MILITARY LOCK HOSPITALS, MADRAS PRESIDENCY.
13
Months.
P r i m a r y S y p h i l i s .
S e c o n d a r y S y p h i l i s .
T e r t i a r y S y p h i l i s .
V e n e r e a l W a r t s .
G o n o r r h œ a .
U l c e r o s u t e r i .
A b s c e s s L a b i a . B u b o .
O b s e r v a t i o n .
T o t a l .
1 8 7 8 . 1879. 1 8 7 8 . 1 8 7 9 . 1 8 7 8 . 1879. 1 8 7 8 . 1879.
1878. 1879. 1 8 7 8 . 1 8 7 9 . 1878. 1 8 7 9 . 1 8 7 8 . 1 8 7 9 . 1 8 7 8 . 1 8 7 9 . 1 8 7 8 .
1 8 7 9 .
January ...
...
56 27
... ... ... ... ... ...
27 21
... ... ... ... ... ...
2 2 85 50
February
...
58 28
... ...
1 -. 1 1 22 2
... ... ...
1
... ...
2 _. 84 52
March
... ...
51 26
... ...
-. 1 .- _. 9 38
... ... ...
1
... ...
1 1 61 67
April
... ...
42 38
... ...
1 .. 2 .- 12 29
...
2
...
-.
... ...
-. .- 57 69
May
... ...
38 34
... ...
.- 1 ._ .- 5 32
...
1 3
... ...
-.• .- 46 68
June
... ... 31 29
... ...
-. .- .- 1 12 20
...
-. 1 -.
...
... 1 1 45 51
July
... ... 33 46
...
... -. .- -. 1 13 23
...
4 .- .-
... ...
... -. 47 74
August
... ...
35 43
... ...
-. .- 1 -. 6 20
...
3
-.
... ...
_. 1 43 67
September... 37 47
... ...
.- .- 1 .- 8 20
...
2 -. 1
...
.- 2 1 48 71
October
... ...
19 50
... ...
1 .- .- -. 15 13
...
1 -. -.
...
1 2 _. 37 65
November
...
44 38 .
... ...
-. - ... -. 13 15
...
1 1 -.
...
-. -. -. 58 54
December
...
32 36
... ...
_. -. _. 1 4 13
...
2 1 2
...
-. 2 1 39 55
Total.. 476 442
... ...
3 I2 5 4 146 266
...
16 7 5
...
1 12 7 650 743
There was thus an increase of 93 cases over 1878, chiefly with gonorrhoea; of secondary
syphilis there was no case, while of other forms of disease there was less than in the previous
year.
Numerous as the admissions amongst the European troops are both from syphilis and
gonorrhoea, it may be safely predicated that they would have been much more so but for the
admission and treatment in the Lock Hospital of so many as 708 diseased women during the
year. During the year there were five voluntary applications for admission into the institution
for treatment; four of these were for primary syphilis and one for gonorrhoea. One of them
had her name registered as a regular prostitute, while four joined their families.
The present rules do not seem to call for any modification, but what appears necessary is
that something should be done to have the work of the detective Police scrutinized by inde-
pendent means. Under the present system their daily work is not susceptible of scrutiny.
Another point which appears to me would be advantageous is that the Officers Commanding
and Medical Officers of the several European and Native Regiments should be supplied with a
copy of the Lock Hospital Report, in order to place them in a position to know the extent to
which the men under them were affected by venereal disease, and to enable them to adopt
from time to time such measures as might be conducive to the preservation of the health of
their men.
One point worthy of notice during the year is the prevalence of itch among the women.
In submitting this voluminous report on the working of the Lock Hospital at this station
for the past year, I desire to say that it is almost wholly the work of First-class Hospital
Assistant A. Ragavaloo, No. 689. It has, I consider, been drawn up by him with much care
and diligence, and I beg that whatever merit it may be deemed to possess may be ascribed to
him.
Extract from the Annual Medical Report of the Lock Hospital, Trichinopoly,
by Surgeon T. J. H. WILKINS.
No special measures have been taken for the control of prostitution and for preventing the
danger arising from unlicensed prostitutes frequenting the European barracks.
Registration has appeared to diminish the spread of venereal diseases, as notwithstanding
the influx of a large number of diseased women into the cantonment limits there has been no
corresponding increase in venereal diseases amongst the European troops.
The number of prostitutes registered during the past year was 23, whilst for the preceding
years 1878, 1877, 1876, 1875, 1874, and 1873 the numbers were respectively 33, 43, 22, 27,
13, and 40, so that last year the number registered was 10 less than during the preceding
year 1878. Of the total number of 291 cases treated during the period, 22 cases came to the
hospital voluntarily, and were registered prior to their being discharged. Thirty-two were
struck off from the list; of these 7 were recommended by the medical officers owing to
old age and thoroughly broken down state of health. The attendance of the women at the
periodical examinations has not been as regular latterly as could have been wished.
The cases admitted into hospital during the past year have on the whole been of a mild type
and readily yielded to treatment.