Health organization in Australian ports / compiled for the Division of Marine Hygiene, under the authority of the Minister for Health.

  • Australia. Department of Health.
Date:
[1928?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Health organization in Australian ports / compiled for the Division of Marine Hygiene, under the authority of the Minister for Health. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Venereal Diseases. Each State, excepting South Australia, has an act providing for notification and treatment of venereal disease. This act is administered by the Department of Health in Western Australia, Victoria, Queens- land and Tasmania. In New South Wales a commissioner is appointed to act under the Minister of Public Health. South Australia has passed an act, but it is not yet in operation. Steps have been taken to ensure free treatment by medical prac- titioners or in subsidized hospitals. Clinics have been established and in some cases. beds in public hospitals have been set aside for patients suffering from these diseases. The Commonwealth Govetnment has granted a subsidy of £15, 000 per annum to the various States to assist in providing hospital treat- ment and administrative control. In New South Wales, the act aims at ensuring that all cases of venereal disease will have immediate and continued treatment. Notifi- cation is compulsory. In Victoria, the acts provide for compulsory treatment by qualified medical practitioners. All hospitals in receipt of State aid treat patients. In Queensland, notification is compulsory. Subsidized hospitals are required to make provision for the examination and treatment of eases reported to them and clinics have been established in Brisbane and seven towns. Western Australia.—Persons suffering from these diseases must con- sult a medical practitioner and place themselves under treatment. Free examination and treatment are given by subsidized hospitals. Tasmania.—Persons affected must place themselves under the care of a medical practitioner or of a hospital; provision is made for the free maintenance and treatment of persons suffering from venereal disease. State aided hospitals are required to provide treatment. Vaccination. In New South Wales there is no provision for compulsory vaccina- tion, but public vaccinators have been appointed. Victoria——Compulsory vaccination, subject to a conscience clause, is in force. During 1924 the number of children vaccinated was less than 5 per cent. of the births registered. Queensland—Compulsory vaccination is not in force. South Australia——Compulsory vaccination has been suspended— only two vaccinations were reported in 1924. Western Australia——Compulsory vaccination is subject to a con- scientious objection clause. Wery few children are vaccinated. All dis- trict medical officers are public vaccinators. Tasmania.—All infants are nominally required to be vaccinated before the age of twelve months, but this is subject to a conscientious objection clause. Jennerian vaccine is manufactured at the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories at Royal Park, near Melbourne.