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Although unhelped by any lock hospital establishment, for an officer of such
merit the lock hospital scheme provides the very reason required to justify punish-
ment for disobedience. And so helped, he may realize the very best results attain-
able.
On the other hand, granted the best lock hospital management in conjunction
with indifferent management of the men, and the results will assuredly be unfavour
-
able.
102. Seeing that this is entirely a medical endeavour in favour of the English
soldiers, I think it reasonable to suppose that, under the newly-established medical
administrative organization, its management will fall into the hands of the Army
Medical Department.
If that should happen, and the course seems strictly just, I hope this may be the
last occasion upon which annual report concerning it will be required at the hands of
an Indian Medical Officer in civil employ.
I think better results may come from the direct appeals, strictures, or remarks
of a Medical Officer standing in close relation with and holding office in the army ;
more especially as the words of a trusted officer of that branch of the service would
be likely to reach and move the chief commanders to countenance a control of the
soldier's freedom of selection in regard to sexual intercourse. Chiefly from this cause,
which strikes at the root of the endeavour, has failure hitherto resulted.
103. One other cause of failure must be mentioned. In all these years with
which my reports have been associated, the lock hospital scheme has had to struggle
against the blighting influence of short service. Cautious old soldiers have gone
away to be replaced by reckless young men, always described in the local reports
as fond of unlicensed women and prone to disease.
Upon this point in 1880, from Cawnpore it is recorded (para. 7): —" Many of the
soldiers are young men, disliking the restraint of camp life, and prone to contract
disease from village women."
From Agra (para. 12):—" Towards the close of the year there was an enormous
increase of disease amongst the young soldiers of the 5th Regiment, and in every
instance it was proved that the disease had been contracted from unregistered women."
Again (para. 14):—Disease amongst the soldiers was comparatively rare until a
large detachment of young soldiers arrived."
From Lucknow (para. 23) :—" Amongst the soldiers, new comers suffered most
severely, which arises from their greater inclination to visit unregistered women. The
Artillery and Hussars were remarkably free from disease."
104. It seems not unlikely that history will record a lessened efficiency of the
British soldier in things more serious, resulting from the influence .of short service.
Certainly in this small matter of lock hospital management it has been powerful
as an element of vexatious overthrow. But as no other result could be expected
from the application of that service system to an empire like this of India, its realiza-
tion calls for no further comment.
Only it is right to say that if, under brighter prospects now dawning, improve-
ment in future lock hospital results should appear, remarks condemning the work
of the last seven years should always merit softening by the recollection that the
period has included years of short service—a period marked by the incoming of a
host of quite young men, very earnest about acquaintance with the teeming female life
of this over-peopled land, and very careless about disease ; perhaps likewise often
a new experience.
105. Although the record is unfavourable, it must not therefore be supposed that
nothing of life characterized the endeavour, or that it might as well be abolished as
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