THE V.D. PLAGUE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 194, 17 August 1922, Page 7

THE V.D. PLAGUE.

1 CONDITIONS IN AUCKLAND. EVIDENCE BY MEDICAL MEN. The Venereal Disease Committee of ! the Board of Health, comprising the Hon. W. H. Triggs (chairman), LadyLuke, Dr. J. 1 , . Frengley, Dr. J. S. Elliott and Sir Donald MeGavin, held a i ' sitting at the Auckland Hospital Board's rooms to-day to hear local evidence for j the purpose of its report to .the Minister of Health. AT THE HOSPITAL CLINIC. Dr. Falconer Brown, in charge of the ; ' V.D. clinic station at Auckland Hospital. : stated that since the inception of the J clinic in January, 1920, there had been 1248 cases of venereal disease treated. Amongst these 1056 were men and the rest women and children, and the figures indicated the large incidence of both syphilis and gonorrhoea in the city, and . the large disproportion between the I number of men and women who were re- ! porting. As to the cases themselves the incidence showed that in many cases certificaitee of cure in gonorrhoea were frequently given when there was no I cure. So far as he could ascertain , about 80 per cent of syphilis patients I continued with treatment till cured, and only about 50 per cent of gonorrhoea patients. j He was of opinion that exhortations 'to chastity and self control had little : effect amongst adult males, and he thought with the increasing complexity of social conditions and the deferring of matrimony the standard of morality i among females was lower than formerly. Open recognition of the disease and edu- | U'ation, with the installation of clinics! in all moderate-sized towns, and the in- ! : .-titution of prophylaxis (known in the' I war-timo days in the army as "early j treatment") were what he recommended j 1 for coping with the disease. Prophylaxis had proved its undoubted value in the army. In reply to questions the witness stated his undoubted belief in propTiy- i laxis by the individual, although he was I of opinion that the public would not | at present tolerate. He was of opinion that the sense of security given by prophylaxis would not have any appreciable effect on the moral tone of the comraun- | it.V, for the reason that there was and always would be a percentage of the community inclined t'> promiscuity, and the prophylaxis would not be likely to ; increa-e that percentage. I <in the subject of the small number of I women treated at the Auckland clinic. ; ■he aUributeJ it to the fact that many j were ignorant <>f thsir infection, and even j when they knew of it they denied it, and could frequently get a medical certificate to that effect. The majority of ; tlie women who wont for treatment ; were married women who had innocently contracted the trouble from husJjandrt. He felt it would be an admirable thing if a certificate of health with re- , sped to V.D. were made necessary to the I obtaining of a license to marry. A WOMAN'S VIEWPOINT. Or. Hilda Northcroft, in special practice at Auckland in obstetrics, stated I that the only definite figures the could give weiv from her private practice, and in three and a half years' of practice she I found a considerable percentage of her ; patients suffering from V.D. About five times as many had gonorrhoea as had ; syphilis. The 'causes ehe felt werv lack of home training and parental control. As reme.lie* she suggested i-ompubory treatment, involving notifleation and examination lit liecvssary) of persona i suspected of spreading the ditsease, with (careful administration and women's in- ; terests safeguarded by the employment of woim'n health patrols and women police; prevention of treatment by others than duly qualified medical practitioners; ! prevention of marriage when V.D. was ■present in communicable form; making jit nn otlcnce to communicate the did- , and regulating the employment of infectious persons. Kducative measures : should be widely extended, in early teaching on nes liygieiie to children, as well as on self-control in schools and homes, increased instruction to parents and all otlierd in the effects of V.D.. with rather a minimising of the moral stigma. finally as a measure of desperation she would sugscst prophylactic measures.