PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 7 



ago, discovered the long sought virus of syphilis in the 

 microbe Spirocheta pallida, and the mention of that leads 

 me to put on record here what seems to me to be an 

 interesting and important circumstance. For some con- 

 siderable time the minds of the Royal Naval Authorities 

 have been perturbed owing to the prevalence of serious 

 contagious disease in Sydney, and they had made formal 

 representations on the subject, as well as private communi- 

 cations, to myself amongst others. At the same time the 

 opening of a Female Lock Department at the Royal Prince 

 Alfred Hospital, of which I have the honour to be Chairman 

 of Directors, gave the opportunity of ascertaining how far 

 successful such a department would be in a community in 

 which no Contagious Diseases Acts are in force, and where 

 no restraint is put on the inmates compelling them to 

 remain in the institution until their cure is complete. 

 Further, they are not worried by many questions about one 

 thing and another. They are simply treated like any other 

 sick people whom it is desirable to cure of their disease as 

 quickly as possible. Residence here is entirely voluntary. 

 The department is open — literally, there is no locking of 

 doors, so that visitors enter in the ordinary way, and if 

 the inmates were so disposed they could leave at any time. 

 Nevertheless, out of 234 inmates between the 2nd Dec, 

 1905 and March 31st, 1907, only about eight left the institu- 

 tion while still in a contagious state. Thus, under 4°/° left 

 before their 'cure' was complete. This, I claim, is a distinct 

 success, for there are many conceivable good and sufficient 

 reasons why a woman should occasionally leave in this way. 

 Acting on the suggestion of the Board of Health the 

 Government is now engaged in establishing an institution 

 in Sydney on these voluntary lines, and it is hoped that it 

 will do much to mitigate a great evil, without raising the 

 vexed question of the O. D. Acts. 



