William W. Sanger's study begins by asserting that prostitution is coeval with human society and impossible to eradicate through moral preaching, religious anathemas, or penal legislation. Drawing on an official report prepared for the New York Alms-House Governors, the author investigates the roots of the trade, demonstrating that it springs from natural human impulses, economic oppression, and the destitution of female labor.
The volume spans a vast historical landscape, detailing the existence and regulation of prostitution among the Jews, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. In ancient Greece, courtesans occupied a prominent and intellectual position in society, whereas in Rome the trade was branded with infamy and subject to strict registration by the ædiles. The narrative proceeds through the Middle Ages, tracing the rise of licensed brothels in southern France, the evolution of sumptuary laws, and the complex relationship between the Church, the State, and public morals.
A central focus of the work is the terrible ravage of venereal diseases, particularly syphilis, which swept through Europe after the close of the fifteenth century. Sanger reviews the historical reluctance of the medical faculty to treat these maladies, the wretched condition of early hospital wards, and the emergence of sanitary regulations aimed at checking infection. The historical survey extends to contemporary Europe, examining the systems of toleration and police surveillance practiced in continental cities like Paris and Hamburg.
The final portions of the work focus on New York City, presenting an exhaustive statistical census gathered with the aid of the police department. Sanger analyzes the ages, nativity, education, and early history of the unfortunate women, demonstrating that inadequate compensation for female labor and domestic destitution are among the primary causes of their fall. The author documents the enormous financial cost of prostitution, its intimate connection with criminal retreats, and the heavy burden it imposes on taxpayers for judicial and medical expenses.
Sanger concludes that prohibitory laws are worse than useless because they drive the vice into secrecy and aggravate the spread of disease. He advocates for a system of compulsory medical and police surveillance, separating hospital care from punitive institutions, to mitigate the physical and social dangers of the trade. The work closes with an earnest appeal for true benevolence and practical remedial measures, arguing that while the vice cannot be suppressed, its most injurious effects can be encountered and controlled through public intelligence and sanitary regulation.
