8
ANNUAL REPORT ON THE
syphilis amongst British soldiers in 1876 amounted to 49 in 1877 they rose to"
69. As regards invaliding there was an improvement in 1877, only one venereal
case having been sent to England whereas two were invalided for secondary syphilis
in 1876.-
14. Rangoon.—The accommodation of the Lock Hospital at this station is
insufficient, there being only space for 65 beds, whilst the number of sick during the'
year ranged from 51 to 169. During 1877 the names of 14 European and 225
Native women were brought on the register, making a total of 239 fresh
r e g i s t r a - t i o n s . T h e s e w i t h t h e n u m b e r s r e m a i n i n g o n t h e r o l l a t t h e c l o s e o f 1 8 7 6 s h o w
a total of 705 registered women of whom 298 absconded or were struck off
the roll, so that the actual number on the register at the close of the year was
407, or 59 less than the corresponding return for 1876. Each woman on the
roll pays a monthly fee of one rupee. The total number examined during the
year was 8,171, of which 758 were found diseased. During 1877 the admissions
to the. Lock Hospital numbered 950, the daily average sick being 103 . 91. The
number treated in 1877 was consequently in excess of that of previous years. Of
the admissions 600 were for primary syphilis and 310 for gonorrhoea. The number
Of admissions during the year for venereal affections among British troops in Rangoon
was 167 as against 131 in 1876. Of this number 77 admissions were due to
primary syphilis, 46 to secondary syphilis and 36 to gonorrhoea. The statistics of
venereal diseases amongst British troops for 1877 are, however, incomplete. The
Medical Officer in charge of this Lock Hospital complains of the number of escapes
effected during the year, and states that the fugitives were aided by friends who
scaled the walls with rope or bamboo ladders. This should be prevented in future
by adequate police arrangements. The staff of Medical Subordinates, consisting of
two Bengal Hospital Assistants, is said to be insufficient for so large a hospital.
15. St. Thomas' Mount.—On the register of this station there are 32 women
who reside at the Mount, 16 at Poonamallee and 11 at Palaveram. The Medical
Officer reports that the women do not attend so regularly as they ought. No
registration fees are levied. Dr. Ross believes that clandestine prostitution is carried
on to an almost unlimited extent by grass-cutters, camp followers' wives and
others. The police maintained for working the Act in connection with the Lock
Hospital consists of a Head Constable and 3 Policemen. The average daily
number of women in hospital during the year was 6 . 76. The admissions for
venereal diseases amongst the men of the Royal Artillery in 1877 numbered 98, the
corresponding number in 1876 being 41 ; but the Medical Officer of the Lock
Hospital is of opinion that the registered women of the station are not responsible
for more than a fractional part of the disease which obtained. He considers that
existing rules for the control of prostitution do not require any change, and that
the increase of venereal amongst European troops in 1877 was due to clandestine
prostitution and to want of vigilance on the part of the police. Over the latter
cause he says. he has no control and can only treat such persons as are brought to
him by the authorized detective agency.
16. Seetabuldee.—Only those women who consort with European soldiers are
registered at this station ; the fresh registrations during the year amounted to 3.
The attendance at weekly inspections was by no means regular. The number of
women found diseased during the year was 58 ; of these 2 suffered from primary
syphilis and 47 from gonorrhœa. The average daily sick amongst the women
amounted to 1 . 34. The European troops in Seetabuldee consisted of a detachment
of the 33rd Regiment with an average strength of 47 .06: out of this force 7 had
primary syphilis, 2' secondary syphilis and 5 gonorrhœa. The number of cases of
primary syphilis, nearly 1 in 7 of strength, was large. No remark is made on the
subject of clandestine prostitution.
17. Secunderabad.—Registration was actively carried on, the number of new
names brought on the list during the year having been 153. The number on the
register at the close of 1876 was 121, whereas on the 31st December 1877 it was
230 or nearly double. During the year 44 registered women absconded or with-
drew their names, and one unregistered prostitute died in the Lock Hospital,
The average daily number of women under treatment in hospital was 18-93. In