The cd act 1864 was introduced following general concerns within the military regarding the number of hours lost through soldiers. The contagious diseases acts, 1864, 1866, 1868 ireland, 1869. These make us susceptible and vulnerable, and put our immunity at risk. The association for promoting the extension of the contagious diseases acts was established in 1867 to support the contagious diseases acts that were passed by the british parliament in 1864. The ladies national association for the repeal of the contagious diseases acts was established in 1869 by elizabeth wolstenholme and josephine butler in response to the contagious diseases acts that were passed by the british parliament in 1864. The contagious diseases acts cd acts or acts were three parliamentary acts passed in 1864, 1866, and. The contagious diseases acts the contagious diseases acts 20040601 00. The contagious diseases acts sparked a debate which encouraged both men and women to campaign vigorously against their implementation. In response to the growing problem of prostitution the government passed the contagious diseases acts in 1864.
This understanding of the relationship is then used to consider the contagious diseases acts 1864, 1866 and 1869, showing how it shaped the construction of an arena for intervention, the acts. The contagious diseases act of 1864 flashcards in a. The operation of the contagious diseases acts among the troops. The acts imitated regimes that had previously been implemented in countries such as india. The contagious diseases act here by shortened to the cd acts because as important as it isits one hell of a mouthful came about in part due to the rapid rise of prostitution in victorian england. Margaret eleanor menninger the contagious diseases acts were a series of legislation passed by british parliament during the later half of the nineteenthcentury. The contagious diseases acts of 1866 and 1869 flashcards in. The ladies national association for the repeal of the contagious diseases act.
Impact of the contagious diseases acts of 1864 on victorian. Following this, the second version was applied in september of 1866, and. Contagious diseases acts the contagious diseases act was a law passed by parliament in 1864. The specific goal of the acts was to reduce the sexually transmitted diseases that plagued the british army and navy. The rise and fall of nineteenthcentury british prostituion regulation by jenny katherine jarrard texas state universitysan marcos may 2010 supervising professor. The contagious diseases act of 1864 flashcards in a level. This understanding of the relationship is then used to consider the contagious diseases acts 1864, 1866 and 1869, showing how it shaped the construction of an arena for intervention, the acts apparatus, and the conflicts to which the acts were subject. It authorised a system of periodic fortnightly inspection or examination of all known prostitutes to be made compulsory, under a well organised system of medical police. The contagious diseases animate bill was not introduced till 1867, and its title was, very naturally, suggested by that of the contagious diseases acts, of which the two principal ones, 1864, 1866, were already passed and in operation.
Following this, the second version was applied in september of 1866, and then changed again in 1869. Opposition to the contagious diseases acts, 18641886. Prostitution was the fourth largest occupation for working women and it grew along with the boom of the british empire. Ladies national association for the repeal of the contagious. Extended in 1869 to cover other towns across the uk, the act required the imprisonment of those women found to be diseased for up to three later nine months. The cd act 1864 was introduced following general concerns within the military regarding the number of hours lost through soldiers contracting venereal infections from prostitutes. The national library of australias copies direct service lets you purchase higher quality, larger sized photocopies or electronic copies of newspapers pages clicking on the order now button below will open the ordering form in a new window which will allow you to enter the details of your request. Between 1864 and 1869, four laws, known as the contagious diseases acts, were passed by the british parliament in an attempt to reduce venereal disease in. To counter the spread of such diseases it introduced, in 1864, the first of three contagious diseases acts cdas which permitted the compulsory inspection of prostitutes for venereal disease in certain military camps in both england and ireland. Statistics of glasgow lock hospital since its foundation in 1805with remarks on the contagious diseases acts, and on syphilis alexander patterson glasgow med j. Prostitution and the contagious diseases acts history of.
Established in 1869 with only 120 members yet expanded rapidly to 2,000 the presented the following arguments. Extended the regulation to five additional subjected districts and extended the amount of time that women could be kept in hospitals to 9 months. James stansfeld the debatesabouttherepealofthecon tagious. Prostitution and the contagious diseases acts in 19th. It was replaced by acts of 1866 and 1869 giving even more powers to the police, and covering additional districts. The contagious diseases act of 1864 was reformed the first time in 1866. The campaign for the repeal of the contagious diseases acts. A case study of the sexual double standard and the contagious diseases acts in midnineteenth century. In 1862, a committee was established to inquire into venereal disease i. The new contagious disease act of 1866, worked to spread the jurisdiction of this legislation to more naval ports, districts, and army towns and even the civilian populationwith a new goal to regulate prostitution in general. The contagious diseases act of 1866 introduced fortnightly internal examinations of prostitutes in the south of england for venereal disease. Prostitution was the fourth largest occupation for working women and it.
Arguments against the acts the acts were opposed from the start by florence nightingale, who counterbriefed the journalist, harriet martineau who wrote a series of critical articles in 1864 for the daily news. The act legalised prostitution and put the women involved under police and medical control. It authorized police in these subjected districts to arrest women on the streets if they were suspected of being a common prostitute, to register them and ensure that they had a medical examination by. The contagious diseases acts 2004 significance wiley. In the following sections, we will provide you with a list of contagious diseases so that you can be on the lookout for the same and take precautions against them. Race, space and the regulation of prostitution in colonial. These acts served as a shield by which men were protected from contagious diseases, often. Prostitution and the contagious diseases acts in 19th century. However, when military personnel were increasingly struck down by venereal diseases, more regulations were demanded. Association for promoting the extension of the contagious. Contagious diseases animals act, 1884 return to an address of the honourable the house of commons, dated 7 november, 1884, for copy of correspondence with the canadian government relative to the operation of clause 3 of the contagious diseases animals act, 1884. The 1864 law was the first in a series of three similar laws that sought to control prostitution in the country. Contagious diseases animals act, 1884 2002 edition.
