The statistical results of the Contagious Diseases Acts : as deduced from all the Parliamentary papers which have been issued upon the subject, from the commencement of the Acts to the present time, shewing their total failure in a sanitary point of view : being a paper read before the Medical Society of London, February 19th, 1872 / by C. Bell Taylor.

  • Taylor, Charles Bell, 1829-1909.
Date:
[1872]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The statistical results of the Contagious Diseases Acts : as deduced from all the Parliamentary papers which have been issued upon the subject, from the commencement of the Acts to the present time, shewing their total failure in a sanitary point of view : being a paper read before the Medical Society of London, February 19th, 1872 / by C. Bell Taylor. 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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    ease in the tohole Army, as the other table shews. In the whole Army the total number of admissions, in 1866, was 258'5 per 1000; in 1868, 282-2 per 1000. So that, in the two years, there was an increase in the cases of 23 7 per 1000 ; whereas, in every preceding year since 1859 there had been a decrease, the whole diminution in the seven years amounting to no fewer than 163 per 1000. I think I have now clearly shown that the Army, as a whole, was, at the date of the last Report, no better for this legislation; that the Navy was no better. Indeed, the figures are conclusive ; they cannot be overborne. No manipulation of local, or partial, results can overthrow the broad fact that enthetic disease was more prevalent in both the great divisions of Her Majesty’s Forces, after three years’ experience of the Contagious Diseases Acts, than it was before their introduction. And, if the Army and Navy were in a worse state, there can be no doubt whatsoever that civilians gene- rally were worse also, and in a greater degree. For the causes, which operate to defeat the influence of police and medical regulations, for the discovery and treatment of venereal diseases, upon the health of the men of the Army and Navy, operate with greater effect to defeat their influence upon the health of civilians indulging in illicit inter- course. One of those causes is the multiplied indulgence springing from the apparent immunity afforded. This multiplied indulgence spreads more among civilians than among soldiers and sailors, inas- much as their means and opportunities are greater. Another potent cause is the evasion of the police by many of the unhappy females, however active and energetic the police may be. But of those who evade the police, the greater number are those who consort with civi- lians, rather than with soldiers and sailors, it being more difficult for those who consort with the latter to avoid detection. Hence, what- ever the results maybe in the case of the Army and Navy, they must necessarily be less satisfactory in the case of civilians. I cannot conclude my paper without expressing my great satisfaction that the Government have resolved to propose the Repeal of the exist- ing Acts. At the same time I trust that they will withdraw those clauses of the Bill, which has been introduced upon the subject, which are intended to perpetuate as much of the system as it is supposed public opinion may possibly be induced to allow. I am persuaded that when we, as medical practitioners belonging to as noble a profes- sion as exists upon earth, call in the help of the poUce to extend our in- fluence, or suffer ourselves to be linked with them in harsh and re- volting duties, we abdicate our high position and degrade our function, transforming ourselves from the friends and succourers of humanity into its hated inquisitors and jailors.