11
MILITARY LOCK HOSPITAL, MADRAS PRESIDENCY.
increased, and this has resulted in more regular attendance and no escapes from the Lock
Hospital, and the diseased women have been more easily subjected to medical treatment.
I cannot but still be of the opinion that the Contagious Disease Act at Bellary is taken
little interest in, otherwise more women in such a large population of 60,000 would have come on
the register. It has been a careful object throughout the year to keep those on the register as
free from disease as possible, and in order to find out how so much venereal disease was most
certainly contracted from unregistered women (particularly during the very hot months, May
and June), almost all those registered were detained for a month, and it was seen that venereal
diseases among the troops rather increased than diminished.
Extracts from the Annual Medical Report of the Lock Hospital, Cannanore, by
Surgeon-Major N. B. MAJOR, M.S.
No Cantonment Sub-Committee has existed. The duties have been performed by the
Cantonment Magistrate whose office has now been abolished, and for a considerable time the
Native Town Magistrate was not invested with powers to issue warrants for the arrest of prosti-
tutes ; since my representations I believe he has been invested with the necessary power.
One head and two subordinate constables are detailed for the special duty; a constable
attends the station hospital every morning, and the soldiers admitted for venereal disease proceed
with him to point out the woman from whom they have contracted disease ; the woman is then
brought to the Lock Hospital, where she is examined, and, if found diseased, admitted for treat-
ment. The women so pointed out have always been registered prostitutes, and in the majority of
cases were found free from disease, or, if diseased, they as a rule were suffering from some
affection other than that for which they had been pointed out ; consequently I am of opinion
the soldiers point out registered women apparently to shield others who are the real source of
disease. One woman pointed out was a patient under treatment at the time and had for some
time been in the hospital ; hence no possibility of its being correct, nor was she under treatment
for the disease the man had contracted.
The total number of women pointed out were 14, of whom 9 were found free from disease,
4 were suffering from disease other than that for which they had been pointed out, and the other
was found to be suffering from the same disease for which the man was admitted.
So far as the registration system exists it is good, but there are some women in this station
who have been struck off the roll at various times for the ostensible reason of getting married or
being the concubine of one man. I have reason to believe that these women and others carry
on illicit prostitution and that the police accept bribes, and so they are not brought on the roll
of registered prostitutes. The registration extends to all classes of prostitutes within a radius of
4 miles from cantonment.
Seven fresh registrations have been made this year, five of whom were found diseased.
No registration fees are levied.
The attendance of the women at the periodical examinations has been satisfactory. Ninety-
eight eases were reported to the Cantonment Magistrate for non-attendance, in many instances
the same woman repeatedly ; only 24 individual women were reported ; twelve were punished
by fines and 5 by imprisonment. Rs. 7 realised by fines were remitted to the treasury.
The registered prostitutes are examined weekly at the Lock Hospital, and those found
diseased are admitted for treatment. Fresh registrations or women pointed out are examined
immediately on the intimation being received.
For the six months in 1886 it will be observed the admissions for venereal were very high
compared with 1887 (see table), but the hospital having been closed for a year may account
for this.
No venereal disease gave 28 in 1886 for six months and 66 for 1887, but the latter includes
the whole year.
There has been a marked diminution of virulent disease, but a slight increase in the non-
venereal forms of disease amongst women.
It would appear that the leucorrhœa, which is the preponderant disease with women, has
some connection with the gonorrhœa in men, and owing to the difficulty in diagnosis this is quite
probable.
No Dhaies were employed during the year.
A closer supervision is required over the police for the prevention of the receipt of bribes
from prostitutes and to enforce more vigilance in their watching houses known to be frequented
by prostitutes, and thus many carrying on illicit prostitution might be brought on the register.