LOCK HOSPITALS, MADRAS
P RES I DENCY.
1 1 9
Making due allowance for the diminution in the average strength of the European force
at Kamptee during the past as compared with the previous year, this statement shews a very
considerable decrease in the number of admissions among Europeans for venereal disease. This
decrease is observable under all three headings of primary syphilis, secondary syphilis and
gonorrhœa. Under the heading of primary syphilis the decrease has been less marked, the
number of cases admitted having been 47 against 56 in 1876. Under the heading of secondary
syphilis the decrease has been most marked, as there were only 9 admissions in 1877 against
18 in 1876. A very large decrease is also shewn under the heading of gonorrhœa, the admis-
sions being 119 in 1877 against 150 in 1876.
I took occasion in my report for 1876 to observe, that the decrease in the number of
admissions for secondary syphilis was a subject of congratulation, and I now repeat this
observation with increased satisfaction, as the small number of admissions under this head points
to a mild type of the primary disease. With reference to this point, I have to place on record
that Dr. Gulland, the senior Medical Officer, British Troops, informed me a few days ago that
he had not seen a single case of indurated sore among the men since his arrival at
Kamptee ten months ago.
Monthly meetings of the Cantonment Sub-Committee Were held regularly throughout the
year to inspect and criticise the returns of venereal diseases among the European troops and
the registered prostitutes, and generally to supervise the working of the institution.
The Police were, as usual, instructed to capture and take before the Cantonment Magistrate
any woman found carrying on clandestine prostitution, and in addition to this, the Royal
Artillery Regimental Police have orders to patrol the bazaar and public roads to prevent clades-
tine prostitution being carried on in their lines.
The number of women registered during the past year was 28 against 13 in 1876; but
of these 28 six were women who had been previously on the list, and having had their names
removed from the register on leaving the station, or for other reasons, were re-registered.
As I have already observed, there can be no doubt that clandestine prostitution is carried on to
a very considerable extent in Kamptee, and only unflagging vigilance on the part of the Police
can keep it even within moderate bounds. As in previous years, the registered prostitutes were
of two classes, viz., the first class for Europeans and the second class for Natives, the area of
registration extending over four square miles. An increase of 6 among first-class and 3 among
second-class women has taken place during the past year. The number of first-class women in
1876 was 38, and in 1877, 44; while the second-class women numbered 27 in the former and 30
in the latter year. In 1876 the number of women of both classes who removed their names
from the register, died or absconded was 28, and in 1877 only 19.
I have already stated my belief that clandestine prostitution is carried on to a great extent
at Kamptee, and as only 12 women out of 17 charged with this offence by the Police were
convicted and brought on the register, this evil cannot be regarded as being more than very
slightly checked. The increased activity of Police supervision and vigilance has however, I
believe, done some good in this respect. The women have been more regular in their attendance
than in 1876.
Under the heading of primary syphilis a large decrease has taken place in the number of
admissions among the registered women, but the admissions for gonorrhœa show a considerable
increase.
Soft sores have been, as a rule, the form of syphilis among the women, and in this respect
they have resembled the European troops. Cases of virulent syphilis have been exceedingly
rare, and when they did occur, they were always to be traced to disease contracted at a distance.
Cases of secondary syphilis among both the women and European troops were rare, and
this fact shows still further the mildness of the primary disease. At first sight there might
appear to be very little relation between gonorrhœal affection among the Europeans and the
registered women, the number among the former being considerably decreased, while the
admissions among the women show a large increase; but when it is considered that nearly all
of the women sent up by the Police proved on examination to be diseased (usually gonorrhœa),
and that of the women admitted into hospital, under the heading of gonorrhœa, a considerable
proportion were suffering from leucorrhœal discharge, which has during the past year, been
looked on with a particularly jealous eye by me, I think that there is really a considerable relation
between the two classes of patients. A considerable number of women have been detained on
account of their menstruating at the time of examination.
A register of the women reported by soldiers for communicating disease to them has been
kept since the 16th of March, and from that date until the 31st December 1877 the number
of women so reported Was 30, of whom only 3 were found to be diseased. All of these women
were registered prostitutes, and were apparently reported by the men to screen their clandestine
paramours.
As I remarked last year, no instance occurred in 1877 of a soldier accusing an unregistered
prostitute of diseasing him; yet nearly all of the women brought up for clandestine prostitution
were found diseased, and many of these women were known to have consorted with European
soldiers.