The Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Air Force and the Secretary of the Navy are authorized and directed to adopt measures for the purpose of assisting the various States in caring for civilian persons whose detention, isolation, quarantine, or commitment to institutions may be found necessary for the protection of the military, air and naval forces of the United States against venereal diseases.
(July 9, 1918, ch. 143, ch. XV, § 2, 40 Stat. 886.)