NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
( 112 )
P.S.—I omitted to mention that Surgeon-Major Curran had almost entirely given
up the use of the speculum. I had an opportunity of seeing his mode of examination
tested, and it appeared to me very efficient. The whole of the internal parts were ex-
posed in the most perfect manner. It, however, is not adapted for general use, as not
every native matron could without much practice be able to enable the medical officer
to dispense with the speculum.
It struck me as indelicate, but this of course in the case of prostitutes is not to be
considered, the main point being to arrive at the existence of disease.
REMARKS BY THE CANTONMENT COMMITTEE ON THE LOCK-HOSPI-
TAL REPORT FOR 1877.
THERE is a decided decrease of venereal generally. Primary syphilis is very rare,
and the principal medical officer, British forces, cannot recollect any case of second-
ary syphilis following on the primary disease.
The committee endorse the recommendation of the medical officer in charge of the
lock-hospital —
lst. —As to the necessity of a combined police, dhae, and prostitute supervision.
2nd. —As to the provision of an asylum for incurable and imbecile prostitutes.
The committee, in forwarding this report to His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor of
the North-Western Provinces, trust that steps may be taken to place these women
under proper supervision, no funds being available for the purpose at this station.
G. H. PARKER, LIEUT-COLONEL,
92nd Highlanders, Comdg. at Sitapur,
President, Cantonment Committee.
G. BAKER, Major, 6th B. Cavy.
J. G. FAUGHT, Surgeon-Major, S. M. O., B. F. Members.
M. H. COURT, Captain, S. S. O. and Secy.
FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT ON THE WORKING OF THE
LOCK-HOSPITALS IN THE NORTH-WESTERN PROVIN-
CES AND OUDH FOR THE YEAR 1877.
DURING the year 1877 the lock-hospitals of the North-Western Provinces and
Oudh continued their working in the same stations as during 1876.
As regards the North-Western Provinces, the figures showing results for the past
four years are in my possession; as regards Oudh, I can record the results of the past
two years only.
The facts are as follows:—
Results of lock-hospital management in the North-Western Provinces and Oudh for the
past four years and two years respectively.
Province.
Year.
N u m b e r o f l o c k - h o s - p i t a l s .
T o t a l e x p e n d i t u r e .
M o n t h l y a v e r a g e o f r e g i s t e r e d w o m e n
Cases of dis-
ease cured
amongst these
women.
Results on the health of the European garri-
son.
S y p h i l i s .
G o n o r r h œ a a n d m i n o r f o r m s o f d i s e a s e .
S t r e n g t h o f g a r r i s o n .
Ad mi s s i o n s t o h o s p i t a l f o r v e n e r e a l d i s e a s e .
Ra di o pe r 1, 000
Mean ratio per
1,000 for the five
years previous
to the opening
of the lock-
hospitals.
R s .
North-West-
ern Pro-
vinces. t
1874
14 26,431 1,011
770
867
9,433
1,898
201.2
2 7 3 . 1
1875
14 28,052 1,007 1,089
1,192
10,530
1,577
149.7
1876
14 25,087 899
875
1,165
9,658
1,300
134.6
1877
14 24,941 899
728
1,282
9,288
1,950
209.9
Oudh.
1876
4
8,821 919
242
937
3.915
1,019
260.8
1877
3
7,387 304
121
918
3,842
641
166.9
(132)
17th.—The necessity of determining the proper course of procedure in regard to
imbecile or idiotic women who may be found permitting promiscuous intercourse with
soldiers (para. 75).
18th.—The advantage of furnishing a copy of every printed report or order
referring to lock-hospitals to each lock-hospital office (para. 75, last clause).
SANITARY COMMR.'S OFFICE, N.- W. P. & OUDH,
Allahabad, the 22nd April, 1878.
C. PLANCK,
Sanitary Commr, N.-W. P. and Oudh.
No. I.—Annual return of women registered, and diseases treated in the Lock-hospitals of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, for the year 1877.
N u m b e r .
Lock-hospital at
T o t a l o f p r o s t i t u t e s r e g i s t e r e d .
