Venereal Disease.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1922, Page 1

Venereal Disease.

EVIDENCE AT CHRISTCHURCH. fBY TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 29 The Venereal Disease Committee of Inquiry heard evidence here to-day. Dr Fox, Superintendent of the Christ, church Hospital, said that the greatest obstacle to the eradication of these diseases was the lack of power to. enforce treatment, but the reverse was the case with women. Until compulsion was applied, venereal disease could not be eradicated;

Dr C. If. TTphani, of Lyttelton, said that he saw very few cases of venereal disease him,self; This he attributed; to the habit of sailors of consulting the chemists. The sailors suffering from the disease should be kept aboard,their ships, and should' only be allowed ashore under an escort. Very few cases were brought to him under the provisions of the Internation Act Dr Ned will, the Gaol Surgeon at Paparua Prison, said the admissions there for the last two years had been 751, and at the Female Prison at Addington, they numbered 126. The numbers of venereal cases treated were six males and four males. One female had been detained for a month under thq Prisoners’ Detention Act. Dr Currie deposed that the ignorance of young people on the matters of sex was deplorable. Compulsory notice, in Ills opinion, would have the effect of driving venereal disease underground. He advocated publicity and education. ' Dr John Guthrie said that, while there was no professional class of prostitutes in this Dominion, there were as many indiscriminate practices carried on here as in Europe. Tie quoted two instances to show that the venereal infection of women was responsible for trouble at confinements, and for many operations. He considered that V.D. was a cause of the reduced birth rate in that it led to sterility. It was also a great cause of stillbirths.

Dr Irving, who is in charge of the St Helen’s Hospital, said there had only been five cases of venereal disease among the patienuts there in eleven years. There had not been any cases born showing intorited syphilis, and no cases of gonorrhoeal ophthalmia. Dr Sandston, President of the Men’s Branch of the Social Hygienic Society, expressed himself in favour of' compulsory notification, and as against prophylactics. Major Barnes fSalvation Army Homo) and Dr Lindsay also gave evidence. The Commission leaves for Dunedin to-morrow.