The Red Scourge

NZ Truth, Issue 1017, 23 May 1925, Page 6

The Red Scourge

Delinquents and \ V. D.

The Coming of Compulsion m Notifying the Disease

Far-reaching regulations; to giv of the Venereal Diseases Corr Board of Health this week by tl when the Board "gave its unqual urged immediate enforcement, provided for.

It is understood that the regulations require all .persons suffering . from venereal disease to submit to medical treatment. . - . V If a patient fails to continue treatment until cured, it becomes the duty of the doctor to* notify the. case confidentially to the Director -General of Health. , In addition, power is given to the Director -General of Health when he has reason to believe that any person is suffering f rom a -veneteal disease m a communicable form to require such person to submit himself for examination to some medical, practitioner, who shall forward his report to the Direc£or-GeneraV of Health. If the lreport is positive, the person must submit to treatment; and if the person fails to do so, he then becomes liable: to\ a fine of £20. " ; , ; . Power is also given to the DirectorGeneral of Health to issue detention orders requiring persons suffering from venereal disease to be detained m hospital, or other place, where they may be effectively isolated. Any person so detained has a -right of appeal to a Stipendiary Magistrate. Special - arrangements Will be made for free treatment where the circu m - stances of the, person concerned requires this. The Director-General has power to arrange for -treatment at tho cost of the State., Medical men are also required to give "warning notices to all patients suffering from venereal disease. Tho warning notice is that they are requirf . " -. . ■-■■■. '■■'•■ ■ ■ ■ ■ J

c effect to the recommendations rimittee, were submitted to the he Minister of Public Health, lified support to the proposals and Compulsory^ notification is well

Ed to continue treatment; and, if they fail, they render themselves liablo to a fine. If the patient is not married, the patient is warned against marrying until medically certified as cured. "'. A fine is provided for knowingly infecting any other person"; aiso for working m any capacity where the patient is likely to infect food for human consumption. All persoris concerned m they administration of the regulations are required to strict secrecy, and are forbidden to communicate any matter except as may be required m the performance of their duties. All notices and comrhunications sent through the post are required .to be marked, "confidential." . '■■!•■ Tho regulations, of which the above is a .summary, simply embody the recommendations of the Committeo on Venereal Diseases. .