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[[File:A satire on the refurbishment (or building) of a Lock Hospit Wellcome V0013419.jpg|thumb|Cartoon showing inmates of a lock hospital, 1802. The man at left is undergoing [[paracentesis]] (draining of fluid from the abdomen). In the centre, one patient reads [[handbills]] for [[Quackery|quack medicines]]. At right, a prosperous and smug [[apothecary]] ([[pharmacist]]) rides in a [[Coach (carriage)|coach]] with [[footmen]]; his family motto is ''[[Memento mori]]'', "remember you shall die."]]
A '''lock hospital''' was a hospital that specialized in treating [[venereal disease|sexually transmitted disease]]s. They operated in Britain and its colonies and territories from the 18th century to the 20th.<ref name=Loundes>Frederick W. Loundes, ''Lock Hospitals and Lock Wards in General Hospitals'' (London: J. & A. Churchill,1882), on Internet Archive website, at https://archive.org/stream/lockhospitalsloc00lown/lockhospitalsloc00lown_djvu.txt .</ref> The military had a close association with a number of the hospitals. By the mid 19th century most of the larger army bases in India were home to a lock hospital.<ref name=Dartnell>{{cite journal |author=Dartnell, George R |year=1860 |title=On the prevalence and severity of syphilis in the British army and its prevention |journal=British Medical Journal |volume=1 |issue=174 |pages=317–319.|pmc=2252720 }}</ref> There were more military than civil lock hospitals in India, due to the prevalence of venereal diseases amongst British troops.<ref name="Medical History of British India">{{cite web|last=Sehrawat|first=Samiksha|title=Institutions: Lock hospitals: Measures to halt venereal diseases|url=http://digital.nls.uk/indiapapers/institutions.html|work=Medical History of British India|publisher=National Library of Scotland|accessdate=24 October 2013}}</ref> In 1858 the [[Admiralty]] paid to have one opened in [[Portsmouth]] and in 1863 another in [[Plymouth]].<ref name=stark>{{cite book |title=Female Tars: Women aboard ship in the age of sail |last=Stark |first=Suzanne J. |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1998 |publisher=Pimlico |isbn=0-7126-6660-5 |page=33 }}</ref>
[[File:London Lock Hospital.jpg|thumb|London Lock Hospital, 1831]]
[[File:Plan_of_the_Lock_Hospital%2C_Southwark_Wellcome_M0015151.jpg|thumb|Plan of the lock hospital of [[Southwark]]: it includes a "[[wikt:pledget|pleget]] room," devoted to the changing of [[Dressing (medical)|dressings]].]]
{{for|the Broadside ballad|The Unfortunate Lad}}


A '''lock hospital''' was an establishment that specialised in treating [[venereal disease|sexually transmitted disease]]s. They operated in Britain and its colonies and territories from the 18th century to the 20th.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/stream/lockhospitalsloc00lown/lockhospitalsloc00lown_djvu.txt|title=Lock Hospitals and Lock Wards in General Hospitals|last=Loundes|first=Frederick W.|publisher=J. & A. Churchill|year=1882|location=London}}</ref>
The earliest lock hospitals in India were established around 1797 at [[Behrampur]],{{Which|date=November 2017}} [[Kanpur]], [[Danapur]] and [[Fategarh]].{{which|date=November 2017}} They were usually located with bazaars and surrounded by a mud wall with a doctor and a woman assistant. The local police were in charge of rounding up women who were suspected to be diseased and they could only return home after obtaining a certificate of discharge.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Wald|first=Erica|date=2009-05-05|title=From begums and bibis to abandoned females and idle women|url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/001946460804600102|journal=The Indian Economic & Social History Review|language=en|volume=46|issue=1|pages=5–25|doi=10.1177/001946460804600102}}</ref>


== History ==
The term ''lock hospital'' originates from their use as [[leprosarium]]s, in which the patients were kept in restraints.<ref name=Loundes/>{{rp|3}}
The military had a close association with a number of the hospitals. By the mid-19th century most of the larger army bases in India were home to a lock hospital.<ref name="Dartnell">{{cite journal|last=Dartnell|first=George R.|year=1860|title=On the prevalence and severity of syphilis in the British army and its prevention|journal=British Medical Journal|volume=1|issue=174|pages=317–319|pmc=2252720|doi=10.1136/bmj.s4-1.174.317}}</ref> There were more military than civil lock hospitals in India, due to the prevalence of venereal diseases amongst British troops.<ref name="Medical History of British India">{{cite web |last=Sehrawat |first=Samiksha |title=Institutions: Lock hospitals: Measures to halt venereal diseases |url=http://digital.nls.uk/indiapapers/institutions.html |work=Medical History of British India |publisher=National Library of Scotland |access-date=24 October 2013}}</ref> In 1858 the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] paid to have one opened in [[Portsmouth]] and in 1863 another in [[Plymouth]].<ref name="stark">{{cite book |title=Female Tars: Women aboard ship in the age of sail |last=Stark |first=Suzanne J. |year=1998 |publisher=Pimlico |isbn=978-0-7126-6660-2 |page=33}}</ref>

