11
MILITARY LOCK HOSPITALS, MADRAS PRESIDENCY.
EXTRACTS
FROM THE
ANNUAL REPORTS ON THE MILITARY LOCK HOSPITALS,
FOR THE YEAR 1888.
Extracts from the Annual Medical Report of the Lock Hospital at Bangalore, by
Surgeon D. S. E. BAIN.
Since the introduction of the voluntary system, there has been a considerable increase of
primary syphilis cases among the European troops. Prior to this period, the average weekly
admissions were only 2.9, but now they have already risen to 4.7. Thus, although registration
was faulty, its withdrawal has almost doubled the most virulent form of venereal disease, and as
a natural consequence, a similar increase in secondary syphilis may be expected during 1889.
The sub-committee never met.
Up to August 1888 the Contagious Disease Act, with the modifications of the Chief Com
-missioner of Mysore, was in force, but since then the voluntary system has been in operation.
The women were regular in their attendance up to the introduction of voluntary system,
only 40 having been reported for non-attendance; of these 10 were punished and 30 warned.
Up to August 1888, 135 women were treated in hospital, and of this number 26 have been
detained during their monthly illness.
Since August 1888, only 9 women have been treated in hospital.
No dhaies were employed.
The voluntary system in place of the Contagious Disease Act is a failure. This system
was enforced during the last nineteen weeks of the year and has already caused almost double
the number of weekly admissions for primary syphilis among the British troops.
The reintroduction of the Contagious Disease Act is urgently necessary, if there is to be
any attempt to control venereal diseases.
Extracts from the Annual Medical Report of the Lock Hospital at Bellary, by _
Surgeon J. W. COCKERILL.
The Cantonment Committee exists only in name. No meetings are held.
All the registered prostitutes were under police supervision up to 12th August 1888,
when both registration and compulsory examination ceased.
My predecessor, Dr. J. D. T. Reckitt, states "at the present time, the voluntary system is
utterly useless and abused as the women will not attend, and the number of inmates is rapidly
declining and will soon be nil. It will take some time before the virulent form of syphilis
which made such havoc among the men of the 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment whilst stationed in
Bellary during the time the Contagious Disease Act was in abeyance—affects the men of the
2nd Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry; but this will surely happen, as without observation and
treatment of those women already affected, the disease will again break out in all its force."
The registration had been defective before the introduction of voluntary system. Only 31
were registered, 98 remained ; of these the whole were removed from the register during the
year. One escaped. None died.
No registration fees were levied.
The women were fairly regular up to 12th August 1888, but since the introduction of volun-
tary system none attended, except 5 who were admitted into the lock hospital for treatment
with severe forms of venereal diseases.
The number reported for non-attendance until 12th August 1888 was 188. No fine was
imposed ; only punishment was awarded during the year.
My predecessor, Dr. J. D. T. Reckitt, who held the charge of this lock hospital for twenty-
eight months, writes thus:—" In my opinion a voluntary system is utterly useless in this
country, a waste of every body's time, and an absurd expense to Government, and in my experience
of Bellary without a strict enforcement of the Contagious Disease Act and constant observation
and treatment of registered women, the European soldiers particularly must in time become so
affected with the worst form of venereal diseases that, like the 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment when
the Act was in abeyance, the majority of them will be reduced to such a condition physically
that they could not be sent on service.