VENEREAL DISEASES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 31 October 1922, Page 6

VENEREAL DISEASES.

EEPOItT OF COMMITTEE

RECOMMENDATIONS MADE

(BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION

! WELLINGTON. Oct. 30. j The report'of tWcommittee of the [ Board of Health on venereal disease in New Zealand was presented to the House of Representatives by the MiniIster of Health to-day. A comprehensive investigation has been made bv the committee, of which the Hon. W. H. Triggs, M.L.C, was chairman, and important recommendations have been made. The detailed recommendations are as follow : — The committee stresses in the strongest terms the" duty of moral selfcontrol. They urge the cultivation of a healthier state of public opinion. Parents have a great responsibility as regards the instruction and training of their children, so as to safeguard | them against the dangers resulting from ignorance of the sexual laws. There is too little parental control genSially in New Zealand. The committee recommend training teachers and making provision for giving appropriate-instruction in schools. The classification and, where necessary, the segregation of mentally defective adolescents are recommended. The following medical measures for preventing and combating the disease are recommended: —• Clinics should be made more available .by being open continuously. Every effort should be made to secure privacy. A specially trained nurse should be in attendance at women's clinics, and women doctors should be secured where possible. The committee, recommend that provision be made at clinics for prompt preventive treatment of those who have exposed themselves to infection. Lady patrols should be appointed in other centres to perform the kind of work that is being carried on in Ohristehurch. The committee are entirely opposed to the Continental system of licensed brothels or the revival of the CD. Act in any shape. They recommend that legislation be introduced providing for what is known as conditional notification of venereal disease. It will be the duty of a doctor to notify the Health Department by a number or symbol only each case of venereal disease he treats. If the patient, however, refuses to continue treatment until cured, and will not consult some other doctor or attend a clinic, it will then be the duty of the. doctor last in attendance to notify the case to the department by ! name. If the patient continues recalcitrant, and refuses to allow himself to be examined by a medical practitioner appointed by the Director-General of Health,-'then the latter should be empowered to apply to a magistrate for the arrest of such person and his detention in a public hospital or other place for treatment-until he is non-infective. The committee also recommend further provision to deal with cases in which persons suffering from venereal disease are not under medical treatment and are likely to infect others. If the Director-General of Health has reason io believe, any person is so suffering he may call on that person to produce a medical certificate, which may be procured free of charge from any hospital or venereal disease clinic. If the person refuses to produce suclr a certificate he or she may be taken before a magi strata, who may order medical'examination. The penalties include detention in prison. A hospital should, be provided for f recalcitrant cases. Proceedings in all | these cases are to be heard in private I unless the defendant desires a public i hearing. : | The committee recommend that be- \ fore a license to many is issued the in- ] tending parties must sign a paper

answering, certain questions as to freedom from communicable disease and and must matea mi, Questlo»s are true. They recommend making venereal disease a ground for annulling 1 mirage contracted whilst one party L suffering from such a disease in a£ in! fectwis stage,- provided the other party was not informed of the fact prior to t-ufii marriage iw rti her ' ]t sk°ul<* he the duty of a medical practitioner attending a case believe that the patient intends to marry, to warn him or her against doSM\ MIi lf iliew she P^sists it should be the duty of the doctor to notify the ease by name to the DirectorGreneral of Health, whose duty it should be to inform the other party or parents or guardian of such other party. Such a communication, made in good faith either by _ a doctor or the Director(xeneral of Health, should be absolutely privileged. J | The com-jiittee reconimend the law prohibiting that the treatment of pati- \ ents for venereal disease by unqualified persons shall be strengthened I