THE VEILED PLAGUE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2131, 24 April 1914, Page 8

THE VEILED PLAGUE

HOW TO ABOLISH IT

DR. HARDWICK SMITH'S PLAN

I "It is not my purpose to give you j medical details of theso diseases, but to.tell you in plain language of porno of the ravages attendant in their train. 1 think you will then recognise, the importance) of grappling with this deadly enemy." Tims stated Dr. H. Hardwiclc Smith, medical superintendent of tho Wellington Hospital in the course- of .1 very lengthy report on venereal diseases, which was tabled, at yesterday's meeting of tho Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. In the course of his paper, Dr. Hardwiclc Smith, after giving statistics from tho world's largo centres, mentioned that in Wellington incomplete statistics showed that during tlio last two years 500 cases of primary syphilis were treated, but that number was small compared to tho total number who contracted this disease. The paper then dealt at length with tho dreadful physical effects of such noisome diseases, both as affecting tho patient directly, and as transmitted to children, and then passed on to tho question of prevention, treating it in a very interesting manner. '

"We have Shirked our Responsibilities." "I have stated enough to gh-c tho board somo idea of tho prevalence iind tho results of these diseases," continued tho doctor. "I do not intend to discuss tho actual treatment, because this branch is part of tho work of the medical advisor, but I want to impress on the patient tho iinportanco of obtaining advice at the earliest opportunity. In order to deal with tho prevention of such disease, the treatment may be summed up in one word, " education.'' In fact, by proper education of tho young of both _ sexes as they emerge from boy and girlhood, many of the diseases at present prevalent would' ■loon bo relics of tho past. Instead of spending millions of pounds in treating tho actual disease, only thousands would be needed for education. _ Up to the prosent wo.have been working on wrong lines. We have shirked our responsibilities, and left our young to wander in the mire, and only whon they have become hopelessly bogged have we grudgingly given to them tho helping hand. This is a matter in which all right-thinking men and women must feel their responsibility. Not only the individual, but tho country and tho State finally, must conio forward and aid. Wo must not ostracise those who have contracted these diseases. Tho blamo should rightly fall on our Bhoulders, in that we have not prevented it.

What to Db? "First let all our young know of those diseases, and their effects both, on themselves and on mankind al Then if syphilis is contracted by an individual it will bo timo to talk of laws to segregate and penalise the offending one. Education in theso matters has heretofore been carried out systematically only in tho services where compulsory lectures are given by responsible officers on these matters. The effect is. easily seen when, 25 years ago, out of 1000 admissions into tho Hospital'l7o of that number wero due to these diseases, whereas now only Bome 15 to 20 out of 1000 admissions are duo to this class of disease. Theso figures clearly show how great would bo the results if a knowledgo of these matters was given to all. The following suggestions may bo useful: — "That lectures bo given by tho medical profession, for.they aro tho , best authorities in these diseases. . "That all institutions such a3 schools, universities, _ young men and women's associations, etc., have a course of lectures dealing with these diseases.' "That the Defence Forces whon • in camp attend lectures on theso subjects. , "That ships' surgeons be given a grant to lecture to the officers and men on their ships. "That public bodies, such as the Hospital Boards, give grants to medical men to give public lectures to young men and women. "If theso suggestions were to bo car-* ried' out, especially in tho Defence Forces, then most of tho young of NewZealand would have a knowledgo of these diseases, and feel their responsibility both. to. themselves and to their ': fellow men and women, to a greater extent than they do at present.

Methods to Avoid. "The timo has gone by when it was thought that the panacea for those ills was legalised vice. Legalised vico never did good, and neve'r will do good, and at the present time it is not necessary to discuss it. The CD. Act and similar Acts I hope havo been relegated to tho past. Other methods of prevention, though they may stem the tido of disease for a time, ■ will not eventually stamp it. out. If vice is'allowed anil encouraged by the uso of certain methods and drugs, immorality will still be rampant, and self-restraint will no longer be practised even to tho extent that it is at the present time. Treatment must be extended to those already affected by theso diseases. Mr. Ernest Lane, of Loudon, giving evidenco before the lloyal Commission on this class of disease, states that ho was at first 111 favour of notifying all cases of such diseases to tho sanitary authority. He has now modified his view because lie is convinced that notification would deter sufferers from seeking proper advice and would lead to increased recourse to quack .treatment. If tho health authorities need notification for etatistical purposes, the medical profession could furnish numbers treated during tho year.

Literature for Patients. "Mr. Lano also makes another suggestion, viz.,'that it should bo mado compulsory for medical practitioners to supply to every patient suffering from such discaso printed instructions as to tho nature of his disease, and as to the measures ho should adopt to avoid spreading tho trouble. Comes of those instructions should bo supplied gratuitously to tho doctors. This latter suggestion is, I think, nn excellent one. Hy this means literature will bo disseminata! in parts where it will do the most good. Facilities must also bo given to tho medical adviser of theso patients to obtain an early diagnosis. "In bringing this report to a close J may state that it has been said that this Teport is unnecessary, heciiuso some of tho greatest men m England are sitting on a commission to deal witn these "diseases, and wc must wait tor their findings before commencing work. I can onlv say that the more, publicity riven to those matters tho bettor it will b'o for the public.. Thanks to tho Press who have printed in their columns much Xut these subjects lately, .patients have come up for treatment in much ijreatcr numbers." Discussion of the report was deferred so that representatives on tho board niay have an opportunity of thoroughly considering it.