CZECHO-SLOVAKIA.

43 the possibility of acceding to the request, but promised it was not advisable for the congress to recommend to lay it before the Cabinet. When the Melbourne this action to the Governments represented, in view Hospital was rebuilt some years ago space had to of the fact that public opinion would probably not ;be acquired by carrying the ward-blocks to six stories. support it, and that if the patients lost their confidence It would be interesting to learn how far this structural in professional secrecy there would be an increase in arrangement is responsible for increased cost of quackery. The same day resolutions were passed administration. embodying the essential features of the discussions, Public Charities. and it was decided to forward these to the respective The war-time custom of collection of money by Governments. On the social side members of the congress were street demonstrations has been continued by the various charities, and these special efforts have now entertained at the residence of the president by his Protest is being daughter, Dr. Alice G. Masaryk, president of the .come to be regarded as a nuisance. made against their continuance ; in Victoria a Czecho-Slovak Red Cross, and at a banquet given to them by the Ministry of Health. Several excursions ’permanent committee has been suggested to supervise to institutions of interest were also arranged ,public collections for charities, and in New South for the benefit medical The of the foreign delegates. Wales the Labour Government has restricted special is in a that result the will general impression congress street collections to two days in the year. more rapid development of the campaign against Dec. 15th, 1921. venereal diseases in Central Europe. Prague, Dec. 21st, 1921.

I

CZECHO-SLOVAKIA. (FRo3r OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Public Health Services.

Internatioital Venereal Diseases Conferences at Pr’ague. AN international congress against venereal diseases Prophylactic Treatment under the Insurance Acts. was convened in Prague by the League of Red Cross A SYSTEM which removes economic hindrances to :Societies. The League was represented by its the access of patient to doctor and tends to bring him secretary-general, Dr. Rene Sand, and by the Director more frequently under skilled observation before of the Division for Venereal Diseases, Colonel T. F. disease is fully developed would mark a great advance Ritchie. Jugoslavia was represented by Drs. in preventive medicine. Such a system it was hoped Georgijewitch and Zujovic, Poland by Dr. Bronislavski, to find within the compass of the Insurance Acts. A Bulgaria by Prof. B. Béron, Greece by Prof. Photinos, noteworthy decision was given recently by the Com- and Czecho-Slovakia by several delegates. mittee of appointed by the Scottish Board of The congress was opened on Dec. 5th by Dr.I Health toInquiry hear and determine the question whether Prochazka, representing the Czecho-Slovak Red Cross. prophylactic treatment really falls within the scope Addresses were delivered at this opening session both of treatment to be by a panel practitioner by Dr. Vrbensky, Minister of Health, and by Mr. under his agreement given with the insurance committee. Haberman, Minister of Social Welfare. All the foreign The Committee of was held in Edinburgh, ,delegates presented reports concerning the progress and consisted of SirInquiry Donald MacAlister, president of of the campaign against venereal diseases in their the General Medical associated with a Sheriff ,countries. Dr. Ulrich lectured on conditions in and an ex-Provost. Council, These three determined that the Czecho-Slovakia and outlined the State programme " treatment " in the first clause of - drawn up by the Czecho-Slovak Society for Combating expression Section 8 (1) of Part 1 of the First Schedule of the Venereal Diseases. Medical Benefit Regulations includes treatment for the The session of Dec. 6th was devoted to the discussion as well as for the cure of sickness. They ,of general medical problems. The discussion was prevention further point out that the word " patients " is defined F. of Prof. of the Samberger, University opened by in Section 3 of the agreement as including all insured Prague. He urged a better education for doctors persons who are on the practitioner’s list. Section 8 (1) who wish to specialise in venereal diseases, recom- therefore is not confined to persons who are expressly mending a reform in hospitals where patients are suffering from any ailment. The panel committee unemployed although their condition warrants some at which the case arose had contended that the true employment. He advocated the creation of work- reading of the section was to limit treatment to shops for venereal disease patients in connexion with who are suffering from an ailment; on this hospitals. On the 7th Prof. Zahor read a paper on patients view medical benefit was confined to curative treatthe education of children in sexual matters, emphasising ment of an ascertained disease, and did not extend to ,the desirability of having the subject systematically, treatment to protect against the risk of designed but inconspicuously, presented to the child before the contracting a disease. The judges decided, however, latter leaves school at the age of 14 years. It was that this restricted interpretation was not justified. not necessary to teach sexuology as a separate referred to the prophylactic work done by most They subject; it could very well be inserted into natural practitioners in their day’s work, and history and biology. The methods of dissemination pointed to the title of theordinary Insurance Act as " An Act of information on venereal diseases were also discussed. to provide against Loss of Health " and " for the In an introductory paper Prof. Tryb emphasised the Prevention and Cure of Sickness." Section 1 (1) of importance of instruction in this field by physicians the Act does in point of fact provide that insured only, and went as far as to recommend a law making persons shall be entitled " to the benefits in respect of it a penal offence to speak on these subjects without health insurance and prevention of sickness conferred sufficient knowledge. The report on the campaign in this part of the Act." Should this decision stand by the Czecho-Slovak army was presented by Colonel it is clear that insurance practitioners are brought by Vesely. Extensive educational measures, and com- their agreement into the domain of preventive pulsory self-disinfection, were the essentials of the medicine, and constitute a link between practitioners s Dr. Odstrcil advocated a wider army programme. of clinical medicine and the administrative medical application of self-disinfection, especially during the officers appointed under the Public Health Acts. post-war period, when venereal diseases have spread to a greater extent than they have ever done before. Approved Societies and Voluntary Hospitals. It was interesting to note that there was no opposition Hospitals have not appealed in vain to the approved from the women who attended the congress. societies under the Insurance Acts, and it is now The last session, on the 10th, was devoted to discuss- announced that certain of the larger societies will ing the notification of venereal diseases and control of shortly put into operation schemes for the financial infected individuals, and was opened by Dr. H. Pelc, assistance of voluntary hospitals. The joint scheme of the Ministry of Health. It was felt that in spite of the Prudential and National Amalgamated Societies of the arguments in favour of compulsory notification, consists in the formation of a pool by putting aside ,