N u m b e r w h o r e m o v e d n a m e s , d i e d o r a b s c o n d e d .
M o n t h l y a v e r a g e o f p r o s t i t u e s o n t h e r e g i s t e r .
M o n t h l y a v e r a g e a t t e n d i n g p e r i o d i c a l e x a m i n a t i o n s . T o t a l n u m b e r o f c a s e s r e p o r t e d t o M a g i s t r a t e f o r n o n - a t t e n d a n c e i n t h e y e a r .
T o t a l n u m b e r o f c a s e s o f d i s e a s e d i s c o v e r e d a n d r e t a i n e d f o r t r e a t m e n t i n t h e y e a r .
R E C O R D O F D I S E A S E S T R E A T E D .
T o t a l o f b o t h f o r m s o f d i s e a s e .
M o n t h l y a v e r a g e n u m b e r o f p r o s t i t u t e s i n h o s p i t a l .
Remarks.
Gonorrhœa, leuchorrœa and other minor
forms of disease.
Syphilis.
Re ma i n e d .
A d m i t t e d .
T o t a l .
D i s c h a r g e d .
Di ed.
R e m a i n i n g .
T o t a l .
R e m a i n e d . A d m i t t e d .
T o t a l .
D i s c h a r g e d .
Di ed.
R e m a i n i n g .
T o t a l .
1 Cawnpore
... 254
91
154.14
134.63
81
396 2 164 166 158
. . . 8 166 11 232 243 224 . . . 19
243
409 25.53
. . . 6 109 3
31
34
31 . . . 3
34
143 6.37
9 100 109 103
2 Agra
... 223
92
138.10
129.0
116
131
. . . 3
82 6
81
87
83 . . 4
87
169 12.94
3
79
82
79
3 Bareilly ...
1 5 6 52
95.29
90.58
54
160
. . . 22 333 9 145 154 150 . . . 4
154
487 22.·59
10 323 333 311
4 Allahabad
... 193
73
129.73
88.37
692
468
2
25
80 12.31
1
54
55
50 . . . 5
55 ....
25
25
23 ,,,
5 Meerut
...,, 150
65
84·10
64·20
32
79
88
191 14.60
7
96 103 97 . . . 6 103 13
75
88
77 . . . 11
6 Benares
120
55
71.40
50.50
56
167
11
16 0.70
7
,,,
Moradabad
78
24
56.91
49.37
15
16
. . .
5
5
5 . . . . . .
5 ...
11
11
10 . . . 1
199 14.15
75
8
Rani khet 51
8
35.11
31.12
3
199 ... 124 124 117 1 6 124 ...
75
75
69 . . . 6
4
23 0.90
9 Roorkee
... 40 14
19.62
19.45
1
23
. . . 19
19
19 . . . . . . . . . 19 ....
4
4
4 . . .
. . .
0
188 8.66
6 152 158 156 ... 2 158 3
27
30
29 . . . 1
10 Sháhjahánpur ...
51
13
34.54
32.37
27
179
3
29 0.94
. . . 26
26
26 ... . . .
26 ...
3
3
3 . . . . . .
1 1 Chakrata
...
32
4
23.73
23.73
...
30
1
71
. . . 70
70
70
. . . . . .
70 ...
1
1
1 . . . . . .
12 Muttra
...
· 3 6 12
18.0
18.0
. . .
. . .
30
159 4.87
47
82 129
85 . . . . . . 44 129 13
17
30
16 . . . 14
13 Naini Tal
.... 49 33
21·5
14.85
25
99
9
15
0 . 4 0
. . .
6
6
6
. . . . . .
6 ...
9
9
8 . . . 1
14 Jhánsi
...
29
8
16.42
15·18
4
15
428 17.00
12
8 408 416 399 ... 17 416 1
11
12
9 . . . 3
15 Lucknow
... 146
39
102.33
82.08
22
419
86
319 19.99
15 218 233 227 ... 6 233 7
79
86
79 . . .
