lock hospital

A patient receives treatment at a lock hospital for a skin condition.

Definition

Noun: A "lock hospital" is a hospital that specializes in the treatment of venereal diseases (sexually transmitted infections).

Usage Examples

• (A specialized medical facility for venereal diseases.)
• (The hospital carried social shame due to its purpose.)

Advanced Usage

• "Lock hospital system": a historical network of such hospitals, often associated with public health policies.
  • The lock hospital system in Victorian England was controversial due to its compulsory detention of patients. (The system required patients to stay against their will.)

Variants and Related Words

• Lock ward (n): a section of a general hospital dedicated to treating venereal diseases.
  • The lock ward was isolated from the main hospital to prevent infection spread. (A separate area for STI treatment.)
• Lock clinic (n): an outpatient clinic for venereal diseases.
  • Patients visited the lock clinic weekly for treatment. (A walk-in facility for STIs.)

Synonyms

• Venereal disease hospital: a hospital focused on STIs.
• STI clinic: a clinic for sexually transmitted infections.
• Pox hospital (historical): a hospital for syphilis (in older British usage).

Related Idioms

• "To be in lock": historical slang for being treated for a venereal disease.
  • He was in lock for six weeks after the infection. (He was hospitalized for STI treatment.)