No. 392, dated 26th February 1889.
From—Major J. A. L. MONTGOMERY, Deputy Commissioner, Siálkot,
To—The Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals, Punjab.
YOUR No. 653, dated 15th February 1889, returning the Siálkot Lock
Hospital Report for 1888 to the Medical Officer in charge of tile Lock Hospital,
for transmission through me, reached me on the 23rd instant in camp. I hasten
to send on the report, with the remark that no special measures were taken under
my orders to check illicit prostitution. Whatever was done in this respect by the
cantonment authorities is detailed in Surgeon-Major Mawson's report.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE LOCK HOSPITAL AT SIALKOT
FOR THE YEAR 1888.
A.—There has been no change in the Hospital accommodation during the
Year. The building is conveniently situated and has pro-
Hospital accommodation.
vided sufficient and suitable accommodation.
B.—Surgeon-Major W. A. Mawson, I. M. S., has been in medical charge
of the Hospital during the year, and not having been away
Medical OFFicer.
on leave the duties have never been even temporarily
deputed to any other Medical Officer.
C.—Of the total number of admissions into Hospital for venereal diseases
Venereal disease amongst shown in Table IV , 18 were transfers from other hospitals
the troops. and not cases of disease contracted in the station. This
leaves 338 cases, which is 92 more than occurred in 1887, the average strength
of the British Garrison having been 24 in excess.
The following table shows prevalence of venereal disease amongst British
troops at Siálkot during the last five years:—
YEAR.
1884.
1885.
1886.
1887.
1888.
Average strength
920
867
1,118
1,156 1,180
Admissions
267
232
286
246
338
Ratio per 1,000
290.22 267.59 255.81
212.80 286.44
There has been an increase in the number of admissions in each of the
corps quartered in the station, and the ratio per 1,000 of total strength has risen
73.64. The most marked increase has been amongst the British Cavalry Regi-
ment, which arrived in Siálkot with a very great number of cases contracted
during the march from Umballa. The largest number of admissions took place
during the second quarter of the year, and the least during the third. Owing to
the prevalence of venereal disease during the earlier part of the year, the Con-
tagious Diseases Act was more stringently enforced and the attention of the
police more particularly directed to the prevention of illicit prostitution by
unlicensed women, and a considerable number of arrests made. Most of the women
thus sent up for medical inspection were found diseased and detained for treat-
ment in the Lock Hospital; the result being that the number of cases of venereal
amongst the soldiers fell in the most marked manner. This was most noticeable
after the arrest of a girl named Randya living in. the grass-cutters' lines of the 2nd
Dragoon Guards, who was found to be suffering from syphilis, and confessed she
had been diseased since she left Umballa with the regiment six months previously.
After her arrest the number of cases of syphilis amongst the cavalry in which
the disease had been very prevalent were immediately decreased by about 75
per cent., and remained comparatively few. There can be no doubt that the
increase of venereal during the year was in a great measure due to this girl, Who