Synopsis of the final report of the Royal Commission on Venereal Diseases / by Douglas White.

  • White, Douglas
Date:
1916
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Synopsis of the final report of the Royal Commission on Venereal Diseases / by Douglas White. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    PREFACE. IN order that every one who so wishes should be enabled to master the facts elicited by the Royal Commission and the deductions and recommendations based upon them, it appeared to the National Council Executive that a Synopsis of the Report should be prepared. The work was very kindly undertaken by Dr. Douglas White, who rendered valuable assistance to the Commission by — framing a digest of the evidence. He has now accomplished his task, and the result is, as he states, a ‘‘ systematic abbrevia- tion’’ from which nothing of first-class importance has been omitted. He has also very wisely included information con- tained in the Appendices of which he gives a short precis. I hope, therefore, that this Synopsis will serve a double purpose. It will provide a convenient compendium of the whole subject of venereal disease as elucidated by the recent enquiry, and will thus aid all who have no time to study the -Report as a whole. At the same time, the marginal references will enable readers, who are interested in any special branch of this question, to turn to the original for fuller details. The wealth of valuable information in Blue Books is too frequently lost; because professional men and women, by whom it might be turned to account, are too busy to be able to under- take the continuous study of heavy volumes. The National Council trust that the Synopsis will smooth the way to wider knowledge of these most insidious and dangerous diseases, their effects upon the race, and the means of combating them. It was impressed upon the Commissioners by many witnesses that this knowledge was lacking, and that the veil of secrecy, which has too long been permitted to obscure facts of vital import to the national welfare, must be withdrawn if a worthy attempt is to be made to cope with a deadly evil. One of the great objects of the National Council is, therefore, to diffuse necessary information in forms suited to different classes of persons who have opportunities of warning, of guidance, and of promoting administrative measures. The President of the Local Government: Board, when receiving a deputation from the National Council, showed that he had fully grasped the need of prompt action at a time when there is grave reason to fear an abnormal spread of disease. He has already taken measures to carry out the principal recommenda- tions of the Royal Commission as regards the provision of ample means of diagnosis and treatment. The success of these measures will depend upon the hearty co-operation of local