7
16 Fyzabad
... 127
43
92.87
79.00
19
297
33
335 3.94
11 291 302 292 ... 10 302 2
31
33
33 . . . . . .
1 7 Sitapur
... 146
34
108.45
76.21
25
322
3,261
. . .
Total ... 1,881 657 1,202·69
998.64 ...
... 119 2,217 2,336 2,200 1 135 2,336 68 857 925 849 ... 76
925
3,424 191·46
Total for 1876 ... 2,415 707 1,819·.58 1,133.12 1,244 3,164 109 2,121 2,230 2,142 3 85 2,230 102 1,092 1,194 1,124 2 68 1,194
(133)
No. II-Annual return of expenditure incurred in the Lock-hospitals of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, for the year 1877.
Number.
Lock-hospital.
Pay of medical
officer.
Pay of estab
lishment.
All other
expenses.
Total.
By
Government.
From canton
merit funds.
Total.
Receipts.
Fines realized.
Rs. a. p.
Rs. a. p.
Rs. a. p.
Rs. a. p.
Rs. a. p.
Rs. a. p.
Rs. a. p.
Rs. a. p.
1
Cawnpore
...
...
. . .
. . .
1,200 0 0
648 0 0
831 3 9
2,679 13 9
2,033 3 1
646 10 8
2,679 13 9
135 14 0
2 Agra
...
...
. . .
...
1,200 0 0
1,008 0 0
822 4 7
3,030 4 7
1,146 5 7
1,884 0 0
3,039 4 7
43 3 0
3 Bareilly ...
...
. . .
...
1,200 0 0
396 0 0
720 0 0
2,316 0 0
...
. . .
. . .
2,316 0 0
2,316 0 0
60 4 0
4 Allahabad...
...
...
. . .
1,200 0 0
599 0 0
1,112 9 4
2,911 9 4
. . . . . .
. . .
2,911 9 4
2,911 9 4
1 0 0
5 Meerut ...
...
. . .
. . .
1,200 0 0
792 4 8
386 14 8
2,379 3 4
... . . .
. . .
2,379 3 4
2,379 3 4
98 8 0
6 Benares ...
...
...
. . .
...
1,200 0 0
576 0 0
748 10 2
2,524 10 2
2,160 3 0
364 7 2
2,524 10 2
20 8 0
7
Moradabad ...
...
. . .
. . .
6 0 0 0 0
368 0 0
158 10 6
1,126 10 6
1,126 10 6
...
. . .
. . .
1,126 10 6
. . .
. . .
. . .
8 Ranikhet...
...
. . .
...
6 0 0 0 0
612 0 0
952 5 10
2,164 5 10
1,984 5 10
180 0 0
2,164 5 10
. . .
. . .
. . .
9 Roorkee ...
... ...
...
600 0 0
310 4 0
99 5 6
1,009 9 6
768 9 6
241 0 0
1,009 9 6
1 0 0
10 Sháhjahánpur ...
...
. . .
...
600 0 0
768 0 0
226 10 2
1,594 10 2
. . .
. . .
. . .
1,594 10 2
1,594 10 2
40 0 0
11
Chakratta ...
...
. . .
. . .
220 0 0
165 0 0
430 10 6
815 10 6
815 10 6
. . .
. . .
. . .
815 10 6
. . .
. . .
. . .
12
Muttra ...
. . .
. . .
210 0 0
155 8 0
105 7 6
470 15 6
. . .
. . .
. . .
470 15 6
470 15 6
10 0 0
13 Naini Tál ...
...
. . .
600 0 0
502 10 4
325 3 6
1,427 13 10
1,427 13 10
...
. . .
. . .
1,427 13 10
22 4 0
14 Jhansi ...
... ...
. . .
240 0 0
180 0 0
69 10 5
489 10 5
489 10 5
. . .
. . .
. . .
489 10 5
. . .
. . . . . .
15 Lucknow
...
..
. . .
. . .
1,200 0 0
1,200 0 0
561 0 10
2,961 0 10
. . . . . .
. . .
2,961 0 10
2,961 0 10
. . . . . . . . .
