Magdalenism : an inquiry into the extent, causes, and consequences of prostitution in Edinburgh / by William Tait.

  • Tait, William.
Date:
1840
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Magdalenism : an inquiry into the extent, causes, and consequences of prostitution in Edinburgh / by William Tait. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    tliemselvcs jxirtially up to a wicked lifc^ and who are^equally re- prehensible in their conduct and polluted in their morals,^althougli (professedly following other avocations!) These belong generally to the;class of(dress-malcers^scwers^honnct-makers, book-stitchers, /shop-girls^; and; house-servants.^ ^his clasS may perhaps be even more numerous than the fop>er, td'which the definition properly applies ; but (its real numbcr/;^an never be determined] as they ^pursue their course., of wickedness in so(sly^and :hypocritical a manner, as to defy the possibility of detection. The different ways in which they ply their calling, will be particularly alluded to in a subsequent part of the present inquiry. DIFFICULTIES TO BE ENCOUNTERED IN DETERMINING THE NUMBER OF PROSTITUTES IN EDINBURGH. /f*rostitution having been acknowledged on all hands to be/a ' great and increasing evil^ it is somewhat surprising thatfno attempt has been made by the^fficial authoritiesjto inquire into)thc extent ■; to which it prevails.^j ^ crime^which,. in the capital alone, requires for its support a siim equal to about^200,000 yearly,)and which /causes so many bankruptcies,'and, ruins and depraves the character of a fourth part of the rising population, is certainly not unworthy of their serious consideration. The want of all documents of an official character, renders the present attempt somewhat difficult and laborious. In Paris, where(a regular registerjis kept of all Avho areipermitted to follow this iniquitou^s calling^) and who have to appear at short intervals to be examined as to the state of their health, there is, comparatively speaking, little or no difficulty in ascertaining at any time the precise number that may exist in that city, (in this country/liowevcr, tlicre are(iio such data^ and''any one desirous of information on this important subjcct,(must make diligent inquiry for it himself!) The almost/daily variations which occur in the (number of prostitutesj^'j^'ill^reiider the best attempt uncertajn^a^d unsatjsJicJ;ory.j f^n summer, 'for example, there are fa third part fewer than in vjvinter) and an autunm the number is fStill further diminishech) Besides these ^'periodical changes) there are occasions in which the number of prostitutes in Edinburgh