The State Control of Venereal Disease

Abstract

IN a society such as ours, I take it no excuse need be offered for a discussion on a subject of such vital importance to a nation as that chosen for to-night. Though I cannot pretend to any expert knowledge, nor can I claim now to be even professionally interested in the purely clinical side of the question, yet in my early professional life I held the post of medical superintendent at the Liverpool Lock Hospital, and saw a good deal of this branch of work. Under the management of the Liverpool Royal Infirmary, this small institution did much quiet and good work; like the traditional ugly stepdaughter, however, it created no enthusiasm, was finally cast off by its mother, and perished of inanition. At this time, and later, when I had the opportunity of seeing the result of state regulation on the Continent, one fact was strongly impressed upon me, namely, that no system of state interference could be of any possible value which dealt only with women and not also with men. The points to which I think our attention may be directed are: the reasons for state intervention, and the special legislative measures adopted in this country; the medical aspect of the question; the failure of state intervention and the causes underlying such failure; and on what lines, if any, the State may still assume responsibility.