A DEADLY ENEMY

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 April 1914, Page 3

A DEADLY ENEMY

X ATION -DESTROYING DISE A S E.'

*Y TELEdHAPH—PEB PRtJS ABBOCL&TIOr WELLINGTON. April 23. A report on venereal diseases was tabled at this afternoon's meeting of the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board by Dr Hardwjck Smith, superintendent of the Wellington Hosmtal. In it he staled the term venereal disease included syphilis and gonorrhea and their complications. He wished to tell the Board in plain language of some of the ravages attendant in the train of venereal diseases. They would then recognise the importance of grappling with this deadly enemy. It was true they were only commencing to recognise the immense harm this nation-destroying disease had wrought. The Minister of Health in New York estimated that 200,000 cases of veneral diseases developed in that city every year. Could members grasp that figure?" It was equivalent to one-fifth of the whole of the population of New Zealand, and New York was not the only city where veneral disease was contracted. Of this 200.000 cases 30,000 were due to syphilis and the rest to gonorrhoea.

After quoting experiences of oversea cities with regard to the prevalence of the disease Dr Hardwick Smith, said that in Wellington incomplete statistics showed that during the last two years 500 cases of primary syphilis were treated., but that was small compared to the total numbei who contracted this disease. These figures were sufficient to prove the prevalence of venereal disease. Proceeding, the Superintendent described some of the effects on the human body which, he remarked, 'shows clearly the appalling loss to the State by this disease. We talk glibly about filling the cradles: but what is the use of filling the cradles only to empty them again ? Teach that the cradles be rilled by healthy children. Better one cradle occupied by a healthy child than six filled by diseased and dying children. Dr. Browning states that 14 per cent, of the children who come to the outpatients' department of the hospital are there through congenital syphilis So we can safely say that 14 per cent. of all unhealthy children are unhealthy because their parents havo contracted syphilis before their birth. Dr Kale Fraser and Dr Watson examined cases of mental deficiency and epilepsy in young people, and syphilitic infection was shown to be associated with 57 per cent, of these cases. Then, again, over 50 per cent, of the children who suffer from nervous troubles are caused by this dread disease. Syphilis affects other organs of the body besides the nervous system.

"I have not space in my report to deal with tiie awful effects of this disease on die bones, on the blood vessels or on the heart, in fact on all the organs of tilt body, but I may state that any individual who has had syphilis has not by anv mean a good chance of attaining a healthy old age, and he often taints lus iiiuueeiii. w;u and children. It is necessary to speak strongly on this stibject,however, much one shrinks from it. 1 will only say a few words about the other venereal disease, gonorrhoea, the yuung r adutt .okes aboiu this disease, and considers that it is only a minor ailment with no lasting results, and winch it is necessary to ha\e if one is to boast that he is a man of the world. Let me say that tins disease is the moot common ailment of mankind. It is almost as awful in its results as syphilis. The only fact which renders it a degree less terrible is that it cannot be directly trans mitted to the second generation. It is one of the chief causes oi sterility in women. 1 have stated enough to give, the Board some idea of the prevalence and the remits ot these diseases. I do not intend to discuss the actual treatment, because this branch is a part of the work of the medical adviser, but'l v.aut to impress upon the patient the importance of obtaining advice at the earliest opportunity. lu order to deal with the prevention of venereal disease the treatment may be summed up in one word, "education.' In fact, by proper education of the young of both sexes as they emerge from boy and girlhood into young adult life, many of the diseases at present prevalent would be soon relics of the past. Instead of spending millions of pounds in treating the actual disease only thousands would be needed for education. Up to the present we have been working on wrong lines. We havo shhkcd our responsibilities and left our young to wander in the mire, and only when we have become hopelessly bogged have we grudgingly given to them the helping band. This is a matter in which all right-thinking men and women must feel their responsibility. Not only the individual, but the country and tin State finally must come forward., and we must not ostracise those who have contracted these diseases; the blame should rightly fall on our shoulders, in that we have not prevented it. First let all our young know of these diseases and their effect both on themselves and on mankind at large,' and then if syphillis is contracted by an individual it will be time to talk of laws to segregate and penalise the offendine ones.''