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A decline in the incidence of V.D. during the war years cannot be assumed
from the above figures. The number of patients treated under the Scheme has
diminished, owing to a large proportion of the population of the ages at which exposure
to infection is most likely to occur being in the Forces, and to the further decline
in the population by reason of evacuation. The considerable reduction in the
number of attendances is largely attributable to newer methods of treatment of
gonorrhoea by sulphonamides, the average number of attendances made by sufferers
from this disease being only 16.1 in the year 1944, compared with 23.4 in 1939.
The use of penicillin should effect an even greater reduction in the number of
attendances for both gonorrhoea and syphilis in the future. The increase in the
number of non-venereal patients now attending the clinics is no doubt the result
of the publicity campaign.
Service
patients
During the year, 971 Service patients attended the clinics in the Scheme ; 5,106
Service attendances were made at the centres and 8,019 Service pathological tests
were carried out in the approved laboratories. These figures are included in the
above tables.
Most of these patients were referred by the Service medical authorities in
special circumstances to the civilian clinics for continuation treatment, and they
represent only a very small proportion of the total number treated at the centres,
viz., 4.5 per cent. of new cases, 1.5 per cent. of attendances and 3.3 per cent. of
pathological tests.
Additional
in-patient
treatment
In addition to the in-patient treatment provided in direct association with
the clinics, the Council's Sheffield Street Hospital (78 beds) continued to admit
pregnant women suffering from venereal diaease, and at Queen Mary's Hospital
for Children, Carshalton, the unit (36 beds) for children suffering from congenital
syphilis and vulvo-vaginitis continued its work until the evacuation of the hospital
in July, 1944, when these units were transferred to the North-Eastern Hospital.
Almoners
In a circular letter (No. 2834, dated 23rd July, 1943) the Ministry of Health
asked local authorities to consider the advisability of employing trained almoners
on the staffs of V.D. clinics. Suitable part-time appointments have been made
during the early part of the year 1944 at those clinics in the Scheme which did not
already have an almoning service, and a similar service has been arranged for this
work at the Council's Whitechapel and Endell Street clinics. These trained social
workers have established a helpful relationship between the patients and the clinics,
and have materially contributed to the continuance of treatment.
Propaganda
Propaganda by means of posters and advertisements in the daily press has been
continued throughout the year, and full use has been made of the services offered
by the Central Council for Health Education.
Hostels
Owing to difficulties in staffing and management and in view of the small
number of patients sent to the hostel from the courts, the London Police Court
Mission decided to close Winnington House at the end of March. This hostel was
opened in June, 1939, for the reception of girls on remand or on probation suffering
from venereal diseases.
Defence
Regulation
33B
Accommodation provided at the other hostels in the scheme remained the
same as in 1943.
The year 1944 saw a large increase in the number of alleged contacts reported
under Defence Regulation 33b—1,344, against 654 in 1943. Much useful wprk
was done in persuading those named once only, and therefore outside the scope
of the Regulation, to obtain treatment. Of such contacts, 328 were found and
199 were examined, the majority requiring treatment. In addition, valuable work
was done by a team of U.S. Army nurses, specially trained in this task. These
nurses assisted to trace contacts named by American service men, and their efforts
resulted in a number of the contacts being persuaded to undergo examination
and treatment.