ESSAYS IN MEDICAL SOCIOLOGY ESSAYS IN MEDICAL SOCIOLOGY BY ELIZABETH BLACKWELL, M.D. _VOLUME I._ LONDON ERNEST BELL, YORK STREET COVENT GARDEN 1902 PREFACE. At the request of friends I have willingly consented to the republication of my writings of past years in a uniform edition. Truth never grows old, though re-adaptation to different phases of life may be necessary. I shall rejoice if anything I have written in the past may prove helpful to the younger generation of workers, with whom I am in hearty sympathy. ELIZABETH BLACKWELL, M.D. HASTINGS, _May, 1902_. CONTENTS OF VOL. I. ESSAY PAGE I. THE HUMAN ELEMENT IN SEX 1 II. MEDICAL RESPONSIBILITY IN RELATION TO THE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACTS 83 III. RESCUE WORK IN RELATION TO PROSTITUTION AND DISEASE 113 IV. PURCHASE OF WOMEN: THE GREAT ECONOMIC BLUNDER 133 V. THE MORAL EDUCATION OF THE YOUNG IN RELATION TO SEX 175 THE HUMAN ELEMENT IN SEX CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION 3 CHAPTER I THE DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER OF HUMAN SEX 9 CHAPTER II EQUIVALENT FUNCTIONS IN THE MALE AND FEMALE 18 CHAPTER III ON THE ABUSES OF SEX--I. MASTURBATION 34 CHAPTER IV ON THE ABUSES OF SEX--II. FORNICATION 44 CHAPTER V THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE IDEA OF CHASTITY 60 CHAPTER VI MEDICAL GUIDANCE IN LEGISLATION 70 APPENDIX I 75 APPENDIX II 79 INTRODUCTION This work is written from the standpoint of the Christian physiologist.