2036
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 51

Regulations under the Health Act, 1920, and the Social Hygiene Act, 1917, with respect to certain Venereal Diseases.

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CHARLES FERGUSSON, Governor-General.

ORDER IN COUNCIL.

At the Government House at Wellington, this 6th day of July, 1925.

Present:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL IN COUNCIL.

WHEREAS by notice under the Health Act, 1920, dated the twenty-ninth day of November, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-four, certain venereal diseases—namely, gonorrhoea, syphilis, and soft chancre—were declared to be infectious diseases within the meaning of the said Act:

And whereas, by section one hundred and thirty-two of the said Act, the Governor-General is empowered to make regulations for the isolation, disinfection, and treatment of persons suffering from any infectious disease; for the isolation or medical observation and surveillance of persons suspected to be suffering from any such disease; and otherwise for the purpose of effecting the cure and preventing the spread of any such disease:

And whereas by the Social Hygiene Act, 1917, further power to make regulations with respect to venereal diseases is conferred on the Governor-General in Council:

Now, therefore, in pursuance and exercise of the powers conferred on him as aforesaid by the Health Act, 1920, and the Social Hygiene Act, 1917, His Excellency the Governor-General of the Dominion of New Zealand, acting by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of the said Dominion, doth hereby make the regulations hereinafter set forth.

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REGULATIONS.

1. THESE regulations may be cited as the Social Hygiene Regulations, 1925, and shall come into force on the 9th day of July, 1925.

2. In these regulations—

“Director-General” means the Director-General of Health:

“Venereal diseases” means syphilis, gonorrhoea, and soft chancre.

VENEREAL DISEASES IN COMMUNICABLE FORM.

3. (1.) Every person suffering from syphilis shall be deemed to suffer from such disease in a communicable form unless the following conditions obtain, namely:—

(a.) That not less than two years have elapsed since the first appearance of the primary manifestations:

(b.) That the patient has undergone treatment for a period of not less than one year to the satisfaction of a registered medical practitioner:

(c.) That at least three months have elapsed since the completion of the last course of treatment, and there have been no further manifestations of syphilis since the completion of such course:

(d.) That (in cases where the patient has been treated with injections of salvarsan or of any substitute therefor) a sample of the patient’s blood, taken at least forty-eight hours after any such injection, shall have given a negative Wassermann reaction when examined by a bacteriologist, or other person approved for the purpose by the Director-General; or, in the alternative (in cases where salvarsan or a substitute therefor has not been used as aforesaid), a negative Wassermann reaction has been given in at least two tests made at an interval of not less than one month.

(2.) Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this clause, a person shall be deemed to be free from syphilis in a communicable form, even though the Wassermann reaction may be positive, if not less than three years have elapsed since the first appearance of the primary manifestations, and the patient has received satisfactory treatment extending over a period of not less than two years.