Human Physiology. ?j 



of syphilitic origin ; that no disease is so terrible, or so general 

 throughout all classes of society, but especially terrible in its 

 results to innocent women and children. 



Sir Trios. Watson, F.R.S., declares that this disease "counts 

 its victims not only among the vicious and self-indulgent, but 

 among virtuous women and innocent children, by hundreds of 

 thousands." 



Dr. Balfour, in his Medical, Sanitary, and Statistical Report 

 of the Army Medical Department for 1860, says : " More 

 than one-third of all the admissions into hospitals have been 

 on account of venereal diseases (369 periooo) and the average 

 number constantly in hospital is equal to 23.69 per 1000 of 

 strength. The inefficiency is constantly equal to about 2^- 

 regiments. It may be doubted whether army or navy suffer 

 worse than the same numbers in -towns of the civil population." 



I have put these statements, taken from the testimony of 

 medical men of the highest ranks, into the most compact, and, 

 I trust, unobjectionable form ; and, were it possible, I would 

 gladly have omitted it altogether. The origin of this fearful 

 disease is unknown ; but there is no doubt that it is kept up 

 and spread by prostitution, and aggravated by the filth, intem- 

 perance, and general bad habits of the lower order of public 

 women. In the rural districts there are many illegitimate chil- 

 dren, but comparatively little of contagious disease. But all 

 the large towns, and especially the large seaports, where pros- 

 titution abounds, are the centres of this destructive pestilence 

 which affects successive generations. It is evident that, if 

 by any means this disease could be effectually stamped out,, 

 there would be a diminution to the extent of one-third, perhaps 

 one-half, of preventible diseases and premature mortality. 



Marriage might be supposed to be a safeguard. To a large 

 extent, no doubt it is; but the evidence before the Select Com- 

 mittee of the House of Lords shows that great numbers of 

 married men, married women, and children are affected. All 



