The Contagious Disease Act at Devonport : its physical and moral results after six years working : a paper read at the Bristol Social Science Congress / by William Paul Swain.

  • Swain, William Paul, 1834-1916.
Date:
1869
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Contagious Disease Act at Devonport : its physical and moral results after six years working : a paper read at the Bristol Social Science Congress / by William Paul Swain. 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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    This Act continued in force until September, i860, when “ the Act of 18GG,” under an amendment of which we are now working, came into force. The Act of 18GG, applies to the same places as that of 1864, with the addition of Winchester. It provides for the appointment of Visiting Surgeons and Assistant Visiting Sur- geons, also Assistant Inspectors of Hospitals. It also provides for the periodical examination by the Visiting Surgeon of all known prostitutes living within a radius of five miles of any place to which this Act applies, and for their being sent to a certified Hospital if found diseased. They are not to be kept in Hospital for a longer period than three months without a certificate signed by the Medical Officer under whose care they are, and also by the Inspector of Hospitals or Visiting Surgeon, and then to be detained for not more than three months longer. If at the expiration of that time a woman is still diseased a notice to that effect is served upon her at the time of her discharge. With regard to the periodical examination, the Act provides that it shall be compulsory on all prostitutes, the order to attend being valid for one year. By a special clause a woman may voluntarily submit to examination for any period not exceeding one year. Any woman may apply for a release from periodical examination, and if it is proved that she has ceased to be a common prostitute, and she will enter into recognizance for her good behaviour during three months after, she may be released. The Act provides, also, the punishment of imprisonment for neglect to appear for periodical examination,—for quitting a certified Hospital without a certificate of cure,—or for misbehaviour whilst in Hospital. I have thus concisely stated the main features of the two Acts. It will be observed that the Act of 18G6, is a good step in advance of that of 1864. Its special feature is, that it provides for the periodical examination of all known prostitutes, and also provides an officer to carry out that duty. Why that officer should be called a “ Visiting Surgeon” is to me incomprehensible, as his duties arc not to “ visit ” the women either at their abodes or in Hospital, for it is enacted in the 19th clause that he shall prescribe the times and places at which the woman is required to attend for examination. The term “Visiting” Surgeon is a misnomer, and is calculated to mislead both the public and the officer himself, as to the nature of his duties. The better name would be “ Examin-