( 21 )
Amongst the soldiers there was increase of disease in 1883, as compared with 1882.
I n m o s t i n s t a n c e s t h e y s t a t e d t h a t d i s e a s e h a d b e e n c o n t r a c t e d f r o m u n r e g i s t e r e d
women, met after dark in ravines.
Some registered women were. accused of causing disease, and taken at once to,
the station hospital for examination. Not one of them was found diseased.
The Medical Officer again recommends the establishment of a brothel in the sadr
bazar, and urges that the police should be more vigilant to catch the unregistered
women Who prowl after dark in the ravines. That the registered women should be
obliged to present themselves regularly for weekly examinations. That the number of
registered women should be increased. During the year of report, the Magistrate
ordered the removal from the register of 15 women's names, on the grounds that they
had ceased to be prostitutes, or had become mistresses, or had changed their places of
residence. to beyond the recognized area of lock hospital management.
8 3 . T h e
C a n
t o a m e n t C o m m i t t e e
are of opinion that the working of the lock hospi
-tal for 1883 was satisfactory, but consider that a stricter registration of the prosti-
tutes would lead to even better results. It is believed that many prostitutes get
their names taken off the register on plea of giving up prostitution with soldiers, and
yet continue that business.
84. The Commanding Officer thinks the lock hospital building is not sufficiently
enclosed to prevent the patients going out when they like.
With reference to the objection taken by the Commissioner to the holding of the
medical charge by a hospital assistant—recorded in the report for 1882, paragraph
88—it is now understood that the Commissioner approves the appointment. The Magistrate
having addressed the Commissioner in regard to it, at the request of the Cantonment
Committee.
85 The Magistrate of the distr ict thinks there is no reason for supposing that
the working of the hospital, for 1883, has not been successful. In regard to the ab-
sence of women from the weekly inspections, they were greatest in the first four-
months of the year, during the continuance of an enquiry as to what women were enti-
tled to exemption from registration. When this was determined and their names.
were struck off the register, the remaining women were very regular in their attend.-
ance.
86. Time Commissioner summarizes the results, quoting the necessary figures.
He notes an increase of disease amongst the soldiers in 1883, as compared with 1882,.
a n d t h i n k s i t w a s g r e a t l y c l u e t o t h e i r r e g u l a r a t t e n d a n c e o f t h e r e g i s t e r e d w o m e n f o r
examination. The Magistrate will be asked to enforce the law in this respect, and also
to ascertain whether cantonment funds can meet the cost of a place of residence for
the registered women, such as exists at Agra, and wherein they can be well looked
after.
Section II.
RECORD OF GENERAL RESULTS.
8 7 . D u r i n g
. t h e y e a r 1 8 8 3 , a m o n t h l y a v e r a g e o f 9 7 9 w o m e n r e m a i n e d o n t h e
registers. For the six years, 1878-83, the averages have been 1,350, 1,286, 1,152, 1,145,
1,087, and 979. The figures witness to a continuance of decline in the protected
women force, which cannot but be prejudicial to successful lock hospital results.
Taking from this average force, in 1883, the average force of women in hospital, 125,
there remain but 866 registered women available for the service of a daily average of
1 1 , 4 7 1 s o l d i e r s . Th i s a p r o v i d e s r a t i o o f 7 · 5 wo me n t o 1 0 0 s o l d i e r s , e q u a l t o o n e
woman for 13 men—a propotion which cannot be considered sufficient. But fortu-
nately it happens that a certain number of soldiers are married or otherwise wedded
6