History of Prostitution – Its Extent, Causes and Effects Throughout the World

Burgundy marbled hardbound boards with pale blue text on the spine. The spine and boards show edge wear with some wear and bumping to the corners. Front and rear boards have rubbing blemishes. The spine is heavily sun faded and has two tears at the top of the back strip and a piece missing from the bottom. The spine is straight and firmly attached to the endpapers with no cracking. The text block is firm but is of a low-grade paper that shows age tanning throughout with darkening at the page edges. Text block is firm and all pages are attached. The interior pages are in excellent condition with no chips, tears, or previous owner markings.

First published in 1858 the topic begins with the history of the Jews and then moves around the world – Egypt, Syria and Asia Minor, Greece, Rome, Early Christian Era, France (History to Present), Italy, Spain Portugal, Algeria, Belgium, Hamburg, Prussia, Leipzig, Denmark, Switzerland, Russia, Sweden & Norway, Great Britain (History to Present), Mexico, Central and South America, North American Indians, Barbarous Nations, Semi-Civilized Nations, ending with the last six chapters and 225 pages solely focused on New York city. Includes tables, charts, "numerous editorial notes and an appendix".

William Wallace Sanger (1819 - 1872) was a New York City physician who wrote a "groundbreaking" study of prostitution. He began the study of medicine at Wheeling, Virginia (now part of West Virginia) in 1842, but soon afterward moved to New York City, and graduated from the New York College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1846. He was then appointed assistant at Bellevue Hospital, and subsequently was the first resident physician at Blackwell's Island. He resigned and visited Europe, but in 1853 was reappointed. During his second seven years' tenure of the office of resident physician, he was asked by the New York City alderman to look into the motives of prostitutes. He oversaw police interviews of 2000 women at Blackwell's Island. The results of his study "he embodied in a work characterized by laborious research and comprehensive classification of the facts that he obtained," entitled the History of Prostitution. In 1860, Sanger resigned and devoted the remainder of his life to private practice.