VENEREAL DISEASE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 17 February 1942, Page 2

VENEREAL DISEASE

PROBLEM FOR HEALTH AUTHORITIES POWERS OF MEDICAL OFFICERS The marked increased in venereal \ diseases in Wellington has been causi ing the health authorities considerable j concern. The position, according to '! Dr. Hubert Smith, medical officer of | health. Wellington, was not unexpect- | ed. The throwing together in camp j of large numbers of men brought from , j the sheltered life of their homes was | bound to bring about changes in moral I outlook in some cases, he said. I On the other hand, the increased | figures might perhaps be less damning i than would appear at first sight. | Venereal diseases were not notifiable. ;so that normally accurate figures of existing cases and those under treat- ! merit were impossible. Now, however, the figures would be more accurate. : j Large numbers of men were under con-; ! stant medical supervision, and were | examined regularly, the diseases thus • being discovered in the early stages, j It was only when cases of venereal ’disease failed to continue necessary j treatment that it was the doctor’s duty jto notify the Health Department. Only | then, in civil life, did cases come to thci department’s knowledge. If a person (went to a doctor or a clinic no official record was kept. In cases of failure to continue treatment, the Health Department was notified, so that steps could, be taken to bring the person again under treatment. Recently the powers of medical officers of health had been very much augmented, thus enabling them to send a person with venereal disease in a communicable i form to hospital, to be kept there as j i on g as was necessary to ensure that | the case was no longer infectious or that the disease could be effectively 1 treated other than in isolation. In Wellington during the last few weeks about a dozen people of both .sexes had been removed to hospital to ensure effective treatment. Where a person who had venereal disase in communicable form and knew it communicated the disease to another person, the first person could be imprisoned under the Social Hygiene i Act. Once imprisoned, that person j could be kept in custody under treat- j ment till free from the disease. Dr. Smith paid a tribute to the I work being carried on at the Welling- ; i ton Hospital clinic, and praised the I | tact of the staff and the care they de- j ! voted to cases. In the new venereal disease regulations under the Health Act the standards of examination and treatment had been laid down to ensure uniformity in medical opinions as to whether a person was or was not suffering from venereal disease.