( 86 )
sions amongst the soldiers, it is fair to assume that these labours have fully .borne
out the good promise of past experience.
6. Each regiment has also had its corps of soldier-police, who have at times
been instrumental in capturing unlicensed prostitutes.
7. Perhaps the best measure of all has been the unceasing vigilance exercised
by all concerned in watching any increase in the number of admissions amongst the
troops, and then taking immediate steps to ascertain the cause of such increase. In
cases where it has been discovered and proved that the men have consorted with
unregistered prostitutes, speedy retribution has followed on their lapse from virtue.
8. By order of the Lieutenant-General Commanding, all detachments of men
arriving in the division are at once medically inspected for the purpose of discover-
ing the existence amongst them of cases of venereal disease.
This is a most salutary measure, and has had the result of showing correctly how
many cases of disease are contracted before the men arrive in the command.
9. All cases of concealment of disease are also severely punished. I believe
this rule has had the effect of checking a practice which until recent times was rather
a common one, and which often produced the most baneful results in the constitutions
of the men practising it.
10. Registration.—This included all classes of prostitutes affected by the Act.
All unregistered women captured by the police in the act of prostitution, or coming
voluntarily to the lock-hospital for registration, were, when diseased, treated in hospital,
and on discharge offered the alternatives of registration on the cantonment list, or of
imprisonment for a breach of the Lock-hospital Act. They almost invariably accepted
the former, and thus became subject to constant supervision.
11. The number of women on the register has increased since last report.
Column 3 of statement No. II. shows the number of women on the register to have
fluctuated from 92 to 110, the average for the year having been 102. The variation
has been due to the departure of some women with the 65th Regiment to Dinapur,
or to other stations with or without leave ; marriage to respectable members of society
and long continued illness, not of a venereal character, rendering a return to their
village homes desirable.
12. Registration fees.—These have been discontinued since 1873.
13. Arrangements for the examination and treatment of the women .—The women
have been very regular in their attendance at the bi-weekly inspections, only 22
women having been reported to the Cantonment Magistrate during the whole year
for absence without leave.
14. The number of women recorded in column 4 of statement No. II. as
attending the examinations is exclusive of those women undergoing treatment in
hospital.
15. When a woman's name was removed from the register, a report of the fact
was made to the police, so that no woman might abscond from cantonments and
practice her calling in the city unknown to them.
16. The women were all examined twice weekly—on Tuesdays by myself with
the help of the native hospital assistant and the matron, and on the Fridays by the
two latter alone.
17. The speculum was used in every case ; the examination room was suitable
in all respects ; the women never objected to the inspections, which were conducted
with all tenderness.
18. The number of admissions into the lock-hospital has not varied much since
last year.
With an average number of 102 women on the register there have been 419
admissions, inclusive of 34 unregistered prostitutes.