5
MILITARY LOCK HOSPITALS, MADRAS PRESIDENCY.
Lock Hospital. It has further to be explained that the figures showing disease
amongst the troops only apply to stations at which there were Lock Hospitals.
8. Rate of Admissions for all forms of Venereal Diseases amongst British Troops.—
The following abstract, showing the prevalence of venereal diseases amongst
European troops for a period of five years, is compiled from Table F in Appendix,
and is confined to stations at which Lock Hospitals were in operation :—
Years.
Ratio of Admis
sions per 1,000
of Strength.
1879 ...
. . .
. . .
. . .
...
. . .
. . . ... 311·13
1880 ...
...
...
...
. . .
. . .
...
... 324·09
1881 ...
. . .
. . .
...
...
. . .
. . .
... 239·47
1882 ...
...
...
. . .
...
. . .
. . .
... 257·09
1883 ...
. . .
. . .
. . .
...
...
...
... 274·24
A reference to Table F will show that in 1874 and during the two succeeding
years the general ratio of venereal cases to strength was comparatively low, but in
1877 it began to rise, and, although varying, has continued high ever since. In
1883 the rate was in excess of that for 1882 to the extent of 17 . 15 per thousand of
strength.
9. Comparative Prevalence of Venereal Disease amongst British Troops at the
several Stations.—The following statement contrasts the inefficiency caused by
venereal complaints in 1883 with that which obtained in 1882, at the several
stations in which Lock Hospitals existed :—
Stations.
1882.
1883.
Admission rate
per 1,000
of Strength.
Admission rate
per 1,000
of Strength.
Bangalore
...
...
...
...
322·27
372·19
Bellary
...
...
...
...
394·90
305·19
Cannanore
...
...
...
...
138·02
120·99
Kamptee
...
...
...
...
165·43
164·85
St. Thomas' Mount ...
...
...
148·54
168·67
Secunderabad
...
...
...
262·43
276·03
Wellington ...
...
...
...
160·36
252·89
These figures show that at four of the stations, viz., Bangalore, St. Thomas'
Mount, Secunderabad and Wellington, these diseases were decidedly more prevalent
in 1883 than in the preceding year, and less so in the other three. The rate at the
several stations also varied greatly, ranging from 120 . 99 per mile of strength at
Cannanore to 372·19 at Bangalore. For several years in succession, as will be
seen on reference to Table F of Appendix, Bellary showed the largest amount of
venereal diseases, but in 1883 Bangalore had the highest rate. The increase at the
latter station has been very remarkable. In 1876 the rate was only 98 . 72 per mille,
but in 1879 it had reached the proportion of 442 . 09, and ever since has ranged very
high. The ratio at Bellary has never during the ten years from 1874 to 1883 inclu-
sive, except in 1876, been under 300 per mille, and in 1880 it reached the enormous
figure of 492 .04 per mille of strength. The result for 1883 at this station may be
regarded as comparatively favourable, as the ratio is lower than in any of the preced-
ing nine years with the exception of 1876. At the important station of Secun-
derabad the ratio, although less than at the two stations just referred to, has also
been uniformly high. Taking the ten years, 1874 to 1883, the lowest ratio, 109.12
per mille, was obtained in 1874. Since that year it has never been below 211 per
thousand of strength, and in 1880 it was 329 . 24. A reference to Table F in Appen-
dix will further show that, coincident with the prevalence of famine in 1877, there
was an increase in the prevalence of venereal disease amongst the troops, due no
doubt to a large extent to the great number of starving and diseased women who
resorted to prostitution during that crisis, and crowded into some military stations.
The famine practically ceased in 1878, but its effects as regards the propagation of
venereal diseases amongst British soldiers were apparently in active operation up
to 1880. In that year the admission rate per thousand of strength for the seven
2