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NOTES & COMMENTS.
Venereal Disease.
We were glad to learn yester- day that the visit of the Eastera Commission of the National Council for Combating Veneral Disease is going to be marked by the holding of public lectures, details of which will be found in our advertising columus, At one time it seemed likely that nothing more than invitation gatherings would be held-a policy which, in in view of the widely social nature of the work, would, wa think, have been shortsighted. Too long has there been a squeam. ishness in reference to this matter. It must, by its nature, always remain delicate, but it must be brought into the light of serious public consideration if an improvement is ever to be brought about. The European community of this Colony can well afford to be. enlightened on the very serious menace to public bealth that exists because of venereal disease, and we trust that the lectures will be well attended by those who have an interest in questions affecting public welfare. Let it be under- stood that there are two schools of opinion as to how this problem should be tackled. There are those who claim that prevention
to
is better than cure, whilst there are those who find that this medical question gets entangled in moral issues. The National Council believe іп the early treatment of the disease after it has appeared, whilst the Society for the Prevention of Venereal Disease urges the adoption of prophylactics. It would be wicked in any case, says the National Council, recommend the LESO of pro- phylactics. because that mightj encourage immorality. The moral argument would have more weight were it only the sinners who suffer; but in point of fact the consequences reach also the in- nocent. Besides, it is arguable whether the risk of contracting the disease is really the deterrent that moralists make it out to be. We believe that education can and will do a great deal and that the public provision of medical treatment will considerably lessen. the consequences of infection. But We also believe that preventive measures aro Decessity whilst the general code of private morality is what it is. War-time experience certainly showed that prevention was far more effective than cure, was cheaper and easier to ensure. Private morality is an individual question; the disease is a public one. We are looking forward to illuminating lectures.
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The Hong Kong i clegraph. January 6th, 1921.