William Acton (doctor)

William Acton (1813–1875) was a distinguished British medical doctor and book author, best known for his works on the subjects of human sexuality and prostitution.

Pronunciation

• William: /ˈwɪl.i.əm/
• Acton: /ˈæk.tən/

Etymology

The name William is of Old German origin, meaning "resolute protector". Acton is an English surname, derived from the Old English words "ac" (oak) and "tun" (town).

Biography

William Acton was born in 1813. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, one of the leading medical schools in the United Kingdom. After completing his studies, he moved to Paris, where he further specialized in urology and venereology.

In 1846, Acton started his own practice in London, focusing on the treatment of sexual disorders. He gained recognition for his progressive views on women's health and sexuality, which were considered controversial at the time.

Acton's most famous work, The Functions and Disorders of the Reproductive Organs, was published in 1857. This book was one of the first to discuss the subject of human sexuality from a medical perspective. It was followed by Prostitution, Considered in Its Moral, Social, and Sanitary Aspects, published in 1857, which provided an in-depth analysis of the social and health issues related to prostitution.

William Acton died in 1875, leaving behind a significant legacy in the field of sexual health.

Related Terms

• Human sexuality
• Prostitution
• Urology
• Venereology
• Sexual disorders
• University of Edinburgh

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on William Acton (doctor)
• Wikipedia's article - William Acton (doctor)

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.

---

Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski