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VENEREAL DISEASES
Prior to the second world war, the incidence of venereal
disease in this country had steadily decreased. There was
a considerable rise in the number of cases in the war years,
as is always the case during such times, but after the
cessation of hostilities, the figures declined rapidly until
about 1955 when they again began to rise. They have continued
to do so to the present time. This increase is most disturbing
and at first sight not easy to understand in an age when
social progress and medical advances have been so remarkable.
Venereal diseases are not notifiable and there is no
statistical information available of the total number of
cases among Camberwell residents. An endeavour was made
during the year to secure some information on this matter
and the physicians in charge of the V. D. Clinics at two
hospitals which serve the Borough have kindly provided
monthly particulars of first attendances of patients,
differentiating between immigrants and others, these are
shown in the chart on page 40 for the period May-December,
1961. The numbers represent a proportion only of the total
cases, for it is known that Camberwell patients attend other
hospitals, and some are treated by general practitioners.
The chart indicates that there was a welcome - even
though slight - falling off in the number of cases attending
for the first time (a trend which continued in the early
months of 1962) but this is almost entirely among persons
born in the United Kingdom. During the eight months in which
records were kept, immigrants accounted for more than 55%
of fresh cases, and in December 1961, they made up two thirds
of the total. It appears also that this group includes a
large number of the patients with repeated infections.
The proportion of males to females who sought examination
or treatment was slightly more than three to two in
both groups, this is a higher proportion of females than
seems to be the case elsewhere. Of a total of 378 first
attenders at one V. D. Clinic, 128 suffered from gonorrhoea,
23 from syphilis and 86 from other conditions which required
treatment. In 141 persons, no treatment was found to be
necessary; presumably, they had exposed themselves to a
risk of infection but, by good fortune, had escaped it.
It has been noted in another part of London that more
immigrant women with gonorrhoea are now being seen at the
Clinics.