First propagandist to be jailed
The first man in history to go to jail for advocating birth control is Charles Knowlton was born in 1800 in Massachusetts . He was a self-taught skeptic who left New England only for two brief visits to New York State . He published a birth control classic, "Fruits of Philosophy, or the Private Companion of Young Married People" in 1832. The work helped to establish him as the founder of American contraceptive medicine. At the time the value of his work were not noticed. The "Boston Medical and Surgical Journal" primly talked of the "unnatural measures", adding that "the less that is known about it by the public at large, the better it will be for the morals of the community." Three prosecutions were open against Knowlton, one resulting in a fifty dollar fine and costs, another in three months been in a house of correction.
First propagandist in U.K.
Francis Place was born in Drury Lane in 1771. He began the birth control movement in Britain in 1823. After immense early struggles, expressing the ambition that he would retire at forty-five and devote himself to politics, he managed to become a prosperous tradesman. In reformist philosophy on several fronts his commitment to birth control was just only one facet of his deep social and political involvement.
First Family Planning clinic
In 188, in Holland , under the auspices of the Nieuw Malthusiaanschen Bond (the Dutch Malthusian League) was open the first birth control clinic in the world. The League was founded in 1881 was immediately opposed by the medical profession. Two doctors, however, joined the organization in the early days - Dr. de Rooy (1881) and Dr. Aletta Jacobs (1882), the first woman, which became medically qualified in Holland . Dr. Jacobs held a clinic twice a week to give advice on infant welfare to working-class women from 1883. Soon after she became aware of the Mensinga Diaphragm she started to give birth control advice.
First Family Planning clinic in U.K
The first birth control clinic in Britain was opened in Holloway on 17 March 1921 by Marie Stopes and her husband, in order to show by actual example what might be done for mothers and their children with no great difficulty, and what should be done all over the world if once the idea takes root in the public mind that motherhood should be voluntary and guided by the best available scientific knowledge.
The clinic is free for everybody, and is supported entirely by the two founders. Those who have benefited by its help are asked to tell about its existence to others and to help to create a public opinion which will force the Ministry of Health to include a similar service in Ante-Natal and Welfare Centres already supported by the Government in every district.
First F.P. Association in U.K.
In 1930 on a voluntary basis was founded The British Family Planning Association. Already similar organizations were created in some other countries.
First F.P. Association in U.S.
The first American Family Planning Association was created in 1917, in spite of the lingering influence of Comstock, hostile contraceptive legislation in many states, etc.
First F.P. Association in South Africa
South Africa , probably not the most liberal of countries managed to get a Family Planning Association. It was started in 1932. Today a variety of family planning services are provided by the government.
First F.P. Association in Australia
In 1926, four years before the creation of a similar body in the UK , was started The Australian Family Planning Association. The Australian organisation was on a voluntary basis, as with other FPAs.
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Birth control
