( 2 )
Bareilly ...
...
. . .
•••
... 338.0
Cawnpore ...
•••
•••
•••
... 337.8
Ránikhet ...
•••
. . .
. . .
... 313.12
Muttra
...
•••
...
. . .
... 253.8
Chakráta ...
. . .
•••
. . .
... 201.9
In every one of these the ratio of disease in 1879 was greater than the
recorded ratio prior to the constitution of the hospitals. On the other hand,
the figures for the stations of Lucknow, Fyzabad, Jhánsi, Roorkee, and to
a less degree Sitapur, show very much better results, whether comparison
is made with the preceding five years, or with the years anterior to the
introduction of the present system.
4. The figures for the nine hospitals first named render the general
result for the year unfavorable, as owing to them the provincial ratio of
admissions was 257.3 in 1879, against a mean ratio of 254.3 in the five
preceding years. The figures in para. 103 do not tally with those given
in para. 99 of last year's report, but it is assumed that the latter ones are
correct. The Sanitary Commissioner will be asked to explain the
discrepancy. If the other figures be taken as accurate, the result is still
more unsatisfactory : as the ratio for 1879 is in this case 257, against an
average of 223.5 in the last five years. Prior to the establishment of lock-
hospitals, the five years' average was 275 ; and as the cost of these
institutions in 1879 amounted to Rs. 36,711 (against Rs. 36,405 in 1878),
it would appear that the improvement of 21 per mille is a poor result for
the expenditure incurred.
5. The Lieutenant-Governor and Chief Commissioner is of opinion
that the Sanitary Commissioner's review and the district reports have
brought out more prominently, and with greater clearness than ever, the
fact that the prevalence of disease among the soldiers is due almost
entirely to their consorting with unlicensed and unregistered women. If
they confined themselves to registered women, disease among them
would be very greatly diminished, if it did not entirely cease. When such
unregistered women are arrested, they are found almost invariably to be
suffering from disease of a bad type. It is to the prevention of such
illicit prostitution ; to restriction, where necessary, on the freedom of the
soldier ; and to the institution of organised measures for preventing the
class of women in question from lurking about cantonments and frequent-
ing the places open to the soldiers,—that efforts should be systematically
directed. Such efforts can be successfully made only when the regimental
and cantonment authorities combine to work in earnest for this object,
which is now clearly seen to be that which must chiefly be kept in view.
It is well remarked in the summary of the Lucknow report, that " the
real cause of success in lock-hospital management is incessant, vigilant,
ubiquitious police supervision over every class of women who can come
in contact with the soldier. To secure this supervision, money must be
spent ; and it will be better to spend it on measures of repression, than
on the treatment and support of the soldiers in hospital. All authorities
now agree in the opinion that unlicensed prostitution is the cause of pre-
valent disease ; and all forces should unite in suppressing this cause. And
chiefly, the regimental and general police should work together for the pre-