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SINGAPORE
456
GENERAL REPORT
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DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT,
(Cont.)
(3)
Provision for a service of free diagnosis for all practitioners.
(4)
The distribution of drugs free to all such practitioners as in the opinion of the
(5)
Medical Department are adequately qualified in the modern methods of treatment.
Provision for a campaign of public enlighten- ment.
With reference to (1) we have provided the Principal Civil Medical Officer with copies of all the British Ministry of Health publications; we know they will be prepared to supply any further copies he may desire.
With reference to (2) we understand that represent- ations will be made to His Excellency the Governor that a communication should be despatched to the Colonial Office as soon as the approximate date on which thie olinic can be opened has been decided upon. The Commission are anxious that the representative of the British Government attending the Conference of the Health Section of the League of Nations in February (about the third week) should be in a position to state that free international clinica are available in the Eastern porta.
With reference to (3) and (4). The Commission attach considerable importance to all practitioners and Institutions receiving every encouragement to submit specimens for bacteriological examination, and are convinced that the experience of the British Govern- ment and others proves that this free service is thoroughly justified in that more efficient and earlier treatment is secured, also comparatively certain information can then be given as to the non-infectivity of patients undergoing treatment.
As soon as the Colonial Government can make this free service accessible we would recommend that firms providing medical attendance to their staffe by contract should be asked to include treatment for venereal disease in these ocontracts. We are informed that in the majority of cases at the present time treatment for venereal disease is omitted, the result being that poorer members of the European community are unable to afford the modern methods of treatment.
The Medical Commissioner, after an opening. Conference with the members of the local medical profession, gave a series of lectures and practical demonstrations on the modern treatment of venereal disease. These were attended, throughout the course not only by the local practitioners but also by others who had travelled long distances for the purpose. (The audience averaged 80). Many of these practitioners are highly proficient in this branch of medical treatment as venereal disease forms a large proportion of their practice.