6
ANNUAL REPORT ON THE,
admissions amongst British Troops, and of these 23 were due to primary syphilis
and 11 to gonorrhœa. From 1st April to end of year, there were 154 admissions,
of which primary syphilis contributed 67, secondary syphilis 23 and gonorrhœa 53.
Regarding the working of the Contagious Disease Act at this station, the Medical
Officer reports that " one constable attended the station hospital every morning,
and the soldiers admitted for venereal disease proceeded with him to point out the
women from whom they contracted the disease. The women thus pointed out were
brought to the Lock Hospital to be examined, and if found diseased were admitted
into hospital for treatment. The soldiers invariably pointed out registered
prostitutes who, when examined, were in most cases found to be perfectly free
from any venereal disease, and if found diseased the complaint of the women was
quite different to that of the soldiers. Registered women were pointed out simply
to screen those who carried on clandestine prostitution in the cantonment."
14. Kamptee.—The ratio of admissions for venereal disease amongst the
British Troops rose from 164 . 85 in 1883 and 240 . 83 in 1884 to 259 . 71 in 1885 ;
the increase is again attributed to defective registration. The Medical Officer in
charge states : " women pointed out by soldiers for having given them gonorrhœa
or syphilis were nearly always found to be healthy. One woman pointed out by a
soldier for having given him disease had been in the Lock Hospital on the day the
man contracted his disease."
15. Secunderabad.—There was a slight increase in the ratio of admissions for
venereal diseases amongst British Troops over the previous year, the rates being
253 . 14 for 1884 and 254 . 72 for 1885. There was a considerable decrease in
admissions for secondary syphilis, the number being less than that of any of the
four preceding years. There was an increase in the admissions for primary
syphilis from 133 in 1884 to 154 in 1885, and for gonorrhœa from 342 to 402.
The number of prostitutes remaining on the register was 298 on the 31st
December 1885, compared with 306 the same date the previous year. The average
daily sick was 55 . 84 compared with 66 .29 in 1884. 876 women were found
diseased at the weekly inspections against 1,033 in 1884. The attendance of the
women at inspections has been more regular than during the previous two years.
16. Saint Thomas' Mount.— At this station there was a decrease of 13 in the
number of admissions for venereal disease amongst European troops as compared
with the preceding year, and the ratio of admissions per mille of strength has
fallen from 186 . 24 in 1884 to 181 . 18 in 1885. The number of women found
diseased at weekly inspections was 67 against 178 in 1884.
17.
Wellington.—The a dmissions from venereal diseases amongst British
Troops have increased from 183 in 1884 to 215 in 1885, and the ratio of admissions
per mi l l e of st rengt h from 330. 3 2 t o 5 7 0
. 2 9 . O f t h e t o t a l a d m i s s i o n s , o v e r 5 7 p e r
cent. are due to primary syphilis. Amongst the women there were 91 admissions.
18. General Remarks.—The only remarkable feature in the working of the
Lock Hospitals was the experimental closure of the institutions at Bellary and
Cannanore from the 1st April to the 31st December, and the result of this experi-
ment apparently negatives the conclusion drawn in last year's report when com-
paring the admissions from primary syphilis and gonorrhœa in stations where Lock.
Hospitals existed with those where they did not exist " that Lock Hospitals have
hitherto been kept up for the propagation of venereals amongst British soldiers,
though originally established with a very different intention." In the report
referred to it was pointed out that the ratio of admissions per mille of strength
during five years from primary syphilis and gonorrhœa at five stations where no
Lock Hospitals existed was 50 . 19 and 76 . 80, respectively, and at stations where
Lock Hospitals existed 112 . 70 and 116·68. During the nine months the Lock
Hospitals were closed at Bellary and Cannanore, the total admissions for these
diseases were primary syphilis 374 and gonorrhœa 225, or an annual ratio per
mi l l e o f s t r e n g t h o f 2 8 3. 3 3 f o r p r i m a r y s y p h i l i s a n d 1 7 0.
4 5 f o r g o n o r r h œ a .
These figures prove beyond question that the establishment of Lock Hospitals
at Cannanore and Bellary is a necessity, and it may also be inferred that these
institutions at other stations controlled to a considerable degree the spread of
the disease. The failure in the working of the Lock Hospital system must be