chief causes of sterility and degeneracy, and the further menace of
these diseases during demobilization." The Commission in their report,
presented in 1920, stated that they realized the difficulties involved
in the introduction of any efficient scheme of compulsory notification
and treatment of venereal diseases, but, they added, they "feel that it
has now passed the experimental stage both in our colonies and in forty
of the forty-eight of the United States of America, and think it is
advisable for the State to make a trial of compulsory notification and
treatment in this country, provided that there should be no return to
the principles or practice of the Contagious Diseases Act." Referring to
the finding of the Royal Commission on Venereal Disease that it would
not be possible at present to organize a satisfactory method of
certification of fitness for marriage, the National Birth-rate
Commission thought this question should now be reconsidered with a view
to legislation. "If," says the report, "a certificate of health was to
become a legal obligation for persons contemplating marriage, many of
the legal, ethical, and professional difficulties surrounding this
question would be removed."

In Sweden, where a Venereal Diseases Law was passed in 1918, stress was
laid on the importance of general enlightenment with regard to venereal
disease and germane subjects, such as sex hygiene. A committee was
appointed, consisting of experts in medicine and pedagogy, to inquire
into the best means of providing such education. Their report, which has
just been issued, is described by the _British Medical Journal_ as a
document of considerable value, promising to become the charter of a new
and complete system of sex education and hygiene in schools throughout
Sweden. Further reference will be made to this document in the section
of this report dealing with education.