§ 11. Mr. BASIL PETOasked the Secretary of State for War whether the incidence of venereal disease in the Army has increased or diminished in the last three years; and whether he can state what is the general view of the Army Medical Service as to the value of the preventive measures that have been employed?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Sir Laming Worthington-Evans)During the last three years for which complete statistics are available, the incidence of venereal disease in the Army has decreased from 74.0 per 1,000 of the strength in 1921 to 47.8 per 1,000 in 1924. My medical advisers consider that this reduction is mainly due to the very effective preventive measures that have been and are still being employed. I would also refer my hon. Friend to the information contained on pages 15–18 of the Report on the Health of the Army for 1924.