CO129-472 - Others - 1921 — Page 374

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371

GENERAL

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numerous and probably the most highly infected are therefore the most important. In this report all recommendations dealing with the services which it is suggested should be rendered by the Government to the community include the population as a whole.

FACILITIES FOR THE FREE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF VENEREAL DISEASE.

DIAGNOSIS.

We recommend that the staff of the Pathological Department should be sufficiently extended to enable the same facilities to be given here as in Great Britain and elsewhere; that is free examination of all specimens sent in by medical practitioners with a recognised qualification as well as by Hospitala.

At present the private practitioners in Hong Kong are not given facilities for free diagnosis; only 224 Venereal Disease specimens were dealt with at the Government Bacteriological Laboratory from the whole Colony during 1919. For such specimens as are not sent in by a Hospital a charge of 20 dollara is made. This charge precludes the use of the Laboratory to those practising among the poorer British and Chinese community.

The advantage of beginning treatment as soon as possible after infection makes it advisable that diagnosis should be made without delay; also when treatment is being given similar tests are necessary during the treatment in order to ascertain when the patient is non-infective. It is therefore in the interests of public health that facilities for free diagnosis should be available in order to reduce the extent to which infected people remain a danger to the rest of the community.

TREATMENT.

Special Venereal Disease Officer.

In order to carry into effect the policy of pro- viding facilities for free diagnosis, treatment and public enlightenment it would be necessary to add a Specialist Venereal Officer to the staff of the Principal Civil Medical Officer. The duties of such an officer would include:-

(a)

(b)

The arrangements for supplying free druga to the clinics and approved general prac- titioners, i.e. those known to be qualified in the modern methods of treatment.

The supervision of all free clinics in order to secure a uniform and high level of treat- ment.