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generations and except for the temporary C.D.Acts applied only to certain military areas. It has been operative and is still in force in France, Italy and other Latin countries.
If the regu- lation of prostitution reduced the incidence of venereal diseases these countries should logically shew a lower ratio of disease than Great Britain where no regulation has obtained. It is im- possible to give any actual figures as to the incidence of these diseases in countries that have no system of notification and no system by which adequate facilities for the treatment of these diseases are provided: but in the case of syphilis there are certain sequelae, such as General Paralysis of the Insane, from which a rough comparison is possible. It is a direct sequela of syphilis, but it is one of the few wherein the cause of death is registered with approximate accuracy in all countries having reliable vital statistics. If we compare the number of deaths from General Paralysis of the Insane in Italy and in this country, we find that the incidence in this country is certainly no higher than in Italy, in fact the published statistics would make it appear to be definitely lower. It would appear that even if some allowance is made for a possible higher tendency for the Italian syphilitic to develop General Paralysis of the Insane, the incidence of syphilis in Great Britain compares favourably with that in Italy. Evidence of a high incidence of disease is also available from her "regulated" countries and it is clear that the practice of the regulation of prostitution over a long period of years has not protected those countries enforcing such legislation from the spread of disease.
On the other hand, the recent medical discoveries have pro- vided a method of diagnosis and treatment of syphilis, and to a lesser degree for gonorrhoea, and those countries having an active public health service have from 1916 onwards endeavoured to apply recent knowledge and to make the facilities for diagnosis and treatment under the modern methods available to their population as a whole.
It is significant that in the Scandinavian countries where regulation was in existence that this system has been found to be a barrier to obtaining the best results on public health lines. in every country in Northern Europe the endeavour to secure the elimination of venereal disease from the population as a whole has been immediately followed by the abolition of the regulation of prostitution, for the reason that the weekly or bi-weekly medical examination of the small proportion of professional prostitutes that are registered in any community is, on the one hand, useless as a method of accuring that the examinees are not diseased, and on the other, tonds to give a false sense of security to persons visiting the brothels thereby attracting larger numbers and concentrating exposure to infection on a small, highly infected group.
Again, the average number of visitors received by a woman in a brothel may be put at twenty per diem, or 140 per week. Supposing, as must frequently happen, that a woman is infected shortly after being medically examined, before her next examina- tion she will expose over 100 men to infection of whom at least even if a considerable percentage will develop acute symptoms: medical examination could afford an assurance of absence of disease, unless it were carried out after every visit, it must fall.
Enquiries have shown that at least 40% of venereal disease is spread by prostitutes.
As an indication of the change in medical opinion on the subject of regulation may be cited the Resolutions passed at Regional Conferences held under the aegis of the League of Red Cross booieties in Europe to consider how the problem of venereal
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