16 Fyzabad ...
...
...
. . .
. . .
1,200 0 0
744 0 0
854 14 11
2,798 14 11
97 13 6
2,701 1 5
2,798 14 11
4 8 0
17 Sitapur ...
... ...
. . .
. . .
600 0 0
624 0 0
403 4 1
1,627 4 1
... . . .
. . .
1,627 4 1
1,627 4 1
9 13 0
Total ...
. . .
1 3 , 8 7 0 0 0
9,648 11 0
8,809 8 3
32,328 3 3
12,050 4 9
20,277 14 6
32,328 3 3
447 3 0
Total for 1876
...
. . . 14,220 0 0
11,239 13 5
8,449 2 2
33,908 15 7
10,225 13 1
23,608 12 7
33,834 9 8
532 14 0
0.7
ORDERS OF GOVERNMENT.
No. 13 OF 1878.
FROM
THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT,
NORTH-WESTERN PROVINCES AND OUDH.
To
T e S r c y t o t h e G o v t o f I n d i a ,
H o m e & m u l e D e p a r t m e n t a n d t h e Q u a r t e r m a s t e r g e n l . A r m y i n I n d i a
Dated Allahabad, the 5th August, 1878
SIR,
I AM directed to forward for the information of His Excellency
the Gov. Genl. in Cownfield in India the annual
report on the working of the lock hospitals in the North-Western Pro-
vinces and Oudh, for the year 1877. The question of amending the
existing law on the subject of contagious diseases is under separate con-
sideration, with reference to the Resolution of the Government of India,
Home Department (Sanitary), No. 357, dated 21a December last.
2. It will be observed that the Sanitary Commissioner has sum-
marised the reports at page 112, and collected together the points on
which orders are required (page 131). The summary is clear, and may
be said to express generally the views of this Government. I am, how-
ever, to add the following remarks :—
(1.)—The ratio* of admissions into hospital per 1,000 of the troops in
1877, on account of venereal diseases, was 197.
This contrasts badly with the ratio in 1876,
which was only 170. But it is an improve-
ment on the figures* of 1875, 1874, and of the
five years preceding the establishment of lock hospitals. The latter have
evidently been productive of good. There is also the unanimous testi-
mony of the medical officers in charge of lock hospitals that the diseases
contracted by the men are of much milder forms than before.
*1875... ...216
1874... ...238
Ra t i o o f f i v e y e a r s p r e v i o u s t o o p e n i n g o f l o c k h o s p i t a l s . . . . . . 2 7 3
(2.)—It is difficult to determine all the causes which lead to the very
different ratios of admissions into hospital in the several military stations.
Some of them must be ascribed to the locality of Cantonments, the con-
tiguity or distance of the city, the nature of the Cantonment bazars.
Others are undoubtedly due to the efficiency or laxity of regimental con-
trol, the degree in which the civil and military authorities co-operate,
and the activity of the committee: In Agra, the lock hospital sub-com-
mittee seldom met, and it was not till the end of the year that the
members knew that disease bad increased (page 6). In Benares, registered
women were examined only twice a month, whereas in other stations
examinations are held very frequently. In Cawnpore, the police were
active, and managed to detect 11 cases of illicit prostitution. In Agra
only one case was brought to light. But the most powerful agent is the
( 2 )
vigilance or comparative indifference of the regimental authorities. The
marked improvement which the lock hospital returns show to have taken
place in the garrisons of Oudh is chiefly due to the personal exertions
of the General Commanding the Division.
3. The area within which registration was attempted was the same
as in the previous year. In nearly all cases the rules are extended to an
area of four or five miles around cantonments. At Chakráta these are
limited to cantonments only, but it is proposed that they should be
extended to a four-mile radius (page 61). This is a question that must
be determined in the Military Department. The registration within
cantonments seems in all stations, to be fairly strict, but beyond the
cantonment boundaries it is often nominal. In no town do the authori-
ties attempt to register any prostitutes except those visited by European
soldiers. The utility of this imperfect registration principally depends
on the vigilance of the town police. Where they are active, a fair mea-
sure of success is attained. In Meerut, the cantonment committee
have brought the defectiveness of the city registration to the notice of
the Magistrate, and he has taken steps to remedy it (page 35). This
might be also done by the cantonment committees of other towns, in
which the registration of prostitutes outside cantonments is most defect-
ive, and Magistrates will be directed by this Government to aid in
securing a more efficient registration.
