( 20 )
The Commissioner is of opinion that a medical officer of higher standing than
that of Assistant Apothecary should have charge of the hospital.
RECORD OF GENERAL RESULTS.
83. During the year 1880 a monthly average of 1,152.3 women remained on
the registers of the hospitals, against 1,286 . 1 in 1879 and 1,350'2 in 1878.
The figures may be found in table I., and they evidence a persistent decline in
the number of the women brought under control. This decline in 1880 equalled a
monthly average of 133.8 women as compared with the average of 1879, and 197.9
as compared with the average of 1878.
The total number of women brought under control is by no means in excess of
the number required for the effectual working of the system.
Indeed, the first essential of success is a liberal supply of registered women, and
think it may serve a good purpose to direct attention to the hospitals which Provide
the worst results in this respect.
84. These are—Allahabad, with a monthly decline of 11 women for the year
1880 as compared with 1879 ; Cawnpore, with a decline of 26 ; Agra, with a decline
of 23 ; Meerut, with a decline of 23 ; and Lucknow, with a decline of 24.
It will be noticed that these are hospitals at important stations having compara-
tively large garrisons, which seems to make it more necessary that they should be able
to report a full registration. I should state that this decline is not due in any consi-
derable measure to the close of the Sitapur hospital, as the women newly registered
at the Fatehgarh hospital add 27 to the register, as against 32 removed at Sitapur.
85. The women everywhere have been well reported of as obedient to orders
and willing to submit to examination, and ready to remain in hospital when found
diseased. Out of a total monthly average of 1,152 a monthly average of 964 attended
regularly for examination. The balance, average 188, are likely to have been included
in considerable number amongst those in hospitals reported to have equalled a month-
ly average of 204.
Yet the record of 875 cases of report to the Magistrate for absence from exami-
nation assembly seems to witness to a spirit of opposition upon the part of some at
least of the women. But it is necessary to guard against the formation of opinion
from a consideration of this grave total, 875, that a great number of persons may have
been absentees at examination. For probably the majority of these cases represent
only a few individuals persistently absent from some unavoidable cause and conti-
nuously reported. By reference to para. 80 it may be seen that this was the case
as regards most of the 167 cases reported at Fatehgarh.
86. Disease amongst the women has been less in 1880 than in 1879 by 365
cases. Yet the returns show a considerable amount of disease discovered amongst
them, even as many as 2,952 cases happening amongst 1,785 women registered through-
out the year. But it should be explained that these are by no means all cases of
contagious disease likely to hurt the soldiers. The two forms of disease having that
character are gonorrhœa and syphilis. Of gonorrhœa 820 cases, and of syphilis
1,064 cases, were discovered during the year ; total 1,884.
The balance of cases reported—namely, 1,068—were of non-contagious forms of
disease, for which the sufferers were admitted for their own advantage. Again, for
the further correct understanding of this matter, it must be explained that disease dis-
covered prior to registration is also included in this total of cases. It may be laid
down as a rule, having comparatively few exceptions, that the women newly brought
on to the register in any year are suffering from disease requiring admission to hos-
pital (para. 23). The total number of women newly registered in 1880 was 640.