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considerable decrease in the number of registered women; indeed, only 72 women
remained on the register at the end of the year—a quite ridiculous number when
compared with the probable number of prostitutes residing at Allahabad. And the
registered women's complaints, in regard to the injustice of permitting so many
prostitutes to practice their vocation without registration, are a common story to the
Medical Officer. Such permission hindering the licensed women in their endeavours
to obtain a livelihood, a subject of loud complaint. The native police in no way inter-
fere to prevent or remedy this condition of things. Many registered women are
allowed to absent themselves on leave by the registering authority. Some have their
names removed from the register, on plea of marriage, or of contract to the service , of
one man. Yet these women continue to consort with soldiers, and laugh at the
delicate application of the law which permits their escape from examination and
management. These facts merit serious consideration in the interests of British
army efficiency, for which the State expends liberally. Without doubt a stricter
registration would increase the work of the Medical Officer. Yet he would call for
it and demand a better surveillance by the police.
And the Medical Officer calls attention to the fact, that whenever the restriction
to the soldiers' visits to the city or other centres of population is removed, then
venereal disease increases amongst them.
The registered women have been examined weekly by the Medical Officer,
either at the lock hospital or in a room in the city, at the choice and convenience
of the women concerned.
The hospital assistant, Hira Lal, is greatly commended for his attention to
duty, his valuable service being worthy of highest praise, his conduct a pattern of
goodness.
3. The Cantonment Committee observe, with great satisfaction, the marked
decrease of venereal disease amongst the soldiers during the past year.
4. The Cantonment Magistrate reports, that the city and Katra and Colonelganj
bazars were placed out of bounds to the soldiers, from the 12th of April to the 14th
of July, and Katra and Colonelganj and two mohallas of the city a second time,
from 27th of July to 10th of October. In October a new regiment arrived and then
disease increased amongst the soldiers. The Cantonment Magistrate does not think
the restrictions placed on the soldier, from April to October, made any marked
difference in the disease prevalence amongst them, and quotes the monthly figures of
admissions in support of that view. (These figures show that for the seven months April
to October inclusive the average monthly admissions were 6.0 and for the five remain-
ing months of the year 13.6,—a very substantial difference in support of the Medical
Officer's view, that restriction to the soldier's movements does prevent disease). Further,
the Cantonment Magistrate states that no soldier has ever yet reported an unregister-
ed woman as consorting with him or causing him disease, and that the Medical
Officer's assertion of the existence of a large number of unregistered women in the
city and bazars who consort with Europeans, is apparently based on the doubtful
testimony of a few prostitutes and the statements of the soldiers themselves. And it
may be assumed that the Cantonment Magistrate thinks the assertion unreasonable,
no large number of such women being in existence. (Yet it seems fair to remark
that unless the women who suffer from the competition, or the soldier bearing the
mark of disease and angry with the cause thereof, are to be believed, reliable evidence
will be hard of attainment. That the soldier should not go to the Magistrate
in his trouble, but rather to the Doctor, is in accordance with the fitness of
things).
The names of 33 women were removed from the register during the year 23
on application, 7 on report of having left the station 3 for death—and 15 women were
newly registered during the year.