'Social disease'

[Sgt_Hazell_Great_Grandson]

Nitric acid was used to treat " ulcer of penis "

Ouch !

Bet they made it painful treatment to make the soldier think next time !

[Sue Light]

Bet they made it painful treatment to make the soldier think next time !

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It may be worth reflecting on the fact that however unpleasant the diagnosis and treatment, sexually transmitted diseases would still bring that blessed relief from the privations of the trenches. In her book ‘Dismembering the Male,’ Joanna Bourke gives the most vivid account of the horrific lengths to which men would go to cause, or feign illness. The full chapter is well worth reading, but this is just a relevant extract [and very mild in comparison with the rest]:

‘…Men bruised their penises. They deliberately sought out prostitutes infected with venereal disease or, if these exertions came to naught, they faked venereal discharge by injecting condensed milk into the urethra…’

All this, of course, better than death.

Sue

[robbie]

It may be worth reflecting on the fact that however unpleasant the diagnosis and treatment, sexually transmitted diseases would still bring that blessed relief from the privations of the trenches.  In her book ‘Dismembering the Male,’ Joanna Bourke gives the most vivid account of the horrific lengths to which men would go to cause, or feign illness.  The full chapter is well worth reading, but this is just a relevant extract [and very mild in comparison with the rest]:

‘…Men bruised their penises.  They deliberately sought out prostitutes infected with venereal disease or, if these exertions came to naught, they faked venereal discharge by injecting condensed milk into the urethra…’

All this, of course, better than death.

Sue

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sue I also have this book. It's all true.

Robbie

[Moonraker]

Am away from home for a few days and on my return shall be busy catching up but I have some gen on this from my (usual) Wiltshire perspective. VD and meningitis were the most common ailments affecting the 30,000 men of the First Canadian Contingent on Salisbury Plain in the winter of 1914-15. It was said that the worst affected were long-established Canadians who had to resort to commercial ladies, whereas recent immigrants from the UK were able to return to their original homes and quench their ardour with old acquaintances.There were several "dermatological" military hospitals in Wiltshire, with one at Chisledon being pointed out to local children as the "Bad Boys' Camp". The military authorities were extremely unsympathetic to soldiers who contracted VD.

[Guest Galatea]

Not my fault. I must 'ave picked it up from the toilet seat.

Robbie 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I tried that one once but the sick bay tiffie was less than sympathetic. He told me I must have been eating the seat cos the infection was in me mouth.

More seriously though, in the dim recesses of the memory bank, Salversan was developed by May & Baker. The breakthrough was a by-product of the development of synthetic dyes such as 'Mauveen'. This was the first purple dye. I seem to remember it was Paul Ehrlich that was responsible for the invention. Have to dig out the old bio-chemistry notes.

Davie.

[Marco]

You ask a question about a soldier's career and 27 posts later you end up with bruised penises Ain't this forum great or what!?

I’ll reveal in a latter stage who we are discussing (thinking about a piece for my website myself), I’ll bet many of you have a photo of his grave in your possession.

Regards,

Marco

[KF Kelly]

Salvarsan was one of the first 'magic bullets' and was originally known as compound 606. Ehrlich tried 605 before he found one which worked. It was thought to be a cure for syphilis but relapse often occurred. Treatment was apparently long and painful which may account for the time out of the line for the soldier mentioned earlier.

KF Kelly

[Marco]

Thanks to all who replied and to those who gave the questions a thought.

Regards,

Marco

[Moonraker]

Further to my short reply above, I've just returned home and have found several pages in Romy AWyeth's "Warriors for the Working Day" about Codford, Wiltshire, in two world wars. She writes that policy dictated that the VD section for New Zealanders was regarded as a detention hospital surrounded by barbed wire and patrolled by armed guards. She describes various treatments of the time, though it isn't clear which were used by the military. Of 1,138 men admitted in the first half of 1917, 233 had contracted the disease in France. Of the 905 men who had caught it in England half traced the source to London. Later orders were issued that no VD cases were to be evacuated from France to England, Australia or New Zealand; instead they would be treated in France. There was an army regulation creating an offence if a woman infected a soldier, with a penalty for her of up to 6 months in prison.

