The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-27
THE SOCIAL EVIL.

To THE EDITOR OF TIE HERALD
In opening the discussion upon one of the
greatest of social evils that of prostitution, y
and the amel'oration Of the evils flowing there
from, it seems to be forgotten that there are two
views to be taken Of it. 1t is unnecessary to take
up space by appeals from physical facts to moral
excitants. IL is therefore unnecessary to appeal
to the imagination of the readers by any such
expressions as "soul-killing professions" or by
slurring at the "class of physicians who will &C.
cept such positions'-vz., that Of enforcers of
the law. 1t is sufficient to recognize the fact
that the business is ubiquitous acknowledged by
everybody, even by the poor unfortunates en-
gagged in it. 1t is also fact that no medical men
are too good to attend to gambler pickpocket,
murderer or prostitute il their fee is assured
In fact the hospitals of the world are filed with
the lowest classes of the community and attended
professionally by men OF the highest mental and
moral worth.
During the late war We were taught that dis
ease and wounds had no party, and
whether Union or rebel tho sufferer had
like claim on our humanity. If DR.. White, who
recently wrote this subject, wonld refuse to at
tend poor miserable prostitute, pity him from
the bottom ofmy soul. He certainly is not fol-
lower of the Great Physician Of bodies and souls
who asked not first when he healed the sick with
what class of maladies they were afflicted
1t is begging the question to say that the object
of the governmental restrictions laid upon prosti-
tuition in France and England is solely o military
precaution and necessity. 1t is no more true than
that the law compels every child to be vaccinated
in order to keep the army in a state of efIec-
tiveness. The truth is as old as Rome, when
Cicero said Ne respu6ljeG qNidquan, det,i,aeJ,4
cdperet'-lest the nation shall receive any ill.,
jury.
An emperor or king is the father of his people:
as such he is constantly anxious to avert any
danger from Them What greater danger can
occur than IN ever present disease which can for
ever affect not only the person coming in contact
with it by culpable design or in the innocence of
accident, but tho effects of which can descend to
the remoiest generation as o family faint and an
ineilaceable plague
The population Of Paris is over million, the
military force alleged by the writer to be but
10000 How absurd to say this law, with its
costly carrying out, is for these SO 600, and the
remaining 100000 are utterly disregardcd.
1t IS not true that the "men themse YES are most
rigidly examined from time to time" The recruit
is rigidly examined to see if he is physically eff
cient if so, he is admitted into the army. After
that, he is never examined, unless an examination
is made requisite by disease.
Dr. White says:--"Al laws that have thus far
been created, including the ordinance passed by
the City Council of st. Louis are one-sided and
unfair. Contagious diseases arc indiscrminately
conveyed from one sex to the other, and any act
that provides for the examination of one sex,
while the other is left perfectly free, must prove
practically worthless"
The absurdity of this remark is 80 great that It
need scarcely to be pointed out. One party are
the venders collected together and in q manner
advertised rs such. They are as much open
to legal restrictions as butcher (who shalt
not sell improper meats) or an apoth-
ccary (who is placed under restrictions
correct weights and measures The customer is
not examined TO see whether his bottle or tin pot
holds a prescribed quantity. or whether he is or