In 1895, Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs launched preparations for convening a Russia-wide congress for combatting syphilis. Tartu’s municipal physician Dr. Christian Johann Ströhmberg wrote a speech for the congress where he presented his vision of how to combat syphilis. At the same time, he provided an overview of the situation in Tartu regarding prostitution.

The official figures on the spread of syphilis in the latter half of the 19th century indicate strong growth in Tartu as well as throughout the Russian Empire. A breakthrough came in the pharmaceutical industry only after Dr. Ströhmberg’s death, a little before the First World War. The high point of the spread of syphilis in Tartu coincides with Ströhmberg’s arrival as municipal physician. This publication was also written at the same time.

Similarly to many other European countries, a procedure was established in Russia where prostitution was allowed under medical-police supervision, observing cleanliness requirements, and not violating public order. In return for their passports, prostitutes were given a medical card where notations of medical examinations were entered. Prostitutes had to obtain permits from the police in order to travel. Girls younger than 16 years old were not permitted to work in brothels (the age limit was later raised). Brothel prostitutes accounted for about one fifth of all known public women. The remainder were either individual prostitutes or covert prostitutes.

The Medical-Police Committee headed the supervision of prostitution. In Tartu, the chief of police and the municipal physician belonged to this committee. A police officer, whose task it was to fight covert prostitution, was at the disposal of the chief of police. Women who were under supervision had the right to receive free medical care, but this was actually employed only for individual prostitutes of peasant origin in the Governorate of Livland. Medical bills were steep since prostitutes were kept in hospital for rather long periods of time due to the justified fear that they would otherwise continue their ‘professional work’ and immediately set about spreading the disease.

Dr. Christian Johann Ströhmberg was born in Viljandi in 1851 and he served as Tartu’s municipal physician from 1895 until his death in 1907. A separate clinic for women suffering from venereal disease was opened under his leadership on Puiestee Street together with a reception centre. Conditions improved considerably compared to the previous hospital, and the procedure for medical examinations established by Ströhmberg remained in effect for decades. Since the university’s part in the fight against venereal diseases remained modest and the number of prostitutes was large, dealing with infected hookers occupied a large proportion of the municipal physician’s working hours. When preparations began at the assembly of Livland’s physicians in 1895 for the Russia-wide congress for combatting syphilis, Ströhmberg was engaged in drawing up the brochure for providing an overview of the situation. He played quite an important role, if not the leading role, in writing the text. The brochure Zur bekämpfung der Lues was published in 1896 in St. Petersburg as an appendix of the periodical St. Petersburger medicinische Wochenschrift. The publication under consideration was also completed in the course of this work. It is not as general as the brochure and paints an interesting picture of the situation in Tartu. Ströhmberg also published the book Die Prostitution in 1899.

After Dr. Ströhmberg’s death, Dr. August Lezius, the former Tartu Prison physician, took over his job and worked in that position until 1918. Lezius’ zeal in the fight against venereal diseases was more restrained and this could have been one reason why clandestine prostitution once again gained the upper hand in the city. Clandestine prostitution had spread during the periods of service of every municipal physician. Ströhmberg even estimated that most actual hookers were not registered by the police.