[Report 1921] / Medical Officer of Health, Leeds City.

  • Leeds City Council
Date:
1921
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1921] / Medical Officer of Health, Leeds City. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    72/130 (page 66)
    Gonorrhoea. It would be disastrous if the impression got abroad amongst the public that either disease is incurable because it might deter infected individuals from seeking treatment when they ought. It cannot be too plainly stated and insisted upon that both diseases are absolutely curable if taken in time. At the same time a serious warning should be issued that delay is dangerous and that time is the important and decisive factor. The question of prophylaxis still burns and bothers. It never will be really settled no matter how much it be discussed or how many special Commissions may report on it. It is and must always remain a personal question which can only be settled between a man and his own conscience. To be perfectly candid, whatever the findings of the Special Committee now considering the subject may be, I shall never be a party to the introduction of a scheme for self-disinfection at the public expense and I trust the Health Committee will refuse to lend its support to any such proposal. There is only one sure way to prevent and that is to abstain from promiscuity and the greatest help to abstinence is knowledge. Institutions.—Cases requiring institutional treatment were received into the Leeds General Infirmary, the Maternity Hospital and the Hope Hospital. Particulars of these are given in the tables on pages 67 and 68. Grateful thanks are due to the Boards of Management of all these institutions for their help and co-operation. The Hope Hospital has continued to fill a very important place in the scheme in connection with the treatment and cure of girls and women of the rescue class found to be suffering from one or other of these diseases. This is a peculiarly difficult side of the work and one which requires much tact and patience. Though very successful it might be made even more so if the knowledge that such a hospital existed were more widely known and appreciated. Ophthalmia Neonatorum is dealt with on page 53. Supply of Salvarsan Substitutes.—The number of medical practitioners in the area who were qualified to receive free supplies of salvarsan substitutes was 40 up to December 31st, 1921. The amount of salvarsan substitutes distributed to practitioners was 2,578 doses. Pathological Work.—The extent to which practitioners have availed themselves of the facilities for pathological examinations provided by the Council is shown on page 64.