IX. DISINFECTION. The terms infectious and contagious (catching) applied to a disease signify that it is communicable from the sick to the healthy. The following are the principal infectious diseases :— Eruptive fevers-measles, small-pox, and scarlet fever. Continued fevers-typhus, typhoid, relapsing, and yellow fevers. Diphtheria, erysipleas, whooping-cough, and cholera. RULES FOR DISINFECTING AN UNOCCUPIED ROOM. 1. Close every door and window, and stop up every opening or crevice with old rags or tow. 2. Fumigate by any of the following methods: (1.) By CHLORINE.-Place a few saucers in different parts of the room, containing a mixture of one part of common salt, one part of black oxide of manganese, and two parts of oil of vitriol. (2.) By IODINE.-Place two drachms of iodine in a metal cup or vessel, and place a lamp or burning candle underneath it till it evaporates. (3.) By SULPHUROUS ACID.-Burn sulphur in saucers. (4.) By NITROUS ACID FUMES.-Place several cups into saucers or basins containing hot water, and inside the cups put two ounces of nitrate of potash and one ounce of sulphuric acid. (5.) By CARBOLIC ACID.-Place some pure carbolic acid in shallow vessels around the room. 3. Furniture and floors to be well washed or scrubbed with a solution of chloride of lime; the latter may be sprinkled with the powdered chloride of lime or Dougall's powder. 4. Papers should be stripped from the walls, and the walls and ceilings to be whitewashed, THE CRIMINAL LAW AMENDMENT ACT, 1885, (48 & 49 VICT. c. 69.) This Act, which repeals the Offences Against the Person Act, 1875 (38 & 39 Vict. c. 94), has for its object the protection of girls and women (Part I.) and the suppression of brothels (Part II.). PART I. Broadly speaking, girls may be said to be divided by this Act into four classes, (1) those under the age of 13, (2) those under the age of 16, (3) those under the age of 18, and (4) those above that age. 1. Carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 13 is by section 4 inade a felony, and the attempt a misdemeanor. By section 6, any person being the owner or occupier of premises, or acting or assisting in the control or management thereof, who induces or permits a girl under the age of 13 to resort to or be upon such premises for immoral purposes is guilty of felony. 2. The carnal knowledge, or attempt to have carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 16 is a misdemeanor, but the prosecution must be commenced within three months of the commission of the offence (section 5). Any owner or occupier of premises inducing or permitting a girl under the age of 16 to be thereon for an immoral purpose is guilty of a misdemeanor (section 6). Where it is proved that the seduction or prostitution of a girl under the age of 16 has been encouraged by any of her lawful guardians, the court may remove her from such guardianship, and appoint her guardian until she attains the age of 21 (section 12). 3. The abduction, against the will of her guardian, &c., of an unmarried girl under the age of 18, with the intent that she should be carnally known is a misdemeanor (section 7). The detention of a girl under the age of 18, either against her will or against the will of her parents or guardians for an immoral purpose a misdemeanor (sections 8 and 9). 4. The unlawful detention of any woman or girl above the age of 18 years against her will for an immoral purpose is a misdemeanor (sections 8 and 9). The procuring or attempting to procure any girl or woman for immoral purposes is a misdemeanor (sections 1 and 2). The application or administering of any drug to any girl or woman with the intent to stupefy her for an immoral purpose is a misdemeanor (section 2). The carnal knowledge or attempt to have carnal knowledge of any imbecile girl or woman is a misdemeanor, provided that the offender was aware of her state of mind (section 5, sub-sect. 2). A man personating a married woman's husband, &c., thus inducing her to have connexion with him, is guilty of a misdemeanor (section 4). In case of offences created by this Act against girls under the ages of 16 and 18, it is a sufficient defence to show that the person charged had reasonable cause to believe that the girl was of or above the age of 16 or 18 respectively. Unlawful detention is explained by section 8 to include cases where the clothing of any woman or girl is withheld or where she is threatened with legal proceedings if she carries away any clothing which has been supplied her. The same section forbids any legal proceedings being taken against any woman or girl for taking away such clothing as was necessary to enable her to leave any premises where she was detained for immoral purposes. Section 10 gives power to any justice of the peace on information sworn by any person acting bona fide in the interest of any woman or girl that there is reasonable cause to suspect that she is unlawfully detained by any person for an immoral purpose in any place in his jurisdiction to issue a search warrant addressed to some police officer, who may be accompanied by the person swearing the information, and who may enter (by force if necessary) any place specified in the warrant and remove the woman or girl, and bring her before the justice of the peace. The Act also contains some important provisions with regard to evidence: No person shall be convicted of offences created by sections 2, 3, or 4 of the Act (i.e., of procuring or attempting to procure defilement of any woman or girl, of administering stupefying drugs, &c., or of carnally knowing or attempting to carnally know a girl under the age of 13), on the evidence of one witness only, unless corroborated by some other material evidence implicating the accused. Upon the hearing of a charge under section 4 (offence against a girl of 13), where any child of tender years is tendered as a witness who does not understand the nature of an oath, her evidence is nevertheless admissible if she understands the duty of speaking the truth. Such a witness is liable to indictment for perjury just as if an oath had been administered. By the 20th section, any person charged with an offence under this Act, or under sections 48, 52, 53, 54, and 55 of 24 & 25 Vict. c. 100, and the husband or wife of such person is a competent but not compellable witness. Section 9 gives power to a jury on an indictment for rape to convict of certain misdemeanors or of an indecent assault. By section 11, any male committing or procuring, or attempting to procure the commission by any male of an act of gross indecency with another male is guilty of a misdemeanor. Indictments under this Act are not triable at quarter sessions (section 17). PART II. Section 13 provides for summary proceedings against keepers or managers of brothels, or landlords or occupiers, or their agents, who permit their premises to be used as brothels. CRIMINAL LAW AMENDMENT ACT, 1885. (48 & 49 VICT. c. 69.) An Act to make further Provision for the Protection of Women and Girls, the Suppression of Brothels, and other purposes. [14th August, 1885.] BE it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: Section 1.-This Act may be cited as the Criminal Law Short title. Amendment Act, 1885. PART I. PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND GIRLS. Section 2.-Any person who- (3.) Procures or attempts to procure any woman or girl to (4.) Procures or attempts to procure any woman or girl to leave her usual place of abode in the United Kingdom (such place not being a brothel), with intent that she may, for the purposes of prostitution, become an inmate of a brothel within or without the Queen's dominions, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and being convicted thereof shall be liable, at the discretion of the court, to be imprisoned for any term not exceeding two years, with or without hard labour. Provided that no person shall be convicted of any offence under this section upon the evidence of one witness, unless such witness be corroborated in some material particular by evidence implicating the accused. Procuration. |