There's a local story at Codford that Australian soldiers killed a prostitute who had infected them and dumped her body in a well.

David Bailey in "The Story of Chiseldon Camp" says that sufferers had their pay stopped during treatment, with further stoppages later being introduced to cover the cost of treatment, after which men would often leave hospital in debt to the paymaster. During WWI each barrack had its "Early Treatment" Centre or Room, apparently still in use until well after WWII

In 1917 the Army Council decree that any man serving in France who caught VD would forefeit 12 months' leave.

David Bailey records that the treatment for syphilis was known as "606" and was an arsenic solution injected in the arm. It was meant to be given over six weeks, but late in the war this was reduced to three weeks, resulting in a number of deaths, recorded as "severe dermatitis or "severe cerebral symptoms". Late in WWI the VD hospital at Chisledon had 1,106 beds.

(Pedant's note: Chisledon was the more usual spelling during WWI, after which Chiseldon became more popular.)

[Simon Furnell]

From what i remember reading,during the first world war,STD's were treated as a self inflicted wound(bet a bullet in the foot heals quicker than Syphillis!!),and men were treated accordingly.

They were not very popular during WW2,military wise,either,but at least the cure was a lot quicker,and not as painfull.

Ouch!!

All the best.

Simon.

[Guest BillC]

Marco,

I have only just joined the forum, hence a delayed reply!

In answer to part of your original question, fines were and are commonly levied for a variety of offences. Assuming that things hadn't changed until my service time in the eighties and nineties, 15 days pay was a significant fine not just in terms of money but also in terms of how it remained on your record.

Anything over 14 days pay constituted a 'regimental entry' and basically remained on your record for ever and a day. Punishments of less than 14 days pay were only recorded at unit level. Having a regimental entry on your record meant amongst other things that you could not qualify for a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and that on discharge your service could not be graded as 'exemplary'.

I hope this adds to the picture.

Bill

[Milner]

Here's an extract from an Aussie medical record which records treatment as one day in hospital

regards

Phil

[Patrick H]

I remember reading a humourous account of VD inspection, but can't remember where.

Cheers

Kim

where would such an inspection usually take place

[zooloo]

Marco,

I have only just joined the forum, hence a delayed reply!

In answer to part of your original question, fines were and are commonly levied for a variety of offences. Assuming that things hadn't changed until my service time in the eighties and nineties, 15 days pay was a significant fine not just in terms of money but also in terms of how it remained on your record.

Anything over 14 days pay constituted a 'regimental entry' and basically remained on your record for ever and a day. Punishments of less than 14 days pay were only recorded at unit level. Having a regimental entry on your record meant amongst other things that you could not qualify for a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and that on discharge your service could not be graded as 'exemplary'.

I hope this adds to the picture.

Bill

Nice one.

I can see how the one day over the 14 can be used to 'punish' more.

BTW Hello, welcome to the forum - it is a rather good one.

zoo

[John_Hartley]

I’ll reveal in a latter stage who we are discussing (thinking about a piece for my website myself), I’ll bet many of you have a photo of his grave in your possession.

So, Marco, are we still waiting for a "later stage" or will you reveal all?

John

[Marco]

Thanks for the reply Bill.

To tell you the truth John, I had forgotten all about this. Most likely due to other commitments and lack of material.

(Since the record is publicly available) the person concerned is famous for his epitaph:

Gunner C.D. Moore, Canadian anti-aircraft Bty.

died 19th September 1917, age 30

Petite Vimy British Cemetery

"He would give his dinner

to a hungry dog

and go without himself"

[mcassidy]

To revive this topic for a moment, I've just been reading an Australian army service record.

The medical page is hard to read, but unless I'm very much mistaken, it says "Had gon. in 1918. Where contracted: London. From: Amateur."

[marina]

[Mike Cross]

Some soldiers were warned, in very clear terms, of the dangers. This leaflet 'with the compliments of the Special Committe on Venereal Disease' was issued by the Liverpool Medical Institution.

MC