13

EL—3l

Venereal Disease. Early in 1919 a scheme was brought into operation for the dual purposes of providing for the " carry-on " treatment of men who had contracted syphilis on active service, and also generally of fulfilling the objects of the Social Hygiene Act, 1917. The treatment of soldier syphilitics was regarded as a matter of prime importance, inasmuch as it was recognized that these men, although having had their initial course, could by no means be classed as free from contagion. Accordingly the medical history of every man who was known to have been infected while overseas was obtained and recorded. Clinics were established in each of the four centres under the control of full-time medical officers who had acquired special knowledge and experience in England of the treatment of venereal disease. Trained orderlies, ex N.Z.M.C. men, were also attached to each clinic. Soldiers known to have been infected with syphilis were instructed to report at these clinics for examination and treatment. Where, on account of remoteness, &c, the patient could not readily attend, other arrangements were made. Thus an agreement was entered into with the various Hospital Boards throughout the Dominion for the treatment of these men in the district hospitals, while in the absence of local institutions of this nature the patient was authorized to apply to the nearest medical practitioner. That the scheme justified itself is proved by the fact that three hundred men have been certified as cured, and as many more are at present having no treatment but observations and blood-tests prior to discharge. From the beginning civilian cases have been encouraged to attend the clinics, and now the percentage of men attending these institutions who contracted their disease on active service is very small. It is particularly satisfactory to note that female patients are displaying no diffidence about coming forward for treatment. Some time ago posters were placed in the railway lavatories, &c, containing advice to sufferers from venerea] disease, and instructing them to report to the nearest clinic. These have done so much to bring about publicity that the same posters have been supplied to the civic authorities with a view to their being exhibited in the lavatories of the main centres. Indigent cases in any part of New Zealand, other than the four main centres, it should be noted, may also obtain free treatment either at the local hospital, or, where there is no such institution within reasonable radius, from the nearest practitioner. The vast majority of the cases, however, are to be found in the four centres. The following table shows in concise form the details of the work carried out in the main clinics during the past year : —

Work carried out in the Venereal Clinics during 1920.

Wellington, it should be added, has a special ward which will accommodate some twenty in-patients, and it is hoped to have similar wards in each of the remaining centres at no distant date. Attached to each clinic, however, are examination-rooms and irrigation-rooms. The special ward in Wellington accounts to a certain extent for the greater number of cases that are treated here in comparison with other centres, although the principal reason is doubtless the large floating population, composed especially of seamen.

Auckli itld. Wellington. Ohrlstol turch. Dliuoi lin. Tol i.l. Number of persons dealt with at or in connection with the out-pationt clinic for the lirst time and found to be suffering from— Syphilis Soft sore Gonorrhoea NoV.D. .. M. 174 10 81 59 F. 30 M. 93 1 190 40 F. 34 M. 60 8 120 20 F. 25 M. 54 F. 13 M. 381 19 428 125 If. 102 8 10 18 10 32 10 37 6 2 58 32 Total attendances of all persons at the outpatient clinic who were suffering from— Syphilis Soft sore Gonorrhoea NoV.D. .. 1,875 100 4,072 134 462 1,388 6 13,436 40 448 786 110 2, 132 186 450 816 143 4,865 216 20,105 366 1,503 95 26 180 10 245 98 465 b 2 520 136 Aggregate number of persons of " in-patients' days" of treatment given to persons suffering from Syphilis Gonorrhoea Nil Nil 1,624 3,024 77 232 460 80 216 74 66 55 1,930 3,550 35 293 Number of doses of salvarsan substitutes given 1,246 295 664 228 406 248 429 104 2,745 875 Examination of pathological material: Specimens from persons attending at treatment centre which were examined at this centre for— Detection of spiroehaetes Detection of gonococci Wassermann reaction Others 5 400 394 10 50 70 16 390 337 12 122 92 10 300 326 30 60 101 25 37 130 13 31 1,127 1,187 52 232 276 25