MOOLTAN :
The 17 th January 1888.
R. E. GENGE, SURGEON, M.S.,
In Medical Charge, Lock Hospital.
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men own to having contracted the disease from women living in outlying villages,
while others point out perfectly healthy women as those from, whom they have
contracted the disease.
G .—No registration fees are levied.
H.—The attendance of women at the periodical examinations has been
regular. Out of an average of 107.63, 107.22 have attended weekly examinations.
The general reason for non-attendance has been sickness (fever, &c.). On a
woman's friends reporting that she was sick her ticket has been invariably
retained in the Lock Hospital, and she has been visited at her own house by the
Hospital Assistant. In only one or two cases has advantage been taken by
women who have endeavoured to avoid being detained in hospital during a
menstrual period. These cases were reported to the Cantonment Magistrate, and
the women punished. In all 67 women were reported for non-attendance,
of whom a large proportion had absconded. The, tickets of women obtain-
ing leave were kept in the office of the Cantonment Magistrate until their
return, when, if reported "healthy" by the Medical, Officer in charge of the Lock
Hospital, they again received them. The total amount of fines realized during
the year was Rs. 232-12-0.
I.—All women on the register were examined regularly once a week. The
woman lies on a table in a good light ; the external parts are thoroughly
exposed by the Hospital Assistant, after which the internal parts ate examined
through a " speculum." Only one woman is admitted to the room at a time, and
the utmost decency is observed. The dhai remains in the room and receives
instructions as to the application of remedies, which she carries out subsequently.
Women admitted are examined and treated twice daily until recovery.
J.—The number of women found diseased and detained for treatment
was 211 against 324 last year. The disease with few exceptions has been of a
very mild type. The majority of cases shewn as primary syphilis were of a local
nature such as give rise to " ulcer penis " (as referred to in Section "C"). During
the last two months of the year I endeavoured to separate these cases from
primary syphilis proper, the disease being shewn in annual Statement No. II as
"venereal ulcer. Women suffering from leucorrhœa have frequently been
detained in hospital for two or three days without being " admitted" in the
same manner as those suffering from the menstrual flow, of which process I
believe leucorrhœa to be in many cases a sequel.
K.—One dhái has been employed, but her duties are entirely confined to
the hospital. The applications applied by her have been followed by the reco-
very of the patients.
L.—As stated in Section " C, " the term " primary syphilis" includes
cases of " ulcer penis " not giving rise to a constitutional disease. Mooltan is
wonderfully free from true syphilis. I am able to state from personal knowledge
that the majority of cases of syphilis treated in the Station Hospital are not
contracted in this place, most of the men admitted for primary and secondary
syphilis being recent arrivals from England or from Convalescent Depôts. I
would therefore suggest that a separate heading of " ulcer penis " be inserted
in the weekly " venereal statement " furnished for the information of Medical
Officers in charge of Lock Hospitals.