10
ANNUAL REPORT ON THE
63 admissions of women to the Lock Hospital. The disease was mild and yielded
readily to treatment. The average strength of British troops in Tonghoo during
the year was 415 and the admissions from venereal diseases 45. In noting the
latter fact the Medical Officer in charge of the hospital states that allowance must
be made for the fact that Tonghoo is a frontier station open to infection from. al
l sides. Shans, Karens, natives from Upper Burmah and travellers from the south
all pass through the town and frequently import venereal disease.
20. Trichinopoly.—In this cantonment, as in Bangalore and Bellary, the presence
of famine increased the number of prostitutes and gave an impetus to registration,
the number brought on the list in 1877 being . 43 or nearly double the aggregate
of 1876. Many women from the relief-camps are said to have been discovered by the
Police hovering about the European barracks, and when brought to the Lock Hospital
for examination were found to be in a " frightfully diseased state." The average
strength of women on the register during the year was 66 . 85, and the average
number of these under treatment in the Lock Hospital 14 . 83. There were four
deaths. The advantages attending the Lock Hospital system were well shown
on comparing the condition of the women on the register with that of those
admitted from relief-camps. In the case of the former disease was mild and
amenable to treatment, while in that of the latter " it had. progressed to a
frightful extent." The attendance of registered women at the stated inspections
was more regular than during the previous year, and 20 unregistered prostitutes
voluntarily applied for treatment and were brought on the register. Out of
a n a v e r a g e s t r e n g t h o f 2 8 5 E u r o p e a n s i n t h e s t a t i o n t h e r e w e r e 3 1 c a s e s o f p r i m a r y
syphilis, 7 cases of secondary syphilis and 53 cases of gonorrhoea. The corre-
sponding figures for 1876, with an average strength of 267 men, were respectively
5, 3 and 13. The ratio of admissions per mille in 1877 amounted to 322 . 80, a
result which can only be characterized as eminently unsatisfactory. The medical
Officer in charge of the Lock Hospital attributes this increase to the presence of
famine-stricken women in the station, many of whom were suffering from aggra-
vated forms of venereal disease.
21. Wellington.—Registration at this sanitarium is said to be efficient ; 16 new
names were registered during the year. All classes practising prostitution are
brought within the operation of the Act. The women attended pretty regularly
at the periodical examinations. The average strength of registered prostitutes
in 1876 was 39 . 86 with 123 admissions to hospital, whereas in 1877 the average
strength was 42'75 with 94 admissions. It is satisfactory to note that there was a
diminution in the number of cases of primary syphilis, the admissions from this
cause having been 54 in 1876 against 39 in 1877. It is also stated in the report
that venereal disease has become less virulent amongst the women. The control
of prostitution rests with the Police, but, as a special precaution, a statement is
_ taken from every soldier affected as to when, where and from whom he has
contracted the disease. This statement is given to a constable who accompanies
the soldier to the bazaar, and if the woman is discovered she is at once taken to the
Lock Hospital and examined. By this means 7 women suffering from primary
syphilis, and 18 from gonorrhoea, who had severally infected soldiers, were detected
and brought under treatment. Among the troops 17 cases of primary syphilis and
33 cases of gonorrhoea were treated in 1877, the numbers in 1876 having been
respectively 27 and 19.
22. General Remarks.—Together with a marked increase among British troops
in the ratio per mile of admissions from venereal complaints, there was a great
increase in the number of cases of primary syphilis, the most dangerous of all the
forms of venereal disease. It is this disease which saps the strength of the soldier
and renders him so often permanently ineffective at an early period of his career.
Numerical tables however which exhibit the amount of syphilis among British soldiers
are apt to mislead. There is syphilis and syphilis and of this important fact nume-
rical statements generally take little or no cognizance. Primary syphilis, as now met
with among European soldiers in India, is as a rule a mild and manageable disease
if taken early, and it is only , followed by secondary syphilis in a comparatively small