[Legislation on venereal disease. Lex Veneris 1919-1945]

This paper shows how Lex Veneris was structured around a consensual agreement between the GP, the patient and the authorities involved. Responsibility for this legislation was shared by the National Board of Medicine, the Contagious Diseases Officer and the country's local GPs. Most cases caused no problems, with the patient consenting to provide information concerning their partner and agreeing to follow the recommended medical treatment. Nevertheless, the paper could also conclude that the legislation was put into practice with a certain degree of arbitrariness. This arbitrariness clearly created voids where certain patients did not fit in, such as patients who did not understand the importance of complying with the instructions given by their GP or simply did not want to. These patients were then followed up. Moreover, a larger proportion of women reported as sources of infection or medical treatment dissenters in Stockholm were taken in for examination and compulsory medical care. A smaller proportion of the men were subjected to compulsory medical examination and care. The paper also looked at those who failed to comply with doctors' orders. Who ignored the GPs and decided to choose for themselves? The qualitative material stored with the Lex Veneris ledgers in the Swedish archives provides a wide-ranging picture. This paper has used some of this information to shed light on how the legislation was put into practice. The qualitative material reveals the most about the cases in which the police and local health boards were involved in trying to bring dissenters back into medical care. The police searched for numerous young men and women. Families, former lovers and employers were often questioned in order to find the recalcitrant. This work was given high priority status by the police and was painstakingly carried out, with the police locating most patients within a couple of days. It is obvious that Swedish society tried hard and committed itself to rooting out these diseases. Extensive, costly legislation was put into place in 1919 and remained unchanged until 1966. Swedish physicians stood by the idea that compulsory contact tracing and mandatory medical treatment was the way to get to grips with venereal diseases. Lex Veneris was part and parcel of the creation of a social citizenship. This citizenship came at a high price for those who chose or happened to find themselves on the on the wrong side of the law.