THE SOCIAL SCOURGE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14049, 20 July 1916, Page 5

THE SOCIAL SCOURGE.

— ■" — '— DRASTIC PRECAUTIONS PROPOSED DEALING WITH THE QUACK. THE EDUCATIONAL ASPECT. MINISTER WITH THE GLOVES OFF. (From Our Parliamentary Reporter ) WELLINGTON", this day. Among the provisions in the War Regulations Bill is one to give tho Government power to frame regulations tot', dealing Avith 'the ever-increasing social evil, and .Mr. Russell, in outlining a- number of drastic proposals having for their object the stamping out of this scourge on the community, made a forceful and imprcssiYe speech, "with the glove* off," as the Minis! cr himself termed it. In order that this aspect of the bill might be more freely discussed, all ladies in the galleries were requested to leave the chamber. \ The Minister explained the scheme regarding the treatment of venereal diseases. That disease was rampant in the country was shown by the fact that 292 soldiers were admitted to camps suffering from these diseases, 270 being in a milder form. Ninety were seg: elated on a certain quarantine island. The question for the ©bun'try was whether these men should be shut up while diseased women Avere allowed to continue to spread contagion. Comparisons showed that New Zealand was better off in this respect than other coimtries. Control of women was tried under the C. D. Act in Christchurch. He understood it had resulted in improved conditions. He saw r-> reason avliv infected persons should mix with a healthy community. This should apply to men and women. (Hear, hear). He" did not propose anything in the nature of restoring the Contagious Diseases Act, but ho proposed to take poAver by regulations to place the one-woman brothel on the same footing as the brothel -that contains more than one woman. (Hear, hear). By-laws of Auckland and Wellington brought one-Avoman brothels under the law, and he proposed to make the same law apply to the ..Avhole Dominion. (Hear, hear). - Then, again, he proposed that any avo-, man. prOA'ed to be leading an immoral life should be subject to" medical inspection, and if found to he diseased should be detained until cured. The question whether, after being cured, such woman should bo sent to a reformatory Avould have to be dealt with later.Women proved to be vagrants and found diseased would also be- treated in the same w;ay. (Hear, hear)-, Tlie greatest difficulty, hoAveve:-, Avent on the 'Minister, would be in dealing with clandestine prostitution of both sexes. Tliis class was - undoubtedly far more numerous than those who * gave up their lives to' immoral courses. The British medical faculty had set its force against notification, and lie (Mr. Russell) was satisfied that any attempt to make venereal diseases notifiable in New Zealand, would result in driving the disease underground. He doubted very much if doctors Arould notify the Department, and this underground aspect Avas therefore the A r ery thins to be avoided. In dealing effectually with such; disease he thought, therefore, the course to be adopted should -be. along the lines of making it a criminal offence for any; person, except a legally qualified practitioner, to treat venereal diseases. (Hear, hear). This should have the effect of preventing chemists and also quacks of all description from diagnosing disease' and giving patients , treatment. (Hear, hear). ESTABLISHMENT OF CLINICS. The next step to be tafcenj said Mr Russell, • s-hold be the establishment of clinics for the treatment of venereal" diseases.. He did not advocate the establishment of separate institutions, as they AvcfUd ' from their very nature pre-: A-ent persons from going to them for treatment. (Hear, hear). ■ The only way was for venereal diseases to be treated at 'public hospitals as being among the ordinary diseases for which hospitals existed. He" intended 'therefore' to ask' the House to empower him to pay sub-, •sidies of 75 instead of £0 per '"cent, to-' ■ wards tho ..cost of treating venereal diseases at hospitals. (Hear, hear). If possible there should be female doctors for women and male' doctors for men. and to be .effective these hospitals for venereal diseases should be open day and night. V • ■ -EDUCATIONAL ASPECT.: Another important aspect Avas educational', as an enormous amount of good could be done in that direction. (Hear, hear). With this object he .proposed to print and circulate