10
ANNUAL REPORT ON THE
Extracts from the Annual Medical Report of the Lock Hospital, Bellary, by
Surgeon J. D. T. RECKITT, M.S.
There has been no change in the Cantonment Committee which is composed of
—
President:
The Brigadier-General Commanding.
Members :
The Collector of the District.
The Medical Officer in charge of Lock Hospital.
The Superintendent of Police.
Secretary :
The Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-General.
The Committee has not assembled during the year.
The prostitutes are under police supervision, and for this purpose one head constable and
five men are specially employed. (a) All women found prostituting have their names put on the
register ; (b) every registered prostitute is obliged to attend the Lock Hospital once a week
for examination, and, if found diseased, detained for treatment ; (c) every woman on the
register is supplied with a ticket on which the dates of her inspection are entered ; (d) prostitutes
absenting themselves from the weekly examination are reported by letter to the Deputy Assistant
Quartermaster-General, Deputy Magistrate, Superintendent of Police, and a list of the names
of the absentees is also given to the special head constable; ( e) any soldier admitted into the
station hospital with venereal disease, if he can do so, is taken to the bazaar to point out the
prostitute from whom he contracted the disease, and the woman is at once admitted into the
Lock Hospital, examined, and, if diseased, detained for treatment ; (f) a regimental police
party, consisting of eight men, patrols the European lines at nightfall, and any prostitute,
cooly woman, or others found loitering in or about the barracks or lines are sent away.
Registration has been defective, only 61 having been registered, 108 remained, and of these
71 were removed from the register during the year.
None escaped.
None died.
No registration fees are levied.
The women have been rather more regular at the periodical examinations, and their
irregular attendance at these examinations, when it exists, is no doubt due to their objection to be
detained in hospital.
Number reported for non-attendance was 178. No fine was imposed ; only punishment was
awarded.
All the women were examined every Tuesdays and Fridays, and, if found diseased, detained
for treatment.
Disease amongst the women has been, in the total number of admissions, somewhat more
than the previous year 1886, and the diseases generally were of a milder type, no doubt due to
more or less continuous treatment, and from time to time coming under the influence of specific
medicines. The year 1886 gave total admissions 359 for 9½ months, whilst the whole year of
1887 gave 473.
Gonorrhœa was the most common venereal disease amongst the women, whilst primary
syphilis forms the most common amongst the European troops.
Admissions amongst the women was almost exclusively due to venereal disease being on the
other hand 29 for leucorrhœa and 26 ulcers os uteri and ulcer vagina of a doubtful nature.
One Dhaie has been employed and she works very satisfactorily.
Compared with 1886 there has been a diminution of venereal diseases among the British
troops, the ratio per mille for 1886 showing 356 . 49 and for 1887 297.73, and no doubt the
disease generally among the troops has been of a less virulent character which can, I think, be
attributed to most of the women from time to time coming under specific treatment.
No doubt much of the venereal disease amongst the troops is still contracted from non-
registered women usually; 61 have been newly registered during the year. The matter of
registering women does not seem to be pushed by the Police authorities, and the business of
prostitution seems to be confined to a limited number of women, all of whom have probably
had some form of syphilitic disease, and many of a very intractable nature rendering them
frequent inmates of the Lock Hospital owing to relapses. The police staff has, however, been