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MILITARY LOCK HOSPITALS, MADRAS PRESIDENCY.
to be examined, and, if found diseased, were admitted into hospital for treatment. The soldiers
invariably pointed out registered prostitutes who, when examined, were in most cases found to
be perfectly free from any venereal disease, and, if found diseased, the complaint of the women
were quite different to that of the soldiers. Registered women were pointed out simply to
screen those who carried on clandestine prostitution in the cantonment.
About the working of the Contagious Disease Act, I am of opinion that it would be very
satisfactory if the police were to be more efficient and painstaking in detecting women who
carried on clandestine prostitution, as I had ,observed that almost every newly registered
prostitute was found diseased, and undoubtedly they were carrying on prostitution and spread-
ing disease previous to their being registered.
The rules under clause vii, Section 19, of Madras Act I of 1886, were in force within a
radius of 4 miles from the cantonment, and the estimated population within this area was 30,000.
During the year no women were added to the register, nor did any remove their names
off it.
No registration fees were levied.
The average number of prostitutes who attended the weekly examination was 22·0, and the
average number reported for non-attendance, 2 . 8. The sum collected by fines amounted to
Rs. 3.
Registered women were examined on every Tuesday at the Lock Hospital, and, if found
diseased, were admitted into hospital for treatment.
There was a considerable decrease in the number of admissions into hospital during the
period under notice as compared with the number admitted during the corresponding periods of
1884. This was owing to the great prevalence of venereal disease amongst prostitutes last year,
the cause of which was explained in the report for that year.
The most prevalent diseases during this year have been primary syphilis, and leucorrhœa.
They were of a mild type and readily yielded to treatment, but liable to relapse.
Extracts from the Annual Medical Report of the Lock Hospital at Kamptee,
by Surgeon-Major G. J. GIBSON.
The Cantonment Sub-Committee which meets once every month is composed of the follow-
ing officers :—
(1) Dy. Surgeon-General, Nagpore Force
and Central India Regiment.
(2) Medical Officer in charge of
Lock Hospital.
(3) Cantonment Magistrate.
The following measures were taken for the control of prostitution and prevention of disease.
(a) no women were employed for any purpose about the single men's barrack rooms; (b) women
found loitering about for the purposes of prostitution near barracks were handed over to the
police ; (c) women in the grass cutters' lines, R A., were prevented from practising prostitution ;
(d) European soldiers arriving at and departing from the station were inspected for venereal
diseases ; (e) European soldiers admitted to the station hospital suffering from venereal diseases
were asked to point out the women they bad connection with.
Registration is not very efficient, as there are only 57 women on the register, and only 7
women have been newly admitted on the register last year—a very small number for a station
with a strength of 968 European soldiers, one Regiment, Native Cavalry, and two Native
Infantry Regiments, besides a large civil population, numbering 50,967. Those who are on the
register represent only the lowest and poorest class of prostitutes, and the number practising
prostitution must greatly exceed those on the register.
Registered prostitutes are of two classes—those for Europeans, first class, numbering 39,
and those for natives, second-class, numbering 21.
The area over which registration extends is seven square miles.
No registered fees are levied.
The women have been regular in their attendance for examination ; all women absent are
reported to the Police, and, if in the station, are punished for absenting themselves. The large
number of 46 women reported for absence was caused by women leaving the station to visit
Nagpore or other places where they had friends. Many women are shown as absent whose
names ought to be removed from the register and have been reported weekly as absent.
The total amount of fines have been Rs. 58-8-0, they are credited to the Cantonment Fund.
Fifty-one women were admitted to the Lock Hospital during the year, being 15 less than
last year. Of these, 17 were for primary syphilis of a mild type, 30 for gonorrhœa, and 4
ulceration of uterus.
Medical interest during the year.— No relation could be detected between the disease in the
European hospital and the Lock Hospital, women pointed out by soldiers for having given
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