THE SOCIAL EVIL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1069, 7 March 1911, Page 6

THE SOCIAL EVIL.

RESOLUTIONS BY THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. STATEMENT BY DR. FINDLAY. (By Telegraph-Press' Association.) Auckland, March 6. When waited, on this morning by an interviewer, Dr. Findlay was asked for his opinion concerning the attitude adopt- « •,-, Hl ° No,v Zealan<l branch of tho British Medical Association concerning lus proposals for the better safeguarding of the public in regard to the social evil. Ihe following resolutions relating to certain infectious diseases was passed by the annual general conference of tho association, which has just concluded its sitting:— the ) BHlh h Ar A r U ' l Z t aland br ™* of uic British Medical Association, while recognismg the efforts of the Hon Mi„«t w for Justice to prevent the spread SLA* soc,al c !' u v llas douMa « to hetl er venereal diseases are either on &?,J" T- S i ? r SO i I"' eval ™t as the and H, f T l - bave '•<*" luoted indicate, that x*± , h -' S confere nee is of opinion vent \C " Ve " lea ,? urc taken to prenyl the u s P™<l of such diseases, they 11 result ,„ driving persons who are tho victims of them into the hands of quacks . and unqualified pracftioneis which ,s calculated to magnify he evil and its effects. Nevertheless, this at " nation wltK a Ti? - to *tf I'lndlav, , s prepared to recommend the compulsory notification of such diseases by numbers only, provided that no coercive measures be taken by the Health Department unless in the opinion otho practitioner notifying the disea"%uch measures are necessary in the interests o ho public health. If, on tho informa,™„gaT<libr such notification, it would appear to be necessary in the interests of public health that more stringent measures be taken, then this association would bo prepared to aid in the adoption o: some such scheme as has been outlined ,n tho proposals of the Hon Dr. I'indlay. (2) That, in the opinion of this conference, some modification of the Prisoners' Detention Act, as m force in New Couth }\ a es, should bo introduced into New Zealand. "The. proposals (he doctors mako wc:-e leally anticipated by mo in an address I gave in Wellington a few days a»o," remarked tho Minister, who went on to say that ho had not changed his opinion of the value and efficiency of his former proposals, but that he recognised that unless he could carry the medical profession with him they would have but a limited chance ot success. . "In view of this, I expressed mv willingness to modify tho proposals 'in tho direction of making notification of the rase alone compulsory, and not that of tho patient. This," said Dr. Findlay, would obviate the objections that patients and doctors have to tho patient's name being communicated even confidentially to the P-,ib!ic Health Officer. It would, however, enable the Public Health Uthcors to reliably determine tho extent and spread of this contagious disease. At present the prevalence of this class of disease is largely a matter of uncertain speculation. I have relied, it is true, mainly for my conclusions upon the evidence furnished me by the reformatories. b.v the prisons, and by the hospitals of New Zealand. This, lam bound to sav, amply justified tho conclusion I arrived at as to the extent of the evil. Moreover. I hive been informed by a number of medical practitioners whose practice gives them some special authority to speak, that my estimates of the prevalence are not exaggerated. The first step to be taken in shaping remedial legislation is to know the extent of the evil to be remedied, and it would be a very great help indeed if tho Public Health authorities are placed in a position from time to time to determine the extent and spread of this disease. The representatives of tho British Medical Association hero in Auckland said the other day if the profession in New Zealand 'are "satisfied that tho evil is as widespread and increasing as manv think, they would be prepared to 'favourably consider tho full operation of my former scheme. That is all we, want. lam very much delighted indeed that the profession, through this association, has agreed to the passing of legislation making it compulsory upon them to notify each case of venereal disease coming under their notice professionally to the Public Health authorities, but in every case without the name of the sufferer. It will also bo observed that the doctors agreed to a measure of co-operation with the Public Health authorities, where-in their judgment such co-operation was necessary in the interests of public health. The attitude of the profession, as expressed by those resolutions, is to mc exceedingly gratifying. I am well content with the step now suggested, short though it is of the longer step which I believe will ultimately be taken. It is necessary for mo to add that these proposals of mine have not been considered by Cabinet, and that their necessity has been imnresscd on me in my office as Minister of Justice, Minister in charge of certain reformatories and gaols,while also in administering tho Police Department I received reports in connection with a great variety of cases dealt with by the police."

AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY. Recent issues of the "Lancet" and the "British Medical Journal" make reference to a now arsenical preparation which is said to be a specific cure-for syphilis. It is spoken of in terms of high approval unusual in medical literature, and doctors' of great repute have written in its praise as a cure for primary, secondary, tertiary, and congenital syphilis. The discoverer is Dr. Ehrlich, a celebrated German scientist, who has named tho preparation "606," because it is the result of 606 studies which seem to liavo resulted in a specific remedy. In an article in. tho "Lancet," Messrs. James M'lntosh and Paul Fildes state: "Some 12,000 cases Lave up .till now been treated, with 12 deaths, a number of accidents which, occurring as they did in tho experimental stage of the drug, may readily be reduced in the future. These cases, or, at 'any rate, the greater proportion of them, are claimed to have been cured, that is cured in the strict sense of the word." The article goes on to state that it is probable that cases of syphilis can bo rendered practically non-infective in a day or two. "If this be true," the writers go on to state, "Ehrlich will have swept away the seotirgo of 2000 years, and given into the hands of any State, which will avail itself of it, a weapon for the forcible suppression of syphilis." If the above claims for "606" are fully borne out by practical experience, tho discovery may have an important bearing on Dr.' Findlay's proposals.