There are in London and every large city scores of men and women who live by blackmailing or chantage. There are many different forms of this industry. There is the man who knows something about your past life, which he threatens to reveal to your friends or colleagues unless you buy him off. There is the breach-of-promise blackmailer, and there is the female patient, who threatens to charge you with improper conduct or indecent assault. Medical men from their position are often selected as victims. The introduction of corridor carriages on many of our railways has done much to stamp out one particular form of blackmailing, but public urinals are still a source of danger.

It is the worst possible policy to temporize with a blackmailer. If you give him a single penny, you are his for life. It is as well to remember that it is just as criminal to attempt to extract money from a guilty as from an innocent person. It is of no use attempting to deal with these cases single-handed. You must not only deny the allegation, but 'spurn the allegator.' Put the matter into the hands of a good sharp criminal solicitor, and instruct him to rid you of the nuisance by taking criminal proceedings.