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aware that it was emphatically maintained that dissemination had not resulted and that conditions had generally improved. The statement often made in the East that the suppression of brothels in Colombo had led to an outbreak of unnatural vice in that Colony has boen completely disposed of by the findings of this Commission that the practice alluded to existed quite independently of the ordinary prostitution - it obtained prior to the abolition of the nrothes and existed subsequently to it.
It was also clear from the incidence of the sequelae to vonereal disease among the inmates of the various Institutions in Colombo that venereal disease was far less prevalent in that port that either in Singapore or in Hong Kong.
It is recommended that the problem of venereal disease should be considered from its public health aspect. That all schemes adopted should be applicable to the population as a whole and should make adequate provision for diagnosis and treatment of all sections of the community. The best results have, so far, been obtained by offering such facilities free of charge at hospitals or at poly-clinics, while supplying the necessary drugs either free, or at cost price, to private practitioners duly qualified to administer the modern methods of treatment.
But an
The greater part of the legislation in countries other than Great Britain imposes certain compulsory clauses in order to retain under treatment persons in an infective condition, and to enforce treatment of persons known to be infective. analysis of the results obtained under these methods and under the voluntary system obtaining in Great Britain, shews that a slightly larger proportion of the infected population comes within the sphere of medical treatment in this country and that the majority remain under treatment for as long a period as they are required to do by law in other countries, although it is true a small minority discontinue treatment while in an infective condition and no means exist in this country of controlling their subsequent action in Spreading the disease.
It appears that there is less disadvantage in introducing certain legal measures to secure treatment if adequate enlighten- ment of the general population as to the dangers of these diseases when untreated has previously been carried into effect. If compulsory measures for treatment be immediately introduced there is a serious tendency on the part of the public to conceal disease and avoid treatment, especially in the communities where a moral stigma attaches to the disease.
(SN-R: EL
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20.5.24.)