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18% over that for 1967. Increases were substantial both in males
(14%) and females (42%).
Gonorrhoea continues to give cause for anxiety and the country
recorded a further rise of 7.5% during 1968, i.e. from 41,829 to
44,962 cases. There was a significant increase of cases in both
sexes under the age of 20 years.
Non-gonococcal urethritis in males rose from 32,318 in 1967 to
35,721 during 1968, a trend which has continued since 1951 when
this category was first recorded separately.
Cases of venereal disease in Greenwich residents coming to the
notice of the department in 1968 are given in the accompanying
table. Against the national trend, cases of syphilis rose from 6 to
a total of 14 but in line with the country-wide increase "Other
Conditions" rose from 493 to 570 during 1968. On the other hand,
cases of gonorrhoea fell from 119 to 110 again contrary to the
national trend.
The National Health Service (Venereal Diseases) Regulations,
1969, which came into force in December of the current year, had
the effect of removing certain difficulties in communicating confidential
information to those concerned with contact tracing. At
the same time, a memorandum giving detailed advice on procedure
for contact tracing was sent from the Department of Health and
Social Security to Regional Hospital Boards, Hospital Management
Committees, Boards of Governors and Local Authorities who were
asked to co-operate fully in this activity.
Health education is of the utmost importance in prevention but
such a great deal depends upon family and group environment
and the subject's susceptibility to example.
I am indebted to Drs. A. Grimble and D. Erskine, Physicians i/c
at the Miller and Dreadnought (Seamen's Hospital) Treatment
Centres respectively for the following statistics for 1968 :—