widely extracts from medical reports in all. their hideous nakedness, showing the disastrous risk run by incurring the danger of infection. He proposed also to institute lectures by male and female doctors to both sexes in all parts of the country to show, the danger of promiscuous intercourse. - In this educational phase he hoped tohaA'e the assistance of Bishops and the' clergy of the Dominion, Avhile in the secondary schools and higher classes ofprimary schools mOre instructions should .be. given regarding, sexual relations. Advantage should also be taken of evening classes at technical schools, and university professors should be enlisted as agents in propaganda dealing with this disease. Tlie Minister Avent on to express the opinion that it should be" obligatory for doctors to hand to' patients suffering from disease cards' containing instructions, and he Avould be pleased to have such cards printed at the Government office and distributed tc% any medical men who applied for them. He also appealed tp- school teach-" ers to assist in the Avork, - and .to the press, Avhich, he remarked, had already given A'aluable assistance. PECAUTIONS IN AMERICA. t Mr. Russell went" on- explaining some; precautions 1 adopted 1 in different states, of America. • Among the precautions which lie thought' should be- adopted 1 here Avere prohibition of any persons afflicted with 1 syphilis- from employmentin such places as bakeries, meat shopß etc., and also in barber's shopg>.' He did not think, however, that New Zealand Avas -''■-. .prepared • to go as far as. interdicting marriage between persons suffering' from venereal disease, as was the case in some American States. OUR DUTY TO SOCIETY. Discussing tlie; aspect of tho disease as it applied to men in the training camp, the Minister said that men suffering from it were probably better than a large number of civilians -who .could keep their condition secret. (Hear, hear.) He added: lam not going to- all oav- tlie question of delicacy to close my mouth Avhen I am dealing with- a problem of this kind. (Hear, hear.) The only Avay of dealing Avith this matter is by taking the gloves off, and realising, that instead of dealing Avith it underground the best thing is to face it, and try to* blast the trouble effectively. (Hear, hear.) Every suggestion that can be made to assist the Government in coming to a . Avi?e decision oh this matter will be welcomed. It is a duty Ave owe to ourselves and to the unborn children of this country that Ave should do tlie utmost Ave can to stamp this dreadful disease out. (Hear, hear.) • NO EVIDENCE OF EASTERN FORMS The Minister added that he wished to assure members that the most careful examination Avas made under the Public Health Department of _ all men returning' from Egypt and /Gallipdli,. and no patients Avere released if rom ""quarantine until the officers Were satisfied that no danger of disease in any Eastern form -was' being communicated in this country. There had been no evidence since 'the men returned- from Avar areas of ■; any ■of the grosser and more terrible forms: (Of venereal diseases which affected the iEast; ■■-• ... , j'-. Upon the Minister concluding his i'gpeech he was accorded prolonged apiplause by the whole House. : - '. MINISTER'S . PROPOSALS COM- '.' -MENDED. L - Mr Hornsby strongly emphasised his of the attitude of women I Who "slighted and ignored sisters avlio but opened the doors to men who Offended. The, best thing the Minister proposed' Avas to deal with quacks. The

next thing was to force medical men to notify disease. Mr. Russell : They wont do ifc. Mr. Hornsbv : Strike tlie offenders oil' the roll. Mr. Wilford congratulated Mr. Russell on his statement regarding the social evil, and expressed thi? belief that it would liave n deep effect, on p.iblio opinion. On some points he disagreed with the Minister, especially the proposal to. send doctors round to give local instruction. The best Way was to clean up the diseise. li-uiu its source. Let them stop at the right to control women who wero liable to spread the disease, as he Avas positive that reformatory treatment would he useless. Dr. Thacker commended the Minister for Intern:-. 1 Affairs for gripping the question in a thorough way. He had up-to-date knowledge, and his efforts would do more for Xew Zealand iluii; any previous Minister. Tho best, remedy Avas an educative measure, starting as soon as. children realised sex.