87
H Y D E R A B A D S U B S I D I A R Y F O R C E .
it is quite possible they had less variety than the men for instance of the 12th Lancers to
choose from. Between the Artillery and Cavalry Lines there is certainly a great deal of clan
-destine prostitution carried on by grass-cutters, coolies, &c. In the 12th Lancers the Provost
Sergeant and his assistants have strict orders to keep all suspicious women away from the
lines. The Medical Officer in charge of H.M.'s 2-16th Regiment explaining as follows :-
(1.) In the 2-16th Regiment the Regimental Police system for prevention of clandestine prosti
- t u t i o n i s
i n f o r c e ,
a n d t h e d i s e a s e e x h i b i t e d i n t h e s t a t e m e n t e n c l o s e d f o r i n f o r m a t i o n
by the Medical Officer in charge of Lock Hospital in the number of admissions in this
battalion may very probably account for this ; but almost all the men on admission into
hospital state that they contracted the disease near the bazaar behind the barracks of
the regiment, and in rocks while out walking.
(2.) Suggests, in order to prevent clandestine prostitution being carried on, additional police
detectives are essentially necessary, and unless this is done, the efforts used for arresting
the prevalence of venereal disease in the European troops will not be attained. The
Medical Officer in charge of the Lock is of opinion—" and his opinion I fully endorse "—
that the true cause of the large amount of venereal disease amongst the European troops
is the result of clandestine prostitution, and until by a systematic co-operation between
the Regimental authorities and the Police this evil is put a stop to, the registration and
examination of the prostitutes will have little effect in diminishing the amount of
venereal disease. The table to be found at page 15 (paragraph 6) of the report by the
Medical Officer shows that during the year l.877, 153 prostitutes were brought on the
register, bringing the total number of registered prostitutes on the 31st December 1877
to 230 against 121 at the corresponding of 1876. Of the 153 newly-registered prostitutes,
only 14 were found free from disease. The detection of these unregistered prostitutes and
bringing them under the operation of the Act is mainly owing to the greater efficiency
of the police now attached to the Lock Hospital : but the Medical Officer of the Lock
remarks " although this feature in the working of the Lock Hospital is so far satisfactory,
it has produced no beneficial result as regards the health of the European troops." On
the contrary, as already pointed out, although the average total strength of the European
troops during 1877 as compared with 1876 shows a decrease of 364, there have been 25
more admissions into (" British ") hospitals for venereal disease. As already stated, there
has been a large increase in the number of admissions among prostitutes into the Lock,
503 against 250 in 1876, with a daily average number of sick of 18 against 11 in 1876.
The following table shows the number of admissions into the Lock to the total number
registered for 1875-76-77 :—
Prostitutes. Admissions,
Per Mille.
1875
...
160
300
1875 00
1876
...
167
250
1497 00
1877
...
274
503
1832.11
It will be seen from this that more than double the amount of disease has been under
treatment during 1877 than in 1876,' and in this respect the Lock Hospital has effected
much good work. The large increase in this respect is attributed by the Medical Officer to the 153
newly-registered prostitutes, nearly all of whom were diseased, and to the 14 women who
voluntarily applied for treatment. The form of disease amongst the registered women was mild
and readily yielded to treatment within a very short period, while amongst those newly registered
it was very severe, so much so that they had to be detained in hospital for long periods to effect
A complete cure. The table at page 22 (paragraph 10) of the Medical Officer's report illustrates
the extent to which primary syphilis and gonorrhœa prevailed during each month in the British
troops as compared with that among the prostitutes.
In paragraph 12 of the Medical Officer's report he states that as far as the rules of the
" Lock " are concerned, he does not consider any change necessary as they seem to be well
adapted to meet present requirements. He is however of opinion that a great deal more
supervision is required over female punkah coolies, grass-cutters, and other Native women in and
about European barracks. This, he states, can only be accomplished by augmenting the present
strength of the detective police, which at present is composed of 4 men—a number quite
disproportioned to the work. Since Dr, Rogers' report was handed in, his recommendations as
regards augmenting the strength of the detective police, and the granting of some pecuniary
allowance to the detectives so as to encourage them in displaying a greater amount of vigilance
have been acceded to by the Municipal Committee at its last monthly meeting.
European and Native Details.—The European return shows the number of sick to be 49
during the year against 32 in the return for last year. The sickness among these was of a
general character, and 4 cases terminated fatally. One, a woman, the wife of the Garrison
Sergeant-Major, from cholera ; another Conductor " Greenhill " of the Ordnance Department,
from valvular disease of the heart; a third, a child who died of convulsions ; and a fourth a
European
and Native
Details.