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The Commissioner thinks it is to be regretted that timely intimation of the
movement of troops into camp was not communicated to the Magistrate; as then
precautionary measures would have been taken to prevent the access of diseased women
to the soldiers. It is a notorious fact that whenever soldiers have access to. unregis-
tered women disease becomes rife, as in this case of 20 soldiers found diseased after
return from camp.
With regard to rent-free accommodation for the women, the Commissioner has
no doubt that by this step the women would be made more comfortable and perhaps
more attractive. But he doubts the realization of : beneficial results from this step,
because of the soldier's decided preference for unregistered women, who are the princi-
pal source of his disease.
3.—A GRA.
11. During the year 1882 a monthly average of 126 women remained on the
register, against 131 in 1881.
The results of the management have been fairly satisfactory. For the nine
years, 1874-82, the ratios of admissions to hospital for venereal disease, amongst the
European garrison, have been 182, 101, 92, 247, 396, 344, 403, 232, and 237 per 1,000
of daily average strength.
12. The Medical Officerr e p o r t s t h a t t h e w a t e r r e q u i r e d i n t h e h o s p i t a l h a s t o b e
brought from a distance, there being no well attached to it. This is a complaint of
long standing.
The hospital has been in charge of four separate Medical Officers at different times
of the year. Amongst the European soldiers there was an increase of venereal disease
in 1882 as compared with its prevalence in 1881. This increase must, the Medical
Officer thinks, have been due in greatest extent to disease contracted from unregis-
tered women. For, of 112 cases of soldiers' complaint against the registered women
as a cause of disease, in only 28 were the women complained of found to be diseased.
The sub-committee assembled monthly. The efforts made to prevent the sol-
diers' connection with unregistered women, who, as this year's statistics show, are the
cause of disease prevalence, have met with little success. Fourteen infantry and eight
artillery soldiers were employed as regimental police for this purpose. But were of
little use for the detection, or arrest, of women who lurk in the outskirts of canton-
ments. Of over 1,000 prostitutes who reside in Agra city only 61 are registered, and,
of these 61, 44 were admitted to hospital for disease during the year.
Of ten unregistered women arrested by the police during the year, nine were
found diseased upon examination.
The registered women of cantonments have attended regularly for examination.
But the registered women of the city have been less regular. Amongst the canton-
ment Women there was increase of disease; amongst the city women a decrease as
compared with last year. From the commencement of 1883 the examination house
in the city will be given up, and the city registered women will be ordered to attend
the cantonment lock hospital for examination. At Agra the benefit derivable from
lock hospital management is greatly lessened, because the soldiers are allowed to.
visit the unregistered women of the city.
13. The Cantonment Magistrate points out that, as a matter of fact, there was
no appreciable increase of disease amongst the soldiers in 1882, as compared with
1881. The ratio of the one year was 232 of the other 237 per 1,000 of daily strength.
(And the Magistrate is quite right.) Without doubt the disease discovered was due
to the soldiers' connection with unregistered women. Of such women nine, out of ten
arrested, were found diseased.
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