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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    iii 1806 to 62, and since tlic completion of the building in 18(18 to 162, the present number. From December 1st, 1803, to March 31st, 1805, the detention of women was voluntary; but from the passing of the “Contagious Diseases Act, 1864,” it has been compulsory, additional powers having been given by the “Act of 18GG,” and more recently by the “ Amended Act of 18G6,” just passed. Upwards of 3500 cases have been treated in the Lock Wards up to the present time, and an abstract of the cases treated up to March 31st, 18G9, shows that out of 285-1 cases admitted, 899 were cases of Syphilis. One of the most striking facts connected with our work is this :—that the percentage of Syphilitic cases treated in our Wards has steadily diminished. Thus from December 3rd, 1863, to March 31st, 1865 the percentage of Syphilitic cases was 5 7'45, whilst from October 1st, 1868, to March 31st, 18G9, the percentage was only 17-72. This striking diminution in the prevalence of a disease so horrible in its consequences, not only to the unhappy patient affected with the primary disease, but to her children’s children, is a result we hardly hoped for, and affords the strongest possible argument in favour of the extension of an Act which has to such an extent (within the area where it is in force) stamped down this dreadful scurge of the civilized world. But still further to demonstrate the benefit of the Act, I will now refer to the effect it has had in checking disease in the Army and Navy. I have already stated that prior to the passing of the Act of 18G4, 14 per cent, per annum of men in the Royal Navy suffered from Contagious Disease. The return for 12 months ending March 31st, 18GG, including not only the men in the Royal Navy, but also in the Army and Marines, shows a percentage of 19-529 only, of men admitted to Hospital with Contagious diseases. The return for the last 12 months, ending June, 1SG9, shows that out of an average strength for the year of 10,G56 men, the admissions to Hospital of men affected with Contagious Diseases was 13-00 per cent. Thus we have reduced Enthetic diseases in the Garrison from 44 per cent, to 13-00 per cent. But out of this 13-00 per cent, we gather from our returns that only 9-7G per cent, contracted disease within the Devonport district. Comparing our District
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