11
MILITARY LOCK HOSPITALS, MADRAS PRESIDENCY.
sidiary Force, made a reference to the Medical officer of the Lock Hospital regarding the
increase of venereal disease among the European troops. The Medical officer then in charge
(Dr. Bateman), in reply the whole subject, and suggested in conclusion the following additional
checks on the spread of disease :—
1
st.—" To make a more careful search for prostitutes and suspected characters and having
them on the register."
2nd.—" To make measures. for checking the ingress of prostitutes from beyond cantonment
limits."
3rd.—" To exercise great care in removing women from the register on the plea of marriage,
as it appears to be a well known fact that these women produce men as intended husbands with
no other object than of being exempted from examination. There is in fact again a traffic
carried on in reputed husbands."
4 t h . — "
L e a v e o f a b s e n c e s h o u l d b e g r a n t e d v e r y s p a r i n g l y . "
5 th.—" Absence without leave should entail severe punishment, as these cases are of women
mostly diseased and object to come to hospital."
6th.—" In order to exercise the efficient check referred to in the first suggestion, it will be
necessary to make some change in the present civil detective police staff. There are now four
working detectives and two supervisors. It seems to me advisable that the chief constable's
services may be dispensed with and two working policemen entertained in his place, the present
head constable Emom Khan being the only supervisor, I think two supervisors unnecessary
as it divides responsibility. This man appears from the records to be an active, intelligent and
experienced officer and in every way fit to be in charge of the Lock Hospital detective staff.
It would also be beneficial if two of the present working staff be replaced by two others
(Second-class Police Constable Abdool Uziz, No. 60, and First-class Police Constable Shaik
Futhroo, No. 46), who have had large detective local knowledge and experience and to one of
whom (Abdool Uziz, No. 60) a money prize was awarded for ability in such work."
7 th .—" The two men sent in place of the chief constable should be also active and experi-
enced. These changes will entail no increase of expenditure, and will, it is expected, be found
to work advantageously, especially if the detectives are assisted by information which the
ordinary policemen at the stations should be directed to afford regarding all women in their
circle who may be suspected of practising clandestine prostitution and absentees, &c."
I am not aware whether any of the above recommendations have been carried into effect.
The system pursued regimentally for the control of prostitutes is given in the following
extracts :—
The Regimental police system is intended to maintain order and note all irregularities in
the barracks and vicinity and to keep improper characters out of barracks ; no natives are
allowed in barracks unless they are in possession of a pass.
One sergeant and 5 privates are detailed for this work, they are constantly on duty, each
man taking a tour of four hours, worked satisfactorily as regards maintenance of order and
suppression of prostitution in the barracks or immediate vicinity. Last year particular
attention was paid to the latter with what result can be learned from the figures given
below :
—
" Men detailed from batteries—1 non-commissioned officer and 4 gunners to try and
prevent all crimes and arrest offenders. Result very good."
" One Sergeant, 1 corporal and 14 privates are employed as Regimental Police, who patrol
the bazaar by day and night ; but no special arrangements are in force relating to supervision
of prostitutes."
" The duties of the Regimental (or depôt) police are to keep order amongst the men of
the battalion in the bazaar, also to see that all native servants quit barracks by 8 P.M. daily."
" Six men have been told off as Regimental (or depot) policemen. Their duties have been
clearly explained to them, and they carried out their orders without any complaint being made
against them."
Regarding the co-operation of the Civil Police with the Military for the suppression of
clandestine prostitution, the Officer Commanding the Depôt, Hampshire Regiment, remarks that
the Civil Police should be a little more alert in bringing to notice people in the bazaar who are
in the habit of encouraging this practice and declares that he is not aware of even one case
detected by the Civil Police. The Senior Medical Officer of the Central Station Hospital
observes that the Civil Police were in no way instrumental in aiding the suppression of such
prostitution, while the Senior Medical Officer, North Station Hospital, expresses the same
opinion adding that he has not known or heard of their having reported or detected even a single
prostitute whether registered or unregistered ; but on the other hand the Officer Commanding
Middlesex Regiment states that the Civil Police had rendered good service, but considers that
the rocky nature of the surrounding country affords shelter to unlicensed prostitutes, and that
a mounted, instead of a foot police, is likely to be more effective by patrolling among the
rocks.
The following statement affords particulars regarding European soldiers who pointed out
the sources from which they had contracted diseases. It shows that out of 602 admissions,