(
13
)
the registered women. Amongst unlicensed prostitutes brought by the police for
examination severe cases were seen.
During the year 125 cases of absence from examination were reported against
53 in 1878; and 198 women have been found diseased against 136 in 1878.
The greater proportion of the women added to the register during the year were
unlicensed prostitutes captured by the police, and almost all these women were found
diseased.
A considerable ncrease of disease amongst the soldiers occurred in 1879 ; general-
ly the cases in the men were of a mild type, and few were followed by secondary symp-
toms.
During the month of April the Medical Officer called attention to the fact that
primary syphilis prevailed amongst the soldiers, while there was no disease of this
form amongst the registered women. As a result a number of unlicensed prostitutes
were registered after arrest by the police, and the soldiers were forbidden to enter
the city. At first good results followed these measures, but afterwards a high admis-
sion ratio was again established.
The Medical Officer has no doubt that most of the disease seen amongst the soldiers
is contracted from unlicensed women of the population surrounding cantonments. He
thinks the authorities, Civil and Military, have done all in their power to improve
matters, but have failed in this object because it is probably impossible by police regu-
lation to prevent this unlicensed prostitution in the Benares cantonment. He there-
fore recommends the trial of a new plan by which selected women should be subsidized
to act as courtezans to the soldiers only. The soldiers to be warned against inter-
course with other women, and punished by stoppage of pay or otherwise when found
diseased.
As things are now managed at Benares, the lock hospital, he thinks, is a charita-
ble institution, existing for the benefit of the registered women only, and not in any
measure efficient as against the spread of disease amongst the soldiers.
The Medical Officer recommends that, before further condemnatory remarks on
the action of the local authorities are recorded, the Sanitary Commissioner should visit
Benares to judge of the management, and, if necessary, make suggestions for its
improvement.
48. The Cantonment Committee agree with the Medical Officer that blame for
the very bad results recorded attaches to the system, and not to the civil or military
authorities. The police did their duty well, as shown by the fact that 47 new women
were added to the register. But the soldiers will not resort to registered women.
The peculiar circumstances of the Benares cantonment, which is surrounded by
crowded bazaars, makes the detection of illicit prostitution extremely difficult, and the
committee favour a trial of the plan recommended by the Medical Officer of subsidiz-
ing a few good looking women for the soldiers use only.
49.
The Magistrate of the district thinks if the Sanitary Commissioner be
requested to spend a short time at Benares, he might suggest some practicable remedy
for the acknowledged failure in good results recorded there, and recommends the
month of May as a good time for such visit. The Magistrate thinks that soldiers con-
tracting venereal disease in India might be punished by stoppage of pay, as they are
in England.
50.
The Commissioner notes that nearly every second European soldier at Benares
has suffered from venereal disease during the year 1879, notwithstanding all the
efforts of the civil and military authorities to prevent the disease.
The Commissioner agrees with the Medical Officer in thinking that a better class
of women should be subsidized for the soldiers use ; soldiers visiting other women to
be punished. 4