Contagious diseases : and the insufficiency of the measures adopted for their prevention.

Date:
[1874]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Contagious diseases : and the insufficiency of the measures adopted for their prevention. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    of reasoning; and, when he compares both sides, he is at a loss to come to a conclusion which will satisfy his mind. Nevertheless, notwithstanding this uncertainty which attaches to the question of repealing the Acts, there is one point on which all are agreed—one com- mon ground on which all opinions meet,—and that is the desire to bring the man rather than the woman to grief, seeing that the former must necessarily be aware of the harm he is doing, and can never plead poverty as- his excuse. Any law, therefore, which would transfer the penalty, or part of the penalty, from the female to the male offender, would meet the wishes of all parties ; and, if the Contagious Diseases Acts are not repealed, it would deprive them of that injustice which is their most repugnant feature. But how is such a measure to be accomplished, or how are we to make any approximation towards its accomplishment 1 It is evident that no direct law can be passed for the punishment of men who communicate contagious diseases. Such a law would be too alien to the spirit of the times. The Legislature would not, and could not, pass it. Neither would there be any use in appealing to the common sense and common feeling of the nation. Such appeals are of use only when they coincide with public opinion ; and public opinion always takes the part of young men against bad women.*