196
-9-
Thirty-five years previously when the Province of Guma had abolished the Yoshiwara system it was with great misgivings that the Central Authority had endorsed this Municipal Reform. It was now found, howover, that the incidence of disease in Guma and its adjacent Provinces was lower than any other Japanese Province.
Provinces in which the Yoshiwara had been abolished show- ing an incidence of 15.35 per 1,000 as compared with figures ranging from 28 to 47 per 1,000 in the other parts of Japan. This convinced the Health Authorities that, in spite of all medical measures taken to reduce the amount of Venereal Disease among the inmates of the Yoshiwara, known centres of prostitu- tion inevitably led to the dissemination of disease from these contres. All centres of prostitution tend to concentrate the exposures to infection on a known highly infected group. Japanese experience appears of practical value, in that the problem of Venereal Disease in that country is not confused by any prejudice, but is purely a matter of public health interest.
On December 22nd, 1923, in the House of Representatives in Japan, representations against the reconstruction of the Licensed quarters destroyed in the recent earthquake was raised and the whole matter has now been referred to a special com- mittee of the House.
NORWAY.
Until 1884 the same conditions existed as in Germany. Prostitution was prohibited by law but tolerated under police supervision. The brothels were then closed. In 1887 all regulation was abolished and in 1902 penal enactments concert- ing prostitution terminated. At the present date the only laws remaining are those penalising procuration, brothel keeping and vagabondage.
Since 1860 venereal disease has been dealt with as an ordinary contagious disease and has been notifiable,
In 1919 the number under treatment for V.D.was 107.6 per 10,000
M
忡
H
1920
11
"
Pr
97.3
H
It is included for benefit under the working people's sickness insurance clubs: the provision for treatment and legislation for the control of infective persons follows Similar lines to those adopted in Sweden in 1918.
SVEDEN.
The Hospitals in Sweden provided free treatment from 1817 after the Napoleonic Wars, In 1918 the Regulation of Prosti- tution was abolished. In 1919 free outpatient treatment for venereal disease cases was made available throughout the country. In 1918 regulation was abolished when the Public Health measure for the treatment and control of venereal disease was introduced. Figures availablo shew the number of persons undor treatment for Venoreal disease
in 1913 was 25 par 10,000
"!
1919
||
"
1920
51.6 34
++
H
It
The high figure or 1919 is a result of the law put into force in that year regarding notification and treatment. is believed in Sweden that the only way is to deal with venereal disease as a general question affecting the health of the whole population of the country and not only prostitutes.