Venereal Diseases in New Zealand (1922) | Page 3

| Dr. E. Carrick Robertson. | Rev. Jasper Calder. | Mr. F.L. Armitage, Government | Bacteriologist. | Dr. W.A. Fairclough. | Dr. A.N. McKelvey, Medical Officer, | Costley Home. Christchurch, 29th August, 1922 | Dr. A.C. Thomson, Officer in Charge | Venereal Diseases Clinic. | Dr. P.C. Fenwick. | Mrs. E. Roberts, President Women's | Branch, Social Hygiene Society. | Mrs. A.E. Herbert. | Dr. A.B. Pearson, Bacteriologist and | Pathologist, Christchurch Hospital. | Nurse E.M. Stringer, Health Patrol. | Dr. W. Fox, Medical Superintendent, | Christchurch Hospital. | Dr. C.H. Upham, Port Health Officer. | Dr. C.L. Nedwill, Medical Officer to | Prisons Department. | Dr. D.E. Currie. | Dr. J. Guthrie. | Dr. W. Irving, Medical Officer, St. | Helens Hospital. | Dr. A.C. Sandston, President, Men's | Branch Social Hygiene Society. | Major R. Barnes, Salvation Army Officer. | Dr. A.B. Lindsay. Dunedin, 31st August, 1922 | Dr. A. Marshall, Officer in Charge | Venereal Diseases Clinic. | Dr. A.R. Falconer, Medical | Superintendent, Dunedin Hospital. | Dr. H.L. Ferguson, Dean Medical Faculty, | Otago University. | Dr. Emily H. Seideberg, Medical Officer, | St. Helens Hospital. | Dr. J.A. Jenkins. | Canon E.R. Nevill, representing the | Dunedin Council of Sex Education. | Miss Pattrick, Director of Plunket | Nursing. | Mr. J.M. Galloway, representing Society | for Protection of Women and Children. | Dr. F.R. Riley. Wellington, 12th September | Dr. W. Young. (forenoon only) | Mr. T.R. Cresswell, Headmaster, | Wellington College. | Mr. W.W. Cook, Registrar-General. | Mr. Malcolm Fraser, Government | Statistician. | Mr. W.D. Hunt. | Rev. R.S. Gray. Wellington, 13th September | Dr. Frank Hay, Inspector-General of (forenoon only) | Mental Defectives. | Mrs. Henderson, Representative Women | Prisoners' Welfare Society and | Wellington Branch National Council of | Women. | Rev. Van Staveren, Jewish Rabbi. Wellington, 14th September | Dr. Agnes Bennett, Medical Officer, St. | Helens Hospital. | Mrs. F. McHugh, Health Patrol. | Mr. F. Castle, President Pharmacy Board, | and Chairman Wellington Hospital Board. | Dr. D.M. Wilson, Medical Superintendent, | Wellington Hospital. | Mr. A.H. Wright, Commissioner of Police. | Mr. W. Dinnie, ex-Commissioner of Police, | representing Bible in Schools | Propaganda Committee. | Rev. J.T. Pinfold, D.D., representing | Wellington Ministers' Association. | Canon T. Feilden Taylor, appointed by the | Bishop of Wellington. Wellington, 15th September | Major Winton, Salvation Army. | Mr. W. Beck, Officer in Charge Special | Schools Branch, Education Department. | Dr. D.E. Platts-Mills, representing Young | Women's Christian Association. | Mrs. Morpeth, representing Young Women's | Christian Association. | Miss Dunlop, representing Young Women's | Christian Association. | Mrs. Glover, Salvation Army. Wellington, 26th September | Consideration of report. Wellington, 10th October | Consideration of report. Wellington, 12th October | Consideration of report. Wellington, 13th October | Consideration of report. Wellington, 18th October | Final meeting. | --------------------------------+--------------------------------------
It will thus be seen that, apart from time spent in travelling, the Committee have met on seventeen days and have heard seventy-four witnesses in person.
The Committee would like to express their thanks to the witnesses, many of whom had gone to considerable trouble to collect information and prepare their evidence. Thanks are also due to the British Medical Association for their willing co-operation and assistance; to the large number of members of the medical profession throughout the Dominion who responded to the Committee's request for information; to Dr. J.H.L. Cumpston, Federal Director-General of Health, Melbourne, for much Australian information on the subject, particularly in relation to Commonwealth quarantine provisions; to Dr. Everitt Atkinson, Commissioner of Public Health, Perth, West Australia, for a most lucid and informative report on the working of the legislation in force in that State; and to many other persons who by means of correspondence and literature have placed at the Committee's disposal a large amount of information which has been of material assistance in considering various aspects of the problems involved.
The Committee desire to acknowledge their indebtedness to their secretary, Mr. C.J. Drake, whose wide knowledge of public-health matters has been of material assistance in their investigations and who has discharged his duties with marked zeal and ability.
SECTION 2.--VENEREAL DISEASES AND THEIR EFFECTS.
One result of the Committee's investigations has been to show that the public in general are very ignorant regarding the nature of venereal diseases, and their lamentable effects not only upon the individuals infected, but upon the health and well-being of the community as a whole. This ignorance of the nature of the problem and of the grave issues involved naturally stands in the way of the evil being grappled with effectually. Furthermore, the policy of reticence which has prevailed in the past, while it has led to the omission of proper instruction of the young, either by their parents or as part