ing to this
unfortunate class. "A feeble-minded girl," says Mr. Beck, "has not sense
enough to protect herself from the perils to which women are subjected.
Often amiable in disposition and physically attractive, they either
marry and bring forth a new generation of defectives, or they become
irresponsible sources of corruption and debauchery in the communities
where they live." Obviously some method of dealing with mental
defectives--by segregation or otherwise--must be found as part of the
problem of dealing with venereal disease.

As regards the effect of venereal disease on the general health of the
community, we have the statement of the late Sir William Osler that he
regards syphilis as "third on the list of killing diseases"; while
Neisser, a leading authority, says that "with the exception of measles,
gonorrhoea is the most widely spread of all diseases. It is the most
potent factor in the production of involuntary race suicide, and by
sterilization and abortion does more to depopulate the country than does
any other cause."

In view of the facts brought out in the course of the inquiry, the
Committee are strongly of opinion that it would be criminal neglect to
allow the evil to go on without taking energetic steps to check its
ravages. They believe that the legislative and other measures which they
recommend for the medical prevention and treatment of venereal disease
will, if given effect to with the loyal co-operation of the medical
profession, have a very beneficial result in reducing the prevalence of
disease, and will save an incalculable amount of sorrow and suffering
which in too many cases falls upon the innocent. In what is proposed in
this report there is nothing approaching a revival of the old Contagious
Diseases Acts. To use the words of Dr. Emily Seideberg, the principle of
the legislation now proposed is "To improve the health of the community,
and not, as in the old Contagious Diseases Acts, to make sexual
immorality safe for men of low morals."

The Committee are of opinion that, far from conditional notification and
compulsory treatment on the lines proposed being prejudicial to woman in
any way, it is they who will reap the greatest benefit from these
measures. In fact, sufferers from venereal disease, as a whole, have
everything to gain and nothing to lose so long as they will continue
under treatment, and to enable them to do this the best medical skill is
placed at their disposal free o