Glasgow Lock Hospital


The Lock Hospital for Women was a hospital in Glasgow for women suffering from venereal disease.

Background

The Glasgow lock hospital was established in 1805 at Rottenrow Lane. It moved to 41 Rottenrow in 1845.
The origin of the term 'lock' may be in the French word 'loques', meaning rags and bandages, or from 'loke' a house for lepers. Originally, the patients included women, usually those working as Prostitutes, and even children who had been infected with syphilis. The hospital depended on funding from subscribers in cash or in kind, which in 1829 included stationery, vinegar and coal. The annual report from 1814 listed a remarkable 450 subscribers.

People associated with Glasgow Lock Hospital