VENEREAL DISEASE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18417, 25 June 1925, Page 14

VENEREAL DISEASE.

TREATMENT AT HOSPITAL.

SPECIAL MEETING ARRANGED. i Tlio subject of the treatment of venereal disease was discussed at yesterday's meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital Board. The matter was introduced by the submission of the annual report of the Medical Superintendent (Dr. "W. Fox) on the matter to the meeting. A resume of this report has already been published and at previous meetings of the Board numerous lettersi dealing with tbo subject wore received. After some discussion it was decided to hold the matter over for consideration until a special meeting of the Board, to be held on Wednesday week. Special Committee's Report. The special committee set up to consider the question of providing greater facilities for the treatment of patients in. the Venereal Diseases department reported that Dr. Thomson had informed tho committee that at present there was an evening clinic for women on Tuesdays and another in the afternoon of Friday. He was of opinion, if accommodation . could be provided, that women could be treated practically every day and that considerable advantage 'would accrue. After hearing the opinions of the other doctors and Mrs it appeared to the committee evident that there must he a number of women requiring treatment if they could be induced to present themselves. Under the regulations now in force, it was possible that a considerable amount of pressure would bo put upon those persons to attend who at present did not receive treatment or failed to continue treatment. This must have the effect of very materially increasing the numbers attending tho various clinics, and also tho amount of work to be done in. the department. It was decided that it was imperative that tho waiting accommodation and treatment rooms for women should be distinct from the waiting and treatment rooms for men; and with a view to giving effect to this it was decided to leave the matter for a report by the Medical Superintendent of the Hospital and the matron r.,s to the means of meeting the requirements. I'ltiinately it wis determined and agreed to by the Hospital.Committee—and later by the Finance Committee — that waiting accommodation should he provided for women on the balcony on the north-west end of the- outpatients' department; and that the adjoining small theatre should be used as a treatment room, an entrance being obtained quite apart from the outpatients' entrance.

AVitTi regard to greater fcuilitios for moil, a proposal bad been made to cari"y out the wall ac the i\est end i'( the outpatients' department which would give r.n added floor area of about 340 square feet, and this would enable a much greater number of men to be treated, or at least if-there were m> greater numbers, it would expedite the treatment of the men who attend night after night. As an instarce of the number of persons who had to bo handled, at a iccent evening, there were no less than 82 men present. Consideration of the report was also deferred until a special meeting of the Board, to be held on AVednesday week. The Venereal Diseases Department reported that there had been 211 patieuta treated during the month. Of, these there had been So new patients and the attendances totalled 832. The report was adopted.