostrum Exploitation and Reminiscences of a Country Doctor Page: 63

Chas. D. Dixon, M. D.

To be sure, the real "idea," the douche, is masked about
and hidden under "Viavi" stuff with curative powers ap-
parently unlimited. Other things were cultivated as the
territory enlarged under the brilliant management of the
promoters, but the original source of the golden stream
seems to be the vaginal douche. It is a well known fact
that women seem to have the singular and rather unhealthy
idea that the sexual organs should be ignored as something
"low," "vulgar" or "indecent." Most of them do not keep
these portions of the anatomy which are peculiar to them-
selves clean.
Few mothers teach their daughters even the fundamen-
tal facts of reproduction, or the physiologic data concern-
ing their peculiar sex characteristics; fewer teach their
daughters to keep the vagina clean by the use of the douche,
and fewer even know, until they learn through experience,
generally bitter the tremendous importance of cleanliness
and hygiene in the duties and obligations which are assumed
with marriage.
Most women suffer more or less with their reproductive
organs, and a very considerable amount of this discomfort
or suffering is due to lack of common sense cleanliness.
And that as we understand it, is exactly what the agents of
the Viavi are eternally preaching. It is almost every word
in their documents which the concern puts out: "Keep the
vagina clean, by the use of the douche and use a little com-
mon sense."
The immediate increase of personal comfort, and many
times the quick relief from some annoying minor ailment,
which follow on the exercise of cleanliness and common
sense, might so hypnotize the average woman who accepts
the Viavi teachings, and takes the Viavi "treatment" that
she would be ready to believe almost anything the promoters
care to tell her.
But of course, no large paying business could be built
by simply selling a little common sense and good advice.
There must be something definite to take, some wonderful,
secret, and very costly remedy that will work the results,
to secure which the douche is but the merest preliminary.

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