As early as 1845, the erotic industry resulted in venereal diseases rampaging amongst the British officers and sailors. This was a big headache for the Hong Kong Government, so the Government decided to issue licenses to control prostitution, and then made use of the license fees to run a venereal hospital. However, the licensing system was soon banned due to objection from the British Government, and so the operation of the venereal hospital was instantaneously halted. The Hong Kong Government resorted to setting up a dormitory for sailors in Sai Ying Pun, where medical treatments would be given to those who had contracted venereal diseases.

How incredible! Never would have imagined that this steep inclined path, the so-called “Bird Bridge”, still exists! Every girl from West Quarry definitely knew this place – the hospital for venereal diseases.

You know, the Sai Ying Pun Jockey Club Polyclinic today was then the architectural complex of the “national hospital”, the Government Civic Hospital. It was Hong Kong’s biggest and most important medical facilities at the time. One of the buildings of the complex on the hill was designated as the venereal hospital especially for prostitutes.