Venereal disease in the female.

The official statistical data on venereal diseases show a general decline in their incidence in women, which is not very reliable from the epidemiological point of view. This has arisen chiefly because the symptoms of venereal disease are not usually so noticeable as to necessitate a visit to the doctor. The infection is nearly always noticed by chance in the course of a medical examination undertaken for some other reason, and is therefore treated in various medical departments, chiefly in the gynaecological clinics. However even the gynaecologist may fail to notice the symptoms if he is not making a special search for them, either because the patient does not offer any information or because he wishes to spare her the embarrassment of a prolonged investigation. In the gynaecological department of the Central Social Health Clinic in Oportot, one of the chief