4. The report shows that comparatively little disease is contracted
by the troops from registered prostitutes. Improvement in the existing
state of things must be sought in the suppression of illicit prostitution,
whether within or outside the protected area. This will be specially
considered in the local Governments' reply to the resolution of the
Government of India, in the Home Department, suggesting the amend-
ment of the Cantonment Act, and of the rules framed under section
XIX., clause 7 of it. Here it is enough to notice the importance of
regimental measures of detection and inspection. The good results of
keeping the troops out of the native town are seen in the instance of
Cawnpore. Much of the illicit prostitution which goes on in canton-
ments might be checked by regimental police, and by carefully keeping
coolie and low-caste women from the vicinity of the lines.
5. The points enumerated by the Sanitary Commissioner in his
para. 94, (page 131) are recommended to the special attention of the
Government of India. They are questions which for the most part can
only be disposed of by the Military Department. A few of them require
notice.
Point 6th .—The Cantonment Magistrate of Ránikhet complains
that the lock hospital peons cannot enter a prostitute's house in the per-
formance of their duties. Under rule 22 of the lock hospital rules, a
Cantonment Magistrate can give special authority to a police officer, or to
any other person , to inspect the houses of prostitutes. This rule,
however, applies only to registered prostitutes but I am to say that if
the receiving of visits from European soldiers was proved against other
( 3 )
prostitutes, the obvious course for the Cantonment Magistrate to pursue
was to bring them on the register.
Point 10th.—The Lieutenant-Governor would commend the exer-
tions of Dr. Evatt and Dr. Fairland. The reports of these officers show
how much can be done by an active medical officer, when cordially sup-
ported by the General.
Point 12 th.—I am to state that the Lucknow city lock hospital was
formerly supported by the municipality. The municipal committee have
lately withdrawn their contribution, as the municipal funds are hardly
sufficient to meet charges even more urgent than this. If the artillery
are to be withdrawn from the Machi Bhawan fort, the city lock hospital
will not be required.
Point 13th.—This is under separate consideration.
Point 14th.—The City Magistrate of Lucknow says that it is custom-
ary in cantonments for the police to send unregistered and unconvicted.
women to the lock hospital. Such procedure is, no doubt, illegal. But
it is not clear from Dr. Fairland's report that this is actually the
practice. He merely says, "that all unregistered women captured by the
police in the act of prostitution were, when diseased, treated in hospital."
The proper procedure is that the fact of prostitution should first be
proved before the Cantonment Magistrate, and the necessary order for
the detention of the woman in the lock hospital obtained.
Point 17 th.—The medical officer, in charge of the lock hospital
of Sitapur, reports the cases of two idiot women who have been found
practising prostitution (page 109). It seems to the Lieutenant-Governor
that he should endeavour, through the Magistrate in charge of the can-
tonments, to find out their relations and make them over to them. If this
cannot be done, and the women are really lunatics, they should be made
over to the civil authorities for transmission to a lunatic asylum.
Point 18th.—The same officer also suggests that a copy of the
lock hospital report should be sent to him (page 111). It is not circu-
lated at present, but His Honour thinks that it is desirable to circulate
the whole of Dr. Planck's report, i. e., from page 112 to the end, with
the orders issued on points that can be disposed of by this Government,
and this will accordingly be done.
3. In conclusion, the Lieutenant-Governor and Chief Commissioner
would especially note the success achieved in Oudh, and I am to say
that while the medical officers at Fyzabad and Lucknow deserve great
credit for it, His Honour is assured that their success would have been
less had they not been zealously supported by the General Commanding.
I have the honour to be,
SIR,
Your most obedient servant,
C. ROBERTSON,
Secy. to Govt., N.-W. P. and Oudh.
