greatly exaggerated in the public mind, but a few cases occasionally
occur, and the Committee recommend that there should be better provision
of public conveniences, especially for women, and the U-shaped
closet-seat should be adopted. The use of common towels and
drinking-cups in railway-trains, schools, factories, and elsewhere is
condemned not only for the reasons stated above, but on general sanitary
grounds.


SECTION 4.--PREVIOUS INQUIRIES AND CONFERENCES.

After the repeal of the Contagious Diseases Act in England in 1886,
various Committees and Royal Commissions, such as the Inter-departmental
Committee on Physical Deterioration in 1904, the Royal Commission on the
Poor-laws in 1909, and the Royal Commission on Divorce in 1912, drew
attention to the frightful havoc wrought by venereal disease, and urged
that further action should be taken to deal with the evil. In 1913 the
British Government appointed a Royal Commission to inquire into the
prevalence of venereal diseases in the United Kingdom, their effects
upon the health of the community, and the means by which these effects
could be alleviated or prevented, it being understood that no return to
the policy or provisions of the Contagious Diseases Acts was to be
regarded as falling within the scope of the inquiry.

The Commission took a great deal of most valuable evidence, and did not
present their final report until 1916. They recommended improved
facilities for diagnosis and treatment, including free clinics. They
came to the conclusion that at that time any system of compulsory
personal notification would fail to secure the advantages claimed. The
Commission added, however, "it is possible that the situation may be