CO129-472 - Others - 1921 — Page 472

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VENEREAL DISEASE,

An Urgent Problem in Public Health.

(Contributed.)

Venereal Disease is responsible for more. casualties annually than those incurred by the recent European War. been estimated by a witness before the It has British Royal Commission that on a con- servative basis there were 850,000 fresh infections Annually in a population of 45,000,000, whereas the War casualties in the British Army amounted to 750,000. Information brought to light by this same Royal Commission

Venereal Diseases took this problem once and for all out of the false position it had hitherto held. It is now seen that it is as pre- valent in the community as tuberculosis, and that it is almost as necessary tol treat syphilis and gonorrhoea as health problems as it is to treat diptheria, typhoid and other infectious diseases as, such. The old idea that these diseases were the direct result of anti-social conduct is negatived by the facts. The largest group in the community who now suffer by the ravages of the diseases are the married women and children.

Public ignorance as to the methods of the spread of the disease, ignorance-up to the last few years-of their cause and cura, has led to their unchecked dis- semination. Science has now provided weapons with which the disease can be fought. The gonococcus has been dis- covered as the cause of gonorrhoea, and even the Spirochaete Pallida can now be seen under the microscope. This has de, prived both of half their terrors as with the discovery of the germs came also the discovery of the drugs that would kill them. And this scientific information has led the progressive governments of the world to provide facilities for free treatment for their populations.

The social and economic advantage of making such provision is now proved.

The provision of facilities for free treatment is, however, only one aspect of the problem. For the facilities to be adequately used the general public must be fully enlightened. Effective progress is entirely dependent on public opinion, and if public opinion is to he sound it must be founded on knowledge and not on prejudice. The conspiracy of silence that has hitherto surrounded many of the questions involved in the venereal disease problem makes an active educational programme of primary importance.

For a large port such as Singapore it encouraging to learn that one of the first tasks undertaken by two of the re- cently established sections of the League of Nations is the problem of venereal disease in its International aspect, ie., as affecting the seafaring population and migration of people. The question was discussed at the Seamen's Conference, the first held under the Labour Section of the League in Genoa Last summer. The nacessity of treatment, education and certain important social conditions were | unanimously agreed to, and the resolutions passed there will form part of the agenda of the newly established Health Section of the League.

The campaign against venereal disease will, it is hoped, be actively undertaken in Singapore, put if this is to be done it will involve the personal co-operation of every responsible individual in the com- munity.

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