FACING BOTH WAYS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11028, 17 March 1914, Page 5

FACING BOTH WAYS.

THE "PRESS'S" LATEST HANDSPRING. FINDLAY RIGHT AFTER ALL. THE "FRESS." THB "P"® 3B -" FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER. 2, 1910. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1014.

3>ll FINDLAY'S LATEST PRO* POSALS. Tf it wore only true, as bo many people believe-, that anything is possible by Act of Parliament, how short a space of tim<i would elapse before we should all be enjoying tho millennium! Wrongs would be righted, crime abolished, vice and disease banished for ever, and everybody would bo happy, healthy and good. Unfortunately ; there are few things in the world more fallacious than this pathetic belief in tho omnipotence of legislation. . . . Dr Fiiullay's latest proposals, by which he hopes to chock the spread of certain diseases. IS A PROOF OF HIS BELIEF IN LAWS AS PANACEAS FOR THE MORAL AND PHYSICAL ILLS OF HUMANITY. But neither the proposals themselves, nor tho arguments of those who have supported them, will convince us that the Minister of Justice will achieve his purpose by tho . means that he has suggested. On the contrary, wo believe that they are more ljkely to mako matters worse. . . . Two leading medical men of Dunedin . . . held that notification should be left to the discretion of the doctors, but that would bo impossible. The fact that prominent medical men of high standing declare emphatically that they will not notify all cases, no matter what the law may provide, is in itself proof'of the USELESSNESS OF ATTEMPTING- TO LEGISLATE A LONG WAY AHEAD OF PUBLIC OPINION. It may be considered oldfashioned and timid to advocate the education of the _ public on the matter, the strengthening of parental influence, and the cultivation of the virtues of ■ self-control and . purity; but AS AGAINST DRASTICALLY RESTRICTIVE LEGISLATION which would but increase tho evils it sought _to remedy; and would otherwise be futile, WE PREFER THE LESS SENSATIONAL METHODS OF MORA! SUASION AND EDUCATION,

THE TABOOED SUBJECT. .... Well meaning, but woefully ignorant people are still to bo found who oppose any active stops being taken to combat sexual disease for fear of "legalising vice. 1 ' or "making sin safe," as they call it. . . . Men and women may .be known to bo suffering from the disease, there may 1)0 good reason to believe that they are sowing it broadcast, _ wrecking premising lives now, and poisoning tlio life blood of future generations, BUT THE COMMUNITY WTTH INEXCUSABLE FALSE DELICACY, refuses even to allow tho question to bo- discussed, much less to allow any practical steps to be taken to. deal with the evil. . . . . . . Somo practical, suggestions have been made by the Medical Congress with a view to reform. . . ■ The Congress adopted a series of recommendations to tho various Governments, and WE HOPE THAT SOME PRACTICAL STEPS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRINCIPLES LAID DOWN WILL BE TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THIS DOMINION. . . . The Congress is rather chary in • regard to' notification, but' we certainly think that there should at least be notification to the chief medicaLofficer. Other recommendations which WE REGARD AS OF GREAT PRACTICAL VALUE are the provision of free treatment for all patients who are unable to make their ' oTtfu arrangements, and THE PASSING OF LEGISLATION to provide for the detention of patients 'in a dangerous state of infection and for the severe punishment of anyone . who wilfully or negligently communicates the disease to other people, and _ the punishment of unqualified practi- ' tioners who undertake to deal with this particular class, of disease. We consider that the members of the Congress deserve the thanks_ of the p-üblic for tiie care and attention they have devoted to this question and we hope that PUBLIC OPINION WILL INSIST ON THE GOVERNMENT AND THE LEGISLATURE .DEALING WITH IT IN A PRACTICAL WIY.