( 122 )
accepted for a reason of non-attendance at any examination; so that by speedy dis-
covery disease had neither time nor opportunity for development to a serious extent.
Women were not detained in hospital during their periods of menstruation, but during
this period a woman's ticket was not signed by the medical officer, as a warning to
the soldier to have no communication with her, and the matron is held responsible for
the continence of the women during that period.
Amongst the women 12 cases of syphilis (all cases of unregistered women) and
36 cases of gonorrhœa were discovered. Amongst the soldiers 128 cases of syphilis
and 228 cases of gonorrhœa occurred.
The figures point conclusively to a cause of disease other than the registered
women. The medical officer is of opinion that sexual intercourse of the soldiers with
unregistered women, Kunjar women, field labourers, European and Eurasian women
dwelling on the outskirts of cantonments, was this cause, and especially the sexual
intercourse of soldiers of the artillery quartered in Machibhawan Fort with unregis-
tered prostitutes of the city. Up to September, 1876, the city prostitutes, to the
number of 614, were registered and managed by a separate city lock-hospital, which
was abolished in that month.
The result upon the health of the artillery soldiers has been very bad, as many
as one-half the small force in question having contracted venereal disease during the
past year. But for this cause the results of the year's management would have been
satisfactory indeed.
The medical officer pleads earnestly for the re-establishment of the city lock-
hospital, not alone for the good of the artillery soldiers, who, being placed far from
cantonments, are obliged to consort with the city women near to them, but also for
the good of the soldiers of cantonments, who also at times visit the city and con-
tract disease there.
62. The cantonment magistrate records the opinion that disease amongst the
soldiers is contracted from three classes of unregistered women:—
( a)—Native women who hang about the barracks.
(b)—European and half-caste prostitutes who reside just outside of cantonments.
(c)—Native prostitutes who live in streets and quarters just outside the canton-
ments.
Class ( a) is dealt with successfully by the cantonment and regimental authorities;
classes (b) and (c) are at perfect liberty to do what they like; formerly both these classes
were subject to city lock-hospital rules, and were controlled, their diseases discovered
and cured. Now that the city lock-hospital has been abolished, the power of these
classes to spread disease is unlimited and taken advantage of to the fullest extent.
Especially the number of European and half-caste prostitutes has increased. All that
can be done is to place the city out of bounds to the soldier, and this the general com-
manding has done.
As the Contagious Diseases Act (XIV. of 1868) applies to Lucknow city, the can-
tonment lock-hospital rules cannot be enforced in it. The rules of the Contagious
Diseases Act cannot be enforced, as regards prevention of venereal disease, without the
existence of a city lock-hospital.
The cantonment magistrate recommends the framing of rules under the Act
giving power to the cantonment magistrate to deal with the classes (b ) and (c) above
described, the cantonment lock-hospital being declared a certified hospital under the
Act, and he has drafted rules to this intent. The rules have been forwarded to
Government. (They are not in the file).
63. The general commanding the division records his cordial thanks to Staff
Surgeon Fairland for his good management of the lock-hospital during the past
year.