The London Lock Hospital, the first voluntary hospital specialising in the treatment of venereal diseases, opened.

The London Lock Hospital was the first voluntary hospital for venereal disease. It was also the most famous and first of the Lock Hospitals which were developed for the treatment of syphilis following the end of the use of lazar hospitals, as leprosy declined. The hospital later developed maternity and gynaecology services before being incorporated into the National Health Service in 1948 and closing in 1952.

A voluntary hospital is a non-profit private hospital. They can be distinguished from for-profit private hospitals, and municipal or public hospitals, which are publicly owned. Created from the eighteenth century onwards in England, hospitals using this model were established later in America, Ireland, and Australia. They were initially financed by public subscription, philanthropy and fundraising, but in some cases voluntary hospitals now accept varying degrees of state funding for their activities. A voluntary hospital may also be a charitable hospital.

A sexually transmitted infection (STI), also referred to as a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and the older term venereal disease (VD), is an infection that is spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex, oral sex, or sometimes manual sex. STIs often do not initially cause symptoms, which results in a risk of transmitting them to others. The term sexually transmitted infection is generally preferred over sexually transmitted disease or venereal disease, as it includes cases with no symptomatic disease. Symptoms and signs of STIs may include vaginal discharge, penile discharge, ulcers on or around the genitals, and pelvic pain. Some STIs can cause infertility.