را
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آمد للديدة
THE MORALITY CAMPAIGN.
Lecture by Dr. Rupert Hallam.
An address at the instance of
the National Council for Combat- ing Venereal Diseases was delivered last evening in the hall of the Hongkong Chamber of Commerce before a large assem- blage of males. The Hon. Mr. P. H. Holyoak, the representative of the Chamber of Commerce ou the Legislative Council, presided and the lecturer was Dr. Rupert Hallam, member of the Commis- sion which is travelling in the Far East to study problems in connection with the evil.
As desired, we abstain from recording the proceeding in extenso, but there can scarcely be any reason against giving an outline of the lecture, especially as Dr. Hallam acknowledged the service rendered by the Press generally in opening its columns
to a consideration of the evil.
Dr. Hallam, outlining the work of the Royal Commission which reported in England in 1916, said that this was essentially
a public health question, and therefore to ignore it was a radi- cal mistake. Ignorance on the subject had been largely the cause of the spread of disease among the innocent as well as the guilty. More than half the children in blind institutions were so afflicted because of infected parentage. The lecturer emphasised the importance of immediate treatment. Speaking of ethical side the lecturer wel- comed the attention which the other sex was paying to the problem. As a medical man Dr. Hallam repudiated the idea that indulgence was necessary τα health.
the
The Chairman, expressing ap- preciation of the address, said the day had passed when people could refuse to face facts. He invited the lecturer's views in regard to segregation and medical examina- tion of females.
Dr. Hallam replied that he was glad auch questions had been put as there was widespread mis- apprehension with respect to such methods. A volume of evidence indicated that so far from disease being prevented thereby, these methods increased it, because they induced a false sense of security. In regard to segregation it simply meant in practice that if a woman WAS pronounced infected she continued the same life, having no other resources, away from the licensed quarter. The system had been abandoned as useless by a number of Continent- al countries and by the United States and Canada, and, further, the Commission learned during their recent visit there that Japan was discarding the system as a failure without further delay. The medical examination was largely useless, because the symptoms bad not always appeared at the time, and disease might be con- tracted in between examinations, besides which the habitual ex- amintion of such characters was derogatory to the profession.
To-night, at St Andrew's Hall at 5.30, there will be a film lecture, "The End of the Road," for men and women of
the European community, and Monday at the Helena May Institute fncidenta from the drama of Brieux, Damaged Goode," will be represented.
on
406
The Hong Kong Telegraphe, January you, 1921.