The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-04-30 00:00:00

THE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT
AND THE CIVIL POPULATION.

A crowded meeting was held on Friday evening, in last
week, at the Plymouth Mechanics' Institute to hear an
address from the Rev. Dr. Wile, a Wesleyan minister, upon
the origin and working of the Coitsgtons Diseases Act The
meeting was open to all adult male inhabitants of the three
towns, but "ladies were not expected, and children not
admitted." The Rev. U. A. Drums occupied the chair.

The Rev. Dr. Rule gave a hit-t try of the Act, and
contended that there wan no necessity for it. By the
operation of the meaeure the liberties of England were
outraged; the sanctity of women and the manhood of
man were actually trampled upon. If it wan extended
to the Livil population no one could nay what the cost
would he. . . .

.......
The Rey. Dr. Stock had come to the conclusion that
the Act was wise, righteous, and desirable. It was
said that they did wrong if they attempted to remove
the penalty attached to sin. Well, according to the
Bible, all disease was attributable to sin, so tnat that
argument would lead them to disregard medical aid
altogether. But they slid not do that even in the case
where the disease was directly traceableto the evil habits
of the individual. They treated a man under delis ions
tremens. though it had been brought on by drink. But
his chief consideration was for the temporal and eternal
welfare of the women themselves, who were taken down
to a premature grave. Then they should recollect, also,
whets] ire ravages were committed upon the innocent , how
virtuous wives were contaminated, and how innocent
children were doomed to drag out a rni,ierable existence.
( Applause and confusion.) 'Hutt the Act had worked well
in the three towns he could assert, having been from the
first associated with the management if the hospital;
and a very large percentageof the poor women who had
pissed through that institution hal been reclaimed.
He had never heard from first to last on the part of any
one a single complaint. The rev, gentleman repu-
diated the idea that the Act increased sin, It young
men were only restrained from evil by the fear of
physical consequences, from a moral point of view
their abstention was not worth much ; but he slid not
believe that in these cases pe iple were restrained by
any such considerations. Cunt WWII prevailed during
great part if Dr. Stock's speech.
Mr. Balk will did not say the Act was perfect, but
he believed its principle was tight, and that they
should endeavour to remedy its detects. They could
not put down vice by legislation; and when people
talked about taking away these women's liberty, it
should be, remembered that they removed them also
frost fearful sins and temptations.
Mr. Woollcombe trusted that those who had known
him for many years would give him credit for stating
to them that which was simply the truth, and hal come
under his own daily observation for between four and
five yeate. Hs believed, and be uuhesi iatinely declared
I it, that although the Contagious Diseases Act was not
perfect, yet it was a step in the right direction, and was
calculated to bestow the greatest blessings upon this
count.y. He took the fullest and widest responsibility
of those words. It had been said by a gentleman on the
platform that it had not been successful in A medical
point of view. 'That he entirely denied. Men who
. stood boldly forward to support the Act were entitled