20
ANNUAL REPORT ON THE
The attendance of prostitutes has been most unsatisfactory, the total number of absentees
from the weekly examinations amounting to 641; but this number includes women who were
known to have left the cantonment for weeks or even months, their names still being kept
on the register by the Magistrate as they might return. Thirty-seven women were prosecuted
for non-attendance, 27 being fined to the amount of Rupees 15 and 10 being imprisoned.
Venereal disease has been much more prevalent among the prostitutes, and there has been
a large increase of admissions during the year 1878, when compared with 1877.
Gonorrhœa as a rule is mild in type, but syphilis, primary, is severe, the sores requiring
a long time to heal and likely to recur ; whereas among men the latter disease is very mild.
I may say none but registered prostitutes are treated in this hospital.
As the operation of the Act during the past year has been very unsatisfactory, I consider
vigorous action on the part of the police very necessary. The weekly attendance of the
prostitutes is bad, on an average 12 women being absent from each weekly examination.
Owing to a great number of the absentees being found diseased, I consider that they
purposely absent themselves to avoid detention and treatment in hospital. Such women are
a great source of disease. Clandestine prostitution, which exists to a great extent here, must be
looked after. The present system of registering prostitutes is very dilatory, and many diseased
prostitutes after being summoned by the police to attend the Magistrate's Court run away for
a short time, returning again to carry on their calling and disseminate disease. I intend to
bring these several points before the Cantonment Sub-Committee with the view of measures
being adopted accordingly.
Extract from the Annual Medical Report of the Lock Hospital, Kamptee,
by Surgeon-Major B. T. SUFFREIN.
Strength of Prostitutes.
Remained on the register on the 31st December 1877 ...
. . .
74
Registered during the year...
...
...
. . .
23
Total ...
97
Number who have removed their names or absconded ...
. . .
38
Died unregistered prostitutes
...
...
...
...
...
Number of Sick.
Remained on the 31st December 1877
...
...
...
. . .
11
Admitted during the year ...
...
...
...
...
...
127
Recovered
...
...
...
...
...
...
124
Remaining in hospital on 31st December 1878 ...
...
...
14
Daily average number of sick...
...
...
10. 29
Average number of days in hospital
...
...
...
...
26·38
Average cost of each patient dieted in hospital ...
...
... 0·2·0·57
Average cost of each patient for contingencies
...
...
... 0·1·0·76
British Troops.
Average strength during the year ...
...
...
...
... 876·08
Number of venereal sick remained on the 31st December 1877 ...
13
Number of venereal admissions into hospital during the year ...
195
Remaining in hospital on 31st December 1878 ...
...
. . .
4
Ratio of admissions per mille of strength
...
...
...
222
The extent of Venereal Disease amongst European Troops.—The weekly returns have
been received regularly, and show a total number of admissions among European troops for
venereal affections of 195 during the past year, against 175 in 1877 and 233 in 1876.
The increase has been under the headings of primary and secondary syphilis ; the
admissions for both having been twice as numerous as in 1877, while the admissions for
gonorrhœa only amounted to 72 against 119 during the previous year. This change in the
type and extent of disease would appear almost inexplicable under ordinary circumstances ;
but the past year has been an exceptional one, and the difficulties of exercising supervision
over both the registered women and clandestine prostitutes have been greatly increased by the
outbreaks of small-pox and cholera, when the men were prohibited from entering the quarters
inhabited by the registered women, and were also for some time sent into camp, so that their
facilities for getting access to the unlicensed women were greatly increased, and these women
could ply their trade almost beyond the possibility of supervision and detection. This view is
borne out by the fact that no less than 30 cases of syphilis primary and 19 of gonorrhœa are
shown in the returns as due to clandestine prostitution, and besides these 2 cases of syphilis
primary and 5 of gonorrhœa were due to relapse.