The Committee recommend that the law prohibiting treatment of patients for venereal disease by unqualified persons shall be strengthened, and suggest that the Pharmaceutical Society might assist in preventing such practices.
Section 3.—Concluding Remarks.
The Committee in carrying out their task have been brought into contact with some uninviting aspects of our social life. Some of the facts disclosed are of a character to give serious concern to those lovers of their country who rightly regard it as exceptionally favoured by nature, and desire to see its people healthy and vigorous, clean in body and mind, worthy of their heritage. The late war showed that the pick of our population, physically as well as mentally, were of the finest possible type, the admiration of all who saw them; but the medical examination of the recruits disclosed that of 135,282 examined after the introduction of the Military Service Act—mostly young men in the prime of life—only 57,382, or say, 42½ per cent., could be accepted as fit for training, unmistakably proving that the nation as a whole was much below the standard of physical fitness which it ought to exhibit.
The investigations of the Committee show that already there is far too large a proportion of mental and physical defectives reproducing their kind. In the absence of accurate statistics it is impossible to say what proportion of these defectives are the direct product of venereal disease, but there is clear evidence that a tendency to lead dissolute lives is especially noticeable in the females belonging to this unfortunate class. "A feeble-minded girl," says Mr. Beck, "has not sense enough to protect herself from the perils to which women are subjected. Often amiable in disposition and physically attractive, they either marry and bring forth a new generation of defectives, or they become irresponsible sources of corruption and debauchery in the communities where they live." Obviously some method of dealing with mental defectives—by segregation or otherwise—must be found as part of the problem of dealing with venereal disease.
As regards the effect of venereal disease on the general health of the community, we have the statement of the late Sir William Osler that he regards syphilis as "third on the list of killing diseases"; while Neisser, a leading authority, says that "with the exception of measles, gonorrhœa is the most widely spread of all diseases. It is the most potent factor in the production of involuntary race suicide, and by sterilization and abortion does more to depopulate the country than does any other cause."
In view of the facts brought out in the course of the inquiry, the Committee are strongly of opinion that it would be criminal neglect to allow the evil to go on without taking energetic steps to check its ravages. They believe that the legislative and other measures which they recommend for the medical prevention and treatment of venereal disease will, if given effect to with the loyal co-operation of the medical profession, have a very beneficial result in reducing the prevalence of disease, and will save an incalculable amount of sorrow and suffering which in too many cases falls upon the innocent. In what is proposed in this report there is nothing approaching a revival of the old Contagious Diseases Acts. To use the words of Dr. Emily Seideberg, the principle of the legislation now proposed is "To improve the health of the community, and not, as in the old Contagious Diseases Acts, to make sexual immorality safe for men of low morals."
The Committee are of opinion that, far from conditional notification and compulsory treatment on the lines proposed being prejudicial to woman in any way, it is they who will reap the greatest benefit from these measures. In fact, sufferers from venereal disease, as a whole, have everything to gain and nothing to lose so long as they will continue under treatment, and to enable them to do this the best medical skill is placed at their disposal free of cost. The only persons in the community who will be penalized by the proposed legislation are those who, having contracted venereal disease, are so reckless and unprincipled that they will take no pains to avoid communicating it to others.
The Committee, it will be seen, regard the legislative and medical measures which they propose as of great importance, but with all the earnestness at their command they desire in conclusion to emphasize the moral and social aspects of the question. With the changing social conditions, especially in the larger towns, we are losing the home influence and home training which are the best safeguards to preserve the young against the temptations and dangers which beset their path in life. The Committee would impress upon parents the paramount duty they owe to their children in this matter. There is also a duty cast upon all leaders of public opinion, and upon the community at large, to do what is possible to bring about better living-conditions, especially for girls in the towns, to encourage all forms of healthy sport and amusement, and to cultivate a higher moral standard. Whatever sanitary laws may be passed, and whatever success may be attained in dealing with bodily disease, there can be no true health if the soul of the nation remains corrupt. If this inquiry should serve to remove some of the popular ignorance regarding venereal disease, and to quicken the public conscience so that appropriate steps may be taken to deal with this dreadful scourge, the Committee feel that their labours will not have been in vain.
| W.H. Triggs, | Chairman. | |
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J.S. Elliott, M. Fraser, J.P. Frengley, Jacobina Luke, D. McGavin, | } | Members of Committee. |