Report of Royal Commission upon the Administration and Operation of the Contagious Diseases Acts.
- Great Britain. Royal Commission on the Contagious Diseases Acts
- Date:
- 1871
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report of Royal Commission upon the Administration and Operation of the Contagious Diseases Acts. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.
790/952 page 692
![FORTY- not you are in favour of any steps being taken by the THIRD DAY. Government with regard to the diminution of syphilitic disease?—No, at present 1 am not in />. P. James, favour of that. I think I distinctly stated in answer to a former question, that it was a matter of opinion ; 8 May 1871. ^j^^^ j ^^^^ regard it as tlie sphere of Government that it sliouhi always be interfering. 19.133. Ill your judgment are the means at present available for the treatment of syphilitic disease adequate to the wants of the pojiulation ?—I think an increase of Lock Hospitals would be a great benefit to the po])uhitioii. 19.134. Do you happen to be acquainted with the constitution of our provincial hospitals to any extent? —Not from residence. 19.135. Are yon aware whether, as a rule or not, venereal cases are admitted into our provincial hospitals ?—It is impossible lo tell unless you know of jour own knowledge ; for if you inquire into the regulations of London hospitals, or any town hospitals, you will find a number of regulations which do not practically exist. The letter of the law remains, but is not ]>ractically enforced. 19.136. You are not able to give any opinion as to Avhat is generally the case ?—No, I am not. 19.137. {Sir J. Trclaumy.) You are averse to any interference by the Government in reference to syphilitic disease?—Yes. I do not like the ■ inter- ference of the Government under any circumstances, unless where it is proved to be necessary. 19.138. In one of your replies you draw a distinc- tion Ijetween the case of smallpox-and venereal disease, that the venereal disease was incurred by the choice of the patient, did you not ?—Yes. 19.139. But how does that apply to the case of children who are infected with syphilitic disease through their parents ? I will give you a question which Avas put to Sir William Jenuer before IMr. Skcy's committee in 1865,* Would you say that you have seen iiundreds of cases of the disease in children ?—I have seen many, and I should say hundreds. I have had so many children there in a moriiiiig, that I think I may say there had been from 150 to J 80 new cases ; I mean out-patients. Then he goes on with a long reply, which I will not trouble you with, but with reference to that authority, do not you consider cases of that sort deserve some action on the part of the State ?—That witness' experience was a very exceptional one. I think there was at that time only one large children's hospital in London, to which Dr. Jenner, now Sir William Jenncr, was attached, and there was only one Jenner. 19,110. His superior diagnosis enabled him to difr«-,ver what other medical men would have f;iiled to discover?—I do not say that is so necessarily, but he had sucii a large rejui Cation for the management of children's diseases that the public flocked to him, and would possibly select his day in jjreference to another if they could. 19.141. We have heard a question and answer, showing that 25 per cent, of cases in hospital were from this disease ?—But not children ; that 25 per cent, applies to the whole population. 19.142. Supposing the disease incurred otherwise than by a person's own fault, would you consider it was deserving of some action on the part of the State ? —If the evil were proved to be sufficient, T do not say that I would hold dogmatically by a single propo- sition in politics. 19.143. Then you would only wait for adequate proof?—For adequate proof. 19.144. Have j'ou ever i-ead the evidence taken before Mr. Skey's committee, which was appointed in 1865 ?—Yes ; I think I have read everything about it. 19.145. You have read the whole of that evidence ? —I think I have read nearly everything written on the subject of late years. 19.146. Are you acquainted with the form of the disease called phagEedena ?—Yes. * Ques. 577G. Venereal Commission, Ques. 5815. 19.147. Is that syphilitic?—There are differences of opinion in the ])rofession as to that. 19.148. But if found in an undoubted prostitute it would be a terrible instrument of destruction, would it not ?—It is a very terrible disease in certain cases. 19.149. May not the whole of a man's genitals be gone in a few days by its action ?—I have known it. 19.150. And in 48 hours one half of his genitals may be gone, and in the next 48 hours the whole ?— I have not heard of a case in which it has been so rapid as that. 19.151. You have read this evidence ?—I have read the evidence, but I do not say Avithin a few days. 19.152. Now let me ask you another question. How soon in your experience do you think it safe for a man to marry who has been affected with this disease ?—A man may have the disease that may last a very long time, and he may not be properly cured of it, which is a very common occurrence. 19.153. How soon would you advise a patient who had been under your treatment for this disease that he Avas in a fit state to marry ?—After I considered him cured. 19.154. After you considered the symptoms had disappeared ?—I could not give any particular time. 19.155. I will ask you whether you agree with Dr. Jenner in this. He is asked the question, Have you ever considered how soon a man or a woman who has had syphilis might be safely allowed to marry ?—No ; it is so difficult to get at the truth. But I may illustrate that question by this case. A medical man Avho was much interested in the sulDject of syphilis came to me some years since. He told me he had had syphilis upon him as a student in Dublin ; that he had married four or five years afterwards, and that his first child was covered with syphilitic eruptions and died. This Avas the case of a medical man Avho was very enlightened, and yet who thought himself perfectly free from the disease. Would a case of that sort be in keeping Avith your general experience?—I think it might occur, but I have no experience of its occurrence after so long a period as that. 19.156. Now Avith regard to these very young prosti- tutes, Avhom you seem to have so much sympathy with that in their case you think the State ought to interfere, though you do not seem apparently to entertain the same opinion with regard to infants, though they have not contracted the disease from any fault of their own, I wish to know Avhether Avith regard to those patients under 13, whom you consider Avorthy of attention on the part of the State, you Avould treat them according to all the received rules of science; as, for example, Avould you use the speculum or not for them ?—It Avould depend entirely on the nature of the particular ailment. 19.157. But would it in your judgment be degrading to them to use the speculum for the purpose of their cure ?—If the person Avere diseased in a manner Avhich required the use of the speculum, I should consider it my duty, if I had the care of the patient, to employ it. 19.158. And for the patient's interest probably?— For the patient's interest; but as to the mere use of the speculum, it is not frequently that that would be required. 19.159. But you think it would be degrading in the case of the undoubted prostitute to use the instrument for the benefit of society ?—I do not think that cor- rectly represents what I said. 19.160. Perhaps you Avill draw the distinction ?—I said forcibly subjecting a person, and continually, to these examinations, to see whether she is healthy or not, in fact to find out Avhether a Avoman is a clean Avoman for the purpose of a man, is a very different thing from curing her from a known disease which you found to be present. 19.161. Havfe you heard of the disease infecting monthly nurses accidentally ?■—Yes.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21365945_0790.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
