Report on venereal diseases / Medical Advisory Committee (Scotland).

Date:
1944
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on venereal diseases / Medical Advisory Committee (Scotland). Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    re have been told that before the war the press would not. print nor would the Church preach the truth about the evils and dangers to be avoided. There is evidence, however, to show that during the past year the public have shown a 18. From our enquiries we must conclude that, largely because of public indifference and a definite hostility on the part of some, educational effort in the pre-war years was perfunctory and lacked direction and determination. From. 1919 onwards a few earnest workers sought to interest local authorities and others in preventive measures but with very few exceptions the response was ineffectual, and often where the need appeared greatest public opinion was not sufficiently alive. Prior to the present war the educational programme was severely handicapped by the almost universal ban, already referred to, imposed on the most elementary publicity and even to-day among those who might be expected to be better informed, there is lamentable ignorance of the facts about venereal diseases, how they are acquired, how they can be prevented or cured. We believe that the public will respond now to sound practical advice and courageous leadership. 19. That the propaganda campaign inaugurated in January of this year has had an effect is shown by data submitted to us by the Venereal Diseases Officers of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen. ‘Abstract of returns of new cases January-June ® year survey—1941-42-43. Non-V.D. Syphilis Gonorrhea GLASGOW 1941 - 483 562 991 1942 ' 643 672 914 1943 1,387 801 954 Epinpureso 1941 336 273. 379 1942 388 OOr 433 1943 563 402 406 wisn oe 125 ee 257 1942 245 194 300 1943 418 Al 390 ABERDEEN 1941 93 216 297 1942 98 243 251 1943 174 266 291s Comparing the first six months of 1943 with the corresponding period in 1941 and 1942 it is apparent that not only has there been a definite rise in the number of cases coming for treatment, but also a much more significant increase in the number of persons found to have no venereal disease. This shows that the propaganda campaign has had a.measure of success and, in our view, the tributed to an increase of knowledge among the general public. It is a question, however, whether the person who is not socially conscious has been sufficiently affected by the campaign and whether other means may not have to be devised to get such people interested and co-operative. untreated or neglected, they take toll not only of the infected individual but of contacts and of offspring. It is clearly in the national interest that the family ee ee ee
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