THE SOCIAL HYGIENE BILL.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 303, 21 December 1921, Page 7

THE SOCIAL HYGIENE BILL.

(To the Editor.} Sir, —Gn December 14th in your column "Women's World," you give prominence to an interview with a W.A. lady on the subject of Social Hygiene anci the genital infections called Venereal Disease. She denounces the W.A. legislation, which it is proposed to copy here, because one clause of it has, in practice, compelled some 40 women to I undergo a confidential medicaj examinaI tion, and calls this persecution; and seems to give it as her belief that persecution of these poor women is the end . and aim of the promoters of that Act. , The law is designed to eradicate the foci , of infection, and this persecution talk only cloiidri the issue. The fact that women only have been investigated in W.A. so far is partly explained by the further fact that while infected ■ men know tlrey are infected, nine women in ten do not know what is wrong, even if ! they are aware of anything wrong at all. I Hence they do more parsing on through ignorance. And our visitor fiercely attacks the system of prophylaxis because, forsooth, it will "allow men to sin without fear of punishment."' Here. sir. we '. have quoted that pernicious doctrine which has done more to aid the spread of genital infections through the fosterI ing of the false cant and hypocrisy that I has enveloped the discussion of these ' diseases for generations, when, indeed, discussion was allowed at all, than almost any other factor, social or medical. " Where is the morality of these moral sculs who advocate so barbarous a pun--1 ishment as this? Moreover. I have yet to meet the unfortunate who regards lit as such. Morality has been taught with enthusiasm through the ases, and venereal diseases have co-existed, and may be expected to do so, if no other < means are taken. Lot tie have done with 1 quibbling over these minor points which ■ our visitor makes so much of. and come 1 out in the open with something con--1 lor n change. Let us cxaraino ■ all the measures which have been 1 adopted against health plagues of the past—tuberculosis, smallpox. leprosy. ! plague, diphtheria—minor infections each f and every one of them—examine every * means -vve have, and fearlessly adopt 1 them fur this present urgent need where - suitable. Let Us adopt and use every use- ; fill weapon, be it medical, educational. • or legislative. Let our aim be nothing i short of eradication of these disease?, i and let us not be sidetracked into end--1 less and fruitless dissuasion of minor - disabilities of some of the more drasti: , ' steps that will be necessary. Lot mc f I commend yon for an example id the ' J tirorough campaign being waged in : almost every Stale in America, wii lr a " courage, skill, and already 5 well-deserved success. X.Z. alone i? idle , in this great field.—l am, etc.. MEDICI'S.