( 4 )
No. 14.
COPY, with copy of report, forwarded to Sanitary Commissioner
with the Government of India, for information.
No. 15.
COPY, with copy of report, also forwarded to Surgeon-General,
British Medical Service, for information.
No. 16.
COPY, with copy of report, also forwarded to Surgeon-General,
Medical Department, for information.
No. 17.
COPY, with copy of Dr. Planck's summary, i . e ., from page 112
to end, of the reports on lock hospitals, forwarded to all Commissioners
of Divisions, North-Western Provinces and Oudh (except Rae Bareli),
for information and communication to officers concerned, with special
reference to concluding portion of clause 3, para. 2.
No. 18.
* Cawnpore.
Sháhjahánpur.
Agra.
Chakráta.
Bareilly.
Muttra.
Allahabad.
Naini Tal.
Meerut.
Jhánsi.
Benares.
Lucknow.
Moradabad.
Fyzabad.
Ránikhet.
Sitapur
Roorkee.
COPY, with copy of Dr. Planck's
summary of the reports, forwarded
to the Presidents of Cantonment
Committees* for information and
communication to the Medical Offi-
cer in charge of the hospital.
No. 19.
COPY, with copy of above endorsements only, forwarded to Sani-
tary Commissioner, North-Western Provinces and Oudh, in reply to his
docket No. 12, dated 22nd April last.
( 17 )
73. The Deputy Commissioner agrees with the Cantonment Committee that the
situation and peculiarities of the cantonment site make it unusually difficult to effect
good results from lock-hospital management and rules there. The high price of
food drove many women to prostitution.
The area of lock-hospital jurisdiction should be increased. At present it does
not extend beyond cantonment boundaries.
The Deputy Commissioner also agrees with the committee in thinking that
unlicensed prostitution should be more severely punished, and that solicitation should
be made punishable.
74. The Commissioner notes an increase of disease during 1878. The Deputy
Commissioner will be asked to state how he proposes to enforce the rules in the
additional area he wishes taken up. It is not necessary to discuss changes in the
law in an annual report.
(14)—NAINI TAL.
75. During the year 1878 a monthly average of 26 women remained on the
register against 22 in 1877.
The results of the management have been satisfactory as compared with those of
former years.
During the five years, 1874-78, the ratios of venereal cases per 1,000 of the
European garrison present at Naini Tal, have been 275, 95, 141, 255, and 187 respec-
tively.
76. The Medical Officer reports that the quarters of the medical subordinate
attached to the hospital should be enlarged, and points out that no servant's quarters
are available, although much needed. This is a complaint of long standing. Kutcha
huts of trifling cost would provide the necessary accommodation.
The convalescents came up on the 7th of April.
The Cantonment Sub-Committee assembled monthly to audit accounts and to
enquire into matters brought before it. Two chaprasis were employed to arrest
unregistered women engaged in illicit prostitution.
They arrested five women, who were registered. Most of the soldiers admitted to
hospital for venereal affections acknowledged that they had cohabited with unregis-
tered women. Admissions to hospital amongst the women were more numerous in
1878 than in the previous year, but were principally for non-venereal affections.
The employment of a dhaie is very necessary to control the women, and the
Deputy Surgeon-General at his annual inspection recommended her employment.
Nothing has been left undone by the authorities to prevent the spread of disease,
and the prevalence would have been less but for the difficulty of preventing men from
wandering outside cantonment boundaries, where they have connection with unregis-
tered women, who solicit the soldiers with impunity.
Nearly all admissions of men to hospital are traceable to this source.
77. The Cantonment Committee forward the report without remark.
The President adds the remark that no complaints have been made by any
person concerned with the working of the lock-hospital system, which has been very
satisfactory.
78. The Commissioner forwards the report with the remark that he thinks the
results are as favorable as could be expected.
(15)—ROORKEE.
79. During the year 1878 a monthly average of 28 women remained on the
register against 20 in 1877.
The results of the management have been unsatisfactory
5