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Wales's Hospital. The National Council for Combating Venereal
Diseases endeavoured to disseminate knowledge in this area three years ago
by means of lectures in public buildings and at several of the large
places of employment. These did not meet with conspicuous success,
but on the contrary with a good deal of adverse criticism. Nevertheless
there is urgent need for a vigorous campaign against Venereal
Diseases, whose crippling effects, mental and physical, are too evident
to escape observation. Treatment to be of avail must be applied at
the earliest possible moment, else the poison gaining access to the
body is capable of doing untold injury to generations yet unborn. A
vigorous Press Campaign is being waged between the advocates of
early treatment, that is professional treatment administered within an
hour or so after promiscuous intercourse, and the advocates of
preventive treatment, a measure whereby the risks incurred will be
reduced to a minimum. Questions of morality are introduced into the
controversy, and doubtless deserve most anxious consideration. Morality
and sentiment must not obscure from the Health Authorities, however,
their obvious duty, to protect the health of the people and1
especially the young who may be at the mercy of their unprincipled1
parents. If then it can be proved that the prophylactic packet will
definitely protect the wrong-doer from the effects of his folly, and
especially if it will save the children from untold misery, let moral
suasion be exercised to the full, and give educative propaganda every
scope, but in the meantime let the fool have a chance of escape,
not for his own sake only, but for the sake of the innocent.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum, the only notifiable disease of Venereal
type, was recorded to have attacked 39 infants during 1919. All
cases were systematically visited by the Health Visitors, and no case
of blindness resulted.
TUBERCULOSIS.
Although notification of Tuberculosis is made to the Health
Authority the administrative machinery for dealing with treatment and,
incidentally, prevention, is in the hands of the County Council. The
Local Authority by their officers disinfect premises and clothing after
the removal of patients, but the County's officers, to whom weekly
returns of notifications received by the Health Authority are sent,
examine, treat and isolate patients. The County Council's officials are
therefore more favourably situated to describe the scheme applicable