SOCIAL HYGIENE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 264, 4 August 1919, Page 8

SOCIAL HYGIENE

CONTROL OF VENEREAL DISEASE STATEMENT BY PUBLIC HEALTH • MINISTER One of the suggestions placed before members of tho Government by the executive of the Keturned Soldiers' Association on Saturday was that notification of venereal disease should be made compulsory for civilinns, as it was already compulsory for soldiers. Dr. Boxer, president of the association, said there should bo no difference between the soldier and the civilian in this respect. Ho was in favour of compulsory notification. Sir James Allen, Acting Prime Minister, said he did not see why there should bo any difference. The Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister of Public Health, said fhat iii 1917, when ho placed his Social Hygiene Bill before Parliament, he had been compelled by pressure of opinion to remove the compulsory clauses from the Bill. He was satisfied that as soon as Parliament was able to deal with the matter the compulsory clauses must be restored. (Hear, hear.) He could say with the full consent of the Ministry that no condition would bo imposed on soldiers that was' not also imposed on civilians. Tho Health Department, added Mr. Russell, was creating an organisation for the treatment of venereal disease. A specialist was already in New Zealand. Clinics were being established at nil the hospitals, where the treatment would be efficient, and where there would be no publicity as far as the patients were concerned. Three specialists, who had received thorough training in . England, wore coming out to New Zealand, and he hoped to be able to cover the whole country with an organisation that would wipe out a disease that was a disaster to civilians and soldiers alike.