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MILITARY LOCK HOSPITALS, MADRAS PRESIDENCY.
A good deal of inconvenience was experienced during the year by the constables posted
to this hospital, being temporarily detached for short periods for casual civil duties. This
formed the subject of a reference to the Cantonment Magistrate and the Resident District
Superintendent of Police, through the Deputy Surgeon-General, but the matter has not been
definitely settled. It is very desirable that men once posted should not be detailed for other
duties, as it furnishes a good excuse for remissness in the performance of their detective work.
It will be observed that the number of venereal cases contracted beyond cantonment
limits is alarmingly great this year also. So long as the area over which the Contagious
Diseases Act extends is not enlarged, and soldiers are permitted to wander about beyond
the compass of seven square miles, an efficient check cannot be exercised over clandestine
prostitution. Absentees almost always take refuge in Bolarum and other places outside limits
and consort with soldiers. Experience has again shown that it is also advisable to make
the rules applicable as well to "prostitutes frequented by Native soldiers" for the reasons
stated in the report for 1885. The rules framed under Clause 7, Section 19, Act XXII of 1864
for the Cantonment of Secunderabad do not appear to discourage the extension of the provisions,
but seem only to desire that they shall be limited to "prostitutes frequented by Europeans, "
unless it shall be otherwise so ordered by the Local Government.
Extracts from the Annual Medical Report of the Lock Hospital, Cannanore,
by Surgeon E. COUTTS.
Annual Medical Report of the Lock Hospital, Cannanore, from 15th July to
31st December 1886.
The institution was closed experimentally from 31st March 1885 to 15th July 1886, but
re-opened on that date, on the recommendation of the Surgeon-General, Her Majesty's Forces.
No Cantonment Sub-committee exists, its duties being performed by the Cantonment
Magistrate.
One head constable and three constables were detailed for enforcing the rules of the
Contagious Disease Act. One of these attended the station hospital daily at the hour for seeing
the morning sick, and accompained men found suffering from venereal diseases, for the
purpose of having the women, from whom the disease was supposed to be contracted, pointed
out, and brought to the Lock Hospital for examination, and, if necessary, admission. As stated
in last year's report the men in most cases pointed out registered prostitutes, who, when examined,
were found free from disease, or were suffering from an affection., different to the one that they
were accused of spreading. This probably occurred in some cases through non-recognition of
the women, but, undoubtedly in other cases, it was done for purpose of screening women carry-
ing on illegal prostitution. Several cases occurred where the men when closely questioned
admitted having contracted their disease from such women, but the latter were rarely traced,
either because the men could not tell where they lived or because it seems a point of honor with
the men to avoid getting, as one of them expressed it, such women into trouble.
Better results would undoubtedly follow a more stringent application of the rules by the
Police against illegal prostitution, but it must be admitted that they have great difficulties to
contend with,' and a sub-committee should be formed to exercise a general supervision over
their proceedings. Endeavours were made at the station hospital to induce the men to co-
operate with the Police in restricting illegal prostitution, but only with slight success. Apart
from statistics there can be no doubt that the re-opening of the institution did good to the
extent of preventing women borne on the register from constantly spreading disease. The
following statement shows the extent to which they were active centres for the propagation of
disease. Of 38 women, 32 on first examination were found diseased, and of these, 11 were
suffering from primary syphilis, 1 from secondary syphilis, 14 from gonorrhea, 2 from warts,
1 from ulcer of vulva, 3from leucorrhœa and only 6 were healthy.
The rules under Clause VII, Section 19 of the Madras Act I of 1886, were in force within a
radius of four miles from cantonment and the estimated population within the area amounts
to 31,000.
During the period 38 women were registered. Two were temporarily removed from the
register.
No registration fees were levied.
The attendance of the women at the periodical examinations has been satisfactory. Only 16
were reported to the Cantonment Magistrate for non-attendance, and of these only 2 were
punished by fine. Of the 16, two are known to have left the station.
The registered women are examined every Tuesday morning at the Lock Hospital, and
those found diseased are admitted.
No Dhais were employed during the year.
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