SOCIAL HYGIENE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15343, 4 October 1917, Page 7

SOCIAL HYGIENE.

PROPOSED LEGISLATION. SOME HIGHLY NECESSARY PROVISIONS. (From Our Parliamentary special.) WELLINGTON, October 3. The Social Hygiene Bill, introduced in the House of Representatives today, contains proposals of a radical kind for dealing with venereal disease. It provides for the detention in prison hospitals of persons of a certain class found to be suffering from venereal disease> and makes it compulsory for persons suffering from venereal disease to undergo treatment at the hands of registered medical practitioners. The treatment of such cases by persons other thaH registered medical practitioners becomes an offence. The hist portion of the Bill provides for the creation of a board of social hygiene, of rive members-, --two bei.ig' women, and of local advisory boards. These boards may require any prostitute or reputed prostitute, or any person habitually consorting with prostitutes, to undergo medical examination. If it is found that the person so examined is a danger to public health he or she may be committed by a Magistrate to a prison hospital for treatment. The second portion of the Bill deals with venereal disease in a more general way. Every person suffering from venereal disease roust consult a registered medical practitioner and accept treatment either privately or at an institution appointed for the purpose. The treatment must be continued until a certificate that the person is free from the disease in a communicable form is issued. Every person who knowingly infects another person, or does anything likely to lead to infection, becomes liable to a fine of £IOO and imprisonment for twelve months. The handling of food intended for human consumption by any person sueffring from venereal disease becomes an offence. The Bill provides for the appointment of health patrols to protect the health and morality of young persons. Members of the patrol may be of either sex. and will have the power of police- The Bill contains comprehensive provisions designed to make its one-ration effective.