The earliest lock hospitals in India were established around 1797 at [[Berhampur]], [[Kanpur]], [[Danapur]], and [[Fatehgarh]]. They were usually within bazaars, surrounded by a mud wall and staffed by a doctor and a female nurse. The local police were in charge of rounding up women suspected of being diseased, who could return home only after obtaining a certificate of discharge.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Wald |first=Erica |date=5 May 2009 |title=From begums and bibis to abandoned females and idle women |journal=The Indian Economic & Social History Review |volume=46 |issue=1 |pages=5–25 |doi=10.1177/001946460804600102|s2cid=143874173 }}</ref>

Lock Hospital operated in Hong Kong from 1858 to 1894 to deal with venereal diseases.{{cn|date=September 2023}}

The term "lock hospital" originates from their use as [[leprosarium]]s, after the "locks", or rags, which covered the lepers' lesions.<ref>{{cite web|title=Lock Hospital, Hyde Park Corner|url=http://www.oldlondonmaps.com/viewspages/0334.html|work=Sara Douglass, Old London Maps|year=2006|access-date=2010-02-02}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
*[[London Lock Hospital]]
* [[London Lock Hospital]]
* [[Birmingham and Midland Skin and Urinary Hospital|Birmingham Skin and Lock Hospital]]
*[[Westmoreland Lock Hospital]], Dublin
* [[Westmoreland Lock Hospital]], Dublin
* [[Contagious Diseases Acts]]
* [[Glasgow Lock Hospital]]


==References==
==References==
Line 14: Line 27:
== External links ==
== External links ==
* [http://digital.nls.uk/indiapapers/browse/archive/74905153 Reports on Lock hospitals in India]
* [http://digital.nls.uk/indiapapers/browse/archive/74905153 Reports on Lock hospitals in India]
* [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-19/indigenous-lock-hospitals-onbernier-and-dorre-islands/10634122 Australian news article about Bernier and Dorre Island history]
{{Hospital articles}}


[[Category:Hospitals by medical condition]]

[[Category:Hospitals]]
[[Category:Sexual health]]
[[Category:Sexual health]]
[[Category:History of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:History of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Women's health in the United Kingdom]]

Latest revision as of 13:14, 7 October 2024

Cartoon showing inmates of a lock hospital, 1802. The man at left is undergoing paracentesis (draining of fluid from the abdomen). In the centre, one patient reads handbills for quack medicines. At right, a prosperous and smug apothecary (pharmacist) rides in a coach with footmen; his family motto is Memento mori, "remember you shall die."
London Lock Hospital, 1831
Plan of the lock hospital of Southwark: it includes a "pleget room," devoted to the changing of dressings.

A lock hospital was an establishment that specialised in treating sexually transmitted diseases. They operated in Britain and its colonies and territories from the 18th century to the 20th.[1]

History

[edit]

The military had a close association with a number of the hospitals. By the mid-19th century most of the larger army bases in India were home to a lock hospital.[2] There were more military than civil lock hospitals in India, due to the prevalence of venereal diseases amongst British troops.[3] In 1858 the Admiralty paid to have one opened in Portsmouth and in 1863 another in Plymouth.[4]

The earliest lock hospitals in India were established around 1797 at Berhampur, Kanpur, Danapur, and Fatehgarh. They were usually within bazaars, surrounded by a mud wall and staffed by a doctor and a female nurse. The local police were in charge of rounding up women suspected of being diseased, who could return home only after obtaining a certificate of discharge.[5]

Lock Hospital operated in Hong Kong from 1858 to 1894 to deal with venereal diseases.[citation needed]

The term "lock hospital" originates from their use as leprosariums, after the "locks", or rags, which covered the lepers' lesions.[6]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Loundes, Frederick W. (1882). Lock Hospitals and Lock Wards in General Hospitals. London: J. & A. Churchill.
  2. ^ Dartnell, George R. (1860). "On the prevalence and severity of syphilis in the British army and its prevention". British Medical Journal. 1 (174): 317–319. doi:10.1136/bmj.s4-1.174.317. PMC 2252720.
  3. ^ Sehrawat, Samiksha. "Institutions: Lock hospitals: Measures to halt venereal diseases". Medical History of British India. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  4. ^ Stark, Suzanne J. (1998). Female Tars: Women aboard ship in the age of sail. Pimlico. p. 33. ISBN 978-0-7126-6660-2.
  5. ^ Wald, Erica (5 May 2009). "From begums and bibis to abandoned females and idle women". The Indian Economic & Social History Review. 46 (1): 5–25. doi:10.1177/001946460804600102. S2CID 143874173.
  6. ^ "Lock Hospital, Hyde Park Corner". Sara Douglass, Old London Maps. 2006. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
[edit]