Britains antiprostitution law contagious disease act. The acts legalized prostitution and put the women involved under police and medical control. Members of the association for promoting the extension of the contagious. Correspondence the contagious diseases act br med j 1868. Similar contagious diseases acts were passed in 1866 and 1869.
In 1868 the contagious diseases act india extended this to civilian centres. The three euphemistically titled contagious diseases acts 1864, 1866, 1869 were an attempt by the british government to regulate prostitution in the manner of other european countries, such as france. Contagious diseases animals act, 1864 and 1899 sciencedirect. The contagious disease act, initially was passed in 1864 by the parliament of the united kingdom with the goal of preventing venereal diseases within the. Only two years after the original act was made, an extension to the contagious diseases acts passed, thus extending the guidelines of the act to cover the entire british population. Repeal of the contagious diseases acts ladies national association. A case study of the sexual double standard and the contagious diseases acts in midnineteenth century england. However, the first contagious diseases act was adopted, after scarcely any debateit was introduced without warningin 1864. Its foundation in 1805with remarks on the contagious diseases.
Opposition to the contagious diseases acts, 1864 1886 margaret hamilton between 1864 and 1869, four laws, known as the contagious diseases acts, were passed by the british parliament in an attempt to reduce venereal disease in the armed services. The contagious diseases acts reconsidered oxford academic. The administrative structure of the contagious diseases acts of 1864, 1866 and 1869 39 figure 4. The contagious diseases acts 1864, 1866, 1869 were introduced in order to combat the high incidence of sexually transmitted disease in the british army and navy by forcibly registering and examining all prostitutes working within specified garrison towns and cities and naval ports. Subjected districts under the contagious diseases acts23 figure 2. Diseases acts cd acts or acts were three parliamentary acts passed in 1864, 1866, and. List of mentions of the contagious diseases act in parliament in the period 1803 to 2005. Records of the national association for the repeal of the. Britains antiprostitution law contagious disease act 1864. The veterinary journal and annals of comparative pathology. This eventually led to the indian contagious disease acts. The contagious diseases acts of 1866 and 1869 flashcards. The acts were passed in secret, without a debate essentially criminalised prostitution it facilitated the. These acts, which applied to certain military stations, garrison, and seaport towns, gave a police officer authority to arrest any woman found within the specified areas.
Get a printable copy pdf file of the complete article 518k, or click on a page image below to browse page by page. The working of the contagious diseases act, 1866, at st. Standard and the contagious diseases acts in midnineteenth century england. The first page of the pdf of this article appears above. Sagaree jain is an aspiring scholar, poet, organizer, and educator. It widened the scope of the 1864 act so that more military towns were covered. The contagious diseases act was introduced in 1864 policy. Was the 1864 contagious diseases act passed easily, if so, why.
Between 1864 and 1869, four laws, known as the contagious diseases acts, were passed by the british parliament in an attempt to reduce venereal disease in the armed services. Full text full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version. Opposition to the contagious diseases acts, 18641886 albion. The association strongly campaigned for the extension of the contagious diseases acts to be extended outside of. The contagious diseases acts, gentlemen, as you are doubtless all aware, are the expressions of the recommendations of committees of emi nent medical men, appointed to inquire into the amount of venereal disease in the british forces, and to suggest some mode of dealing with it. These acts provided for any woman alleged to be a common prostitute to be ordered to be examined and, if found to be infected, forcibly detained in a lock hospital for up to 9 months.
Opposition to the contagious diseases acts, 18641886 margaret hamilton between 1864 and 1869, four laws, known as the contagious diseases acts, were passed by the british parliament in an attempt to reduce venereal disease in the armed services. The contagious diseases act was first passed in 1864, and extended in 1866 and 1869 before finally being repealed in 1886. The contagious diseases act was introduced in 1864. She graduated with a degree in history and a minor in english from the university of california at berkeley in 2017, where she studied gender, race, postcoloniality and the british empire in south asia. The contagious diseases cd acts of 1864, 1866 and 1869 provided for the compulsory. The result was three successive decrees in 1864, 1866 and 1869 known as the contagious diseases referred to as the cd acts. Law and discipline in nineteenth century english state. Following this, the second version was applied in september of. The contagious diseases acts of 1864, 1866, and 1869 provide a fine political example of the law of unintended circumstances. A paper was read before the royal statistical society on jan. Contagious diseases act the most vital chapter in women.
Jan 07, 2016 the contagious diseases act of 1866 introduced fortnightly internal examinations of prostitutes in the south of england for venereal disease. Not only was sin made official but poor women were badly. Dec 28, 2016 the contagious diseases act here by shortened to the cd acts because as important as it isits one hell of a mouthful came about in part due to the rapid rise of prostitution in victorian england. The contagious diseases act 1864 the contagious diseases act of 1864 applied to specific garrison towns and ports in england and ireland. This brings us to the definition of a common prostitute. What did the third contagious diseases act of 1869 do. The contagious diseases acts and the campaign for their. Medicine, history and the present in reassessing foucault. Statistics of venereal disease infection of men in stations under. These acts, which applied to certain military stations, garrison, and seaport towns. The contagious diseases acts royal statistical society. History the contagious diseases acts 1864, 1866 and 1869. Extended in 1869 to cover other towns across the uk, the act required the imprisonment of those women. The british contagious diseases acts 1864, 1866, and 1869.
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