THE RED PLAGUE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 8, 4 October 1917, Page 7

THE RED PLAGUE

AN IMPORTANT BILL

FAR-REACHING PROVISIONS

Tho Social Hygiene. Bill, introduced in. the House of 'Representatives yesterday, 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 all persons suffering from venereal disease to undergo treatmont at the hands of registered medical practitioners.- The treatment of such cases by persons other than registered medical practitioners becomes an offence.

i Board of Social Hygiene. Tho first portion of tho Bill provides for the creation of a Board of Social Hygiene.and- of local advisory hoards.. The Board of Social Hygiene- will consist of the Chief Health Officer, the Deputy Chief Health Officer, one medical practitioner of each sex, registered under tho Medical Practitioners Ad, 1911, and one other person , of each sex not being a medical practitioner. It will be the duty of this board.to advise the Ministor of Public Health and to perform administrative functions under regulations. Tho 'local advisory boards will be four in number. Kach board will consist ota district health officer, and three other members of each sex not being metrical practitioners.

Communicable Disease. It' tho Minister ■ has ■ reason to. believe, on tho report of the Chief Health Officer and on such other evidence (if any) as he deems sufficient, that any person, being a- prostitute- or reputed prostitute or a person habitually consorting with prostitutes, is suffering from any venereal disease, and that thero is a danger Of such disease being communicated to any other person or persoK, he may refer tho matter to a local advisory board for consideration and report, witn a view to the detention of Hio nereou, if such uetention is considered.advisawe in fno interests of'public health. It snaTT thereupon be the duty.of the local "board to make all requisite 'inquiries anil to make such recommendations as it thinks lit with' respect to the exercise by the Minister , of the powers conlervcd on him by this Act. li'or llio purposes of inquiry the local board shall have all the powers of a commission appointed under/fne Commissions of inquiry Act, 3908. Any person in respect of whom such inquiry is being made may, by direction of the local board, be personally examined by a medical practitioner to be nominated by that board. Tho penaltyfor failure to submit to examiuation will be a Sne not exceeding .£IOO cir imprisonment not exceeding six months. If the" Minister is satisfied, ;<fter investigation by a local board, that a person is a prostitute or reputed prostitute, or habitually consorts with prostitutes, and ■is a Bource-of danger to public health on account of venereal disease, he may apply to a Magistrate for an order committing tho person to'a prison hospital. Convicted prisoners jnay also be committed to a prison hospital if found to be suffering from venereal disease. Persons ■may apply voluntarily for committal to prison hospitals. . The medical examination of women will- be conducted by women doctors unless the persons to be examined request otherwise. ■ Prison Hospitals. Any place may be proclaimed a prison hospital for the purpose of the Act. Persons committed to these hospitals will lie (lischarged when certified by the controlling medical officer to be free from disease or no longer a danger tp public heaTlh. Provision is made tor the maintenance of .discipline in these hospfcals and for the release on probation of inmates..

Treatment Compulsory. The second portion of the Bill , deals with venereal disease in. a more general w.ay. Every person eufferin? from any venereal disease or who has reason to believe that he is suffering from any such disease, is required {o. consult a-registered medical practitioner with respect tnereto, and to place himself under treatment by that medical practitioner, or by some other registered medical practitioner, or to attend for treatment at any hospital or other place available for the treatment of venereal diseases. The sufferer (male or female) 'must continue to accept treatment- until certified to be cured or free from the disease in a communicablo form. The penalty for- a breach rf this portion of the Act will be- a fine i.ot exceeding £20."'

Duties of Doctors? It will be the duty, of the ii-edical practitioner, in treating a case of .venereal disease, to (a) direct the attention of the patient to the infectious character of the disease, and to the penalties prescribed by the Act for infecting any other person with'such disease; (b) warn theputient against contracting any carriage unless and until he has received a certificate under Section 23 hereof; ;nd (c) give to the patient such printed information relating to the treatment of venereal diseaw, and to the duties of persons suffering from euch' disease, as may be issued by the directions of tho Minister of Public Health. " Provision is made for the treatment of children, the parent or guardian teinff liable to.penalties for neglect to see tba>. the treatment is provided.

Protection of Food. The Bill proposes to make it an offence for any person suffering from venereal disease to , handle food intended for consumption by other pei'sons in any fac-' ■fory, • tStop, hotel, restaurant, or- other house, the penalty being a fine not exceeding iilOO, or imprisonment for twelve months. An' employee becomes liable to fine if he knowingly permits any employee to offend in this respect.

Suppression of "Quacks." The treatment of venereal disease by "quack's" is to be.stopped. Every person other than a registered medical practitioner who undertakes for reward or payment tho treatment or cure of any venereal disease is liable to a fine not exceeding JJiOO, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year. Tho Government may prohtiSTt the sale or supply of certain druRS- except pursuant to medical prescription.

An Important Clause. An important clause of the Bill reads as under: —"Every person who knowingly infects any other person with a venereal disease, or knowingly does or permits or suffers any act likely to lead to tho infection of any other person with any such disease, commits an offence, and is liable, on summary conviction before a Stipendiary Magistrate, to a fine not exceeding iCIOO, or to imprisonment for a teim not exceeding twelvemonths, or to both such fine aud imprisonment."

Health Patrols. Another clause -provides that Hid Minister of Public Health may appoint as health patrols such number of persons, of either sex, as ho may consider necessary, whose duty it shall be, subject to regulations in that behalf to be irade under this Act, to protect the health and morality of young persons. Persons appointed under this section shall have and mav exercise the powers of police conslaijles, and shall be • entitled lo the same protection and - privileges in the performance of their duties as police constables;

I Work of Hospital Boards. I Hospital boards may bo required by the Minister to provide for tho tieatment of persons suffering from venereal disease. They will be entitled to receive from the Government by way ot MibsUlv 75 per cent, of the money cxiiemfcu on the treatment of theso cases. The Bill provides that. "No action shall lie against any person for anything dww in .goou , faith and with reasonable care in pursuance or intended pursuance ot this Act, or of any order, warrant, or regulation made or issued, or purporhng to bo uiado or issued, under this Act. j -

Powers of the Minister. 'The Minister of Public Health may arraiißO Tor the treatment of persons 6uf-

feriiig from venereal disease otherwise than in a prison hospital; may arrange for clinical, chemical, bacteriological, ancl other examinations and investigations, to bo mauo free of charge, for the purpose of ascertaining whether any person is suffering from or is cured of any Venereal disease, or is free from any such disejise in a communicable form; may nutSia provision for the supply of information with respect to tho nature, effects, anil proper treatment of veiwaal diseases; and may encourage tho establishment of associations' for the purpose of checking the spread of venereal disease, and of securing the proper treatment of persons sufforing from any such disease, and may authorise the grant of subsidies, out of moneys appropriated by Parliament for tho purpose, to any such association.