VENEREAL DISEASE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 31 October 1922, Page 5

VENEREAL DISEASE

REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE NOTIFICATION QUESTION SOME IMPORTANT RECOMENDA TIONS From our Parliamentary Correspondent. WELLINGTON. This Day The report of the committee of the Board of Health on venereal diseases has been presented to the House. The committee entirely oppose the Continental system of licensed brothels or revival of "the CD. Acts. They recommend legislation providing for conditional notification, -under which will be the duty of the doctor to notify the Health Department by a number or symbol, each case of venereal disease he treats. If the patient refuses to continue treatment until cured, it will then be the duty of the doctor last in attendance tci notify the case to the Department by name. If the patient continues recalcitrant and refuses to allow himself to be examined by a medical piactitioner appointed by the Director General of Health, the latter should be empowered to apply to a magistrate for the arrest of such person and Ins detention in a public hospital or other place of treatment, until he is uoti-ui-iective. . The Committee recommend further provision to deal with cases in which persons are not under medical treaC mont and afc likely to infect others If the Director General has reason to heilieve that any person is so suffering, V mav call on the person lo produce a medical certificate. If the p™ V fuses, he mav be taken before a Magistrate who mav order medical' examination. Penalties, including detention in a prison hospital, should be provided for recalcitrant cases. . The proceedings are to be held in private unless the defendant desires a public hearing. .it. The committee recommend that betoie a license to marrv is issue, the parties must sign a paper answering questions as to freedom from coninmnicanlo disease and mental disease. They also recommend that it should be the duty of the medical practitioner attending a case of venereal disease, if he has reason to believe that the patient intends to marry, to warn him.' and ii he persists, it should be the duty of the Doc tor to notify the case by name to the Di ectoi General, whose duty it should be to inform the other party. / The committee recommends the extension of the work of the C hr.stchurch Social Hygiene Society.