Why Urethral swabs for "infectioolus discharge" for DOT exams in the 1990s?

In 1996, while working a low end, blue collar temp assignment at a warehouse, I was offered a permanent position job where the golden standard for preemployment was the DOT physical -- even though no DOT licensing was involved.

I called the mom & pop Occupational Safety medical facility that did all their workman's comp & DOT physicals. It was run by both a male & female physician, & when I called it was the female physician I spoke to. She told me emphatically that I would undergo an unobserved urine test, scrotal & inguinal hernia exams, a specific penis exam for lesions & other anomalies; & have my uretha swabbed & cultured for "infectious discharge" . (I later saw documentation that confirmed this as a part of DOT physicals)

Absolutely sick with disbelief! With butterflies in my stomach I thought, "what nerve! THAT for a near minimum wage job"? This exam protocol, zealously delineated to me by that domineering female doc (who clearly liked the power trip) also made my naughty parts tingle! It seemed a medical fetish "Fools Paradise" with everything except a DRE! That lady physician was Hellbent on doing those intimate exams, & even failed to tell me I could refuse them, but in her venue probably wouldn't take "no". (Also, no guarantee her male counterpart wouldn't perform the exam either!)

Ultimately, my intellectual, moral & political "inner voice" told me I didn't want any part of that subjectifying, scummy bullying & manipulation of poor workers. I quit that temp assignment on the spot & got employment from those less interested in my reproductive health.

I've asked around to truck drivers & their wives, who mostly denied even having the hernia exams, let alone the rest..I would guess at least 60% of doctors bypass that segment as bullshit. The rest day "it's on the exam so I'll do it?"

For shits & giggles, I recently did some research on contemporary DOT physical requirements. The urine tests are now supervised & observed. The hernia test still there, but the ubsurd, illogical penis & vaginal urethra tests seem absent..

Curious. Why even think of doing such tboroughly intimate exam in the old days to a bus or truck driver? Did they used to steer their vehicles with their dicks, but don't anymore?

I have heard that STD swabs are pretty damn painful. I wouldn't know myself. But swabbing for infectious discharge sounds a lot like an STD test. Putting people that kind of pain for a job physical?

I dont know of any clinic that does those anymore. Most use blood tests.

If you have symptoms such as discharge you should be tested. When I was in college I had a brief intimate relationship with a young woman whom I later found out she was the campus bicycle (everyone gets a ride). I grew worried because I had unprotected sex with somebody so promiscuous further complicated by the fact I had also heard heard she had contracted a STD.

Rumor or not I was not taking any chances. Over the past 10 or so years I worked very hard to develop my body and as such I was a bit more health conscious than my peers.

I decided to schedule an appointment at University Health Services. They drew some blood and I had to void a urine sample and it was explained to me the most accurate method was the swab. I did what I had to do. I won't say the test was a breeze but I would have rather taken my lumps then and there rather to find out worse news later.

Th eOP was entirely in the context of the government arbitrarily & capriciously imposing intrusive intimate exams* on DOT applicants.

I don't have any personal "discharge" issues. I'm unapologetically fussy & uncompromising, & most of my adult life I haven't had the dating options I want. The upside is I'm sqieaky clean & will stay that way.

*The ADA protects workers from such brazenly irrelevant exams, & they strictly define & sort out primary job functions from secondary & tertiary. Inguinal & scrotal hernia exams are tertiary, not imperative, but doctors go ahead without informing patients of their rights. Unfortunately Federal government jobs & licenses usurp ADA guidelines, & they can do anything they please to patients. Including a specific penis exam & urethral swabs. (which decent dictors bypassed anyway).

I obtained a cdl B in 1985 and never once was tested for stds as part of my dot physical exams which I continued to have every 2 years to keep my cdl even though I stopped driving commercially for over 20 years. I did have regular std tests in college because it was the 80s and they had an std nurse that swabbed us. Fortunately I used protection but it’s not 100%.