Contagious Diseases Act: Prostitution and Diseases in the Victorian times

Question 1

what was the disease levels within the amry?

Answer 1

• In 1860, 37% of army hospital admissions were for venereal infections.
• On average, 105 out of 1000 soldiers were in hospital due to sexually related diseases.
• Out of the 60,00 troops of the British Army, 586 men a day were inactive due to venereal infections.

Question 2

why was diseases within the army a big problem?

Answer 2

-Levels of venereal infections were higher for soldiers and sailors than for other men of the same age outside the armed forces

Question 3

what plan was made in the 1857 Royal commission and why was it removed?

Answer 3

• they had specified that medical checks on soldiers for venereal infections should be ended as they lost respect among troops.
• Until 1859, soldiers had to undergo frequent medial checks but this failed as they were very hostile to such invasive examinations.

Question 4

What was the committee in 1862 used for and what was their recommendation on the issue of venereal diseases.

Answer 4

• The committee was made by the Government on how venereal diseases could be prevented.
• Came to the conclusion that the Army should issue penalties for concealing diseases and should build lock hospitals where prostitutes could go freely.

the government later ignored the 1862 committee.

Question 5

what evidence is there that prostitution was a big problem in ‘Victorian Society?

Answer 5

• Was estimated that there were 500,000 prostitutes in England
• Fears that it threatened marriages, the family and the nation
• Hereditary syphilis was a big killer for kids under 12 months. it was estimated that 20% of child admissions to the royal Free Hospital had the disease

Question 6

How did prostitution endanger 19th century notions of sexuality that involved the differences between men and women?

Answer 6

• The womens place was in a home and to be a mother.
• The Matrimonial Causes Act om 1857 allowed men to divorce women on the grounds of adultery. However, a woman could not divorce a man on just adultery as it was seen as natural behaviour.