ANNUAL REPORT
ON THE
LOCK-HOSPITALS OF BRITISH BURMA
For the year 1875.
From the Deputy Surgeon-General, Indian Medical Department, British Burma Division, to the Officiating
Secretary to the Chief Commissioner, British Burma,—No. 926-76, dated the 15th July 1876.
I HAVE the honour to forward a review of the reports on lock-hospitals for
the year 1875.
Review of Reports on Lock-hospitals in Burma for the year 1875.
THE LOCK-HOSPITALS in the province are seven in number, three of which—namely, those
at Rangoon, Thayetmyo, and Toungoo—are worked under Act XXII. of 1864 ; the remain-
ing four—namely, those at Moulmein, Bassein, Akyab, and Prome—are under Act XIV. of
1868. A lock-hospital was also opened at Henzada in the early part of the present year,
but, of course, it does not enter into the present report.
1.—The accommodation in the several hospitals has been found sufficient, except in that
at Rangoon, which was overcrowded during the last five months
of the year—a period that corresponded with the enforcement of
weekly instead of fortnightly examinations of the registered
women. The addition of a new ward was recommended and
sanctioned, and it is now in process of erection. Other altera-
tions are also to be made, which will conduce to the greater security and well-being of the
patients.
Nature and extent of the hospi-
tal accommodation ; whether it is
suitable, and whether there has
been any change in it during the
year.
Any changes in the medical
charge of the lock-hospital dur-
ing the year.
II.—At Rangoon, Dr. Crombie took charge of the sick in
hospital from Dr. Griffith in May, and was relieved by him
again in December.
At Toungoo, Dr. Leapingwell relieved Dr. Giraud of the medical charge of the lock-
hospital in March, and resigned it to Dr. Mookerjee in July. At Thayetmyo, Dr. Butler was
succeeded by Dr. Croudace in January. This hospital was transferred from the Military
to the Civil Department on the 26th of November. No change in the medical charge of
the other hospitals has taken place during the year, except, perhaps, at Prome, where, I
believe, Dr. Lancaster officiated for some months, but the Medical Officer makes no mention
of the
circumstance
III.—The Medical Officer of Thayetmyo has made the mistake of counting the period
of occupation from the commencement of the occupation in-
stead of limiting it to the year under report. The figures
given under the present heading in the printed report forwarded
through the Commissioner of Pegu are consequently incor-
rect. By an amended return called for, it appears that the ratio of admissions for
venereal disease per 1,000 of strength among the European troops has been 49 . 87 for the
Royal Artillery, and 108 . 8 for the 67th Regiment, instead of 88 and 199 as given in the
printed report. This is a great increase over previous years, and shows something defective
in the working of the Contagious Diseases Act.
The weekly returns have been regularly received.
In Rangoon, with an average strength of 1,045 European soldiers, the admissions have
been at the rate of 111 . 29 per 1,000 of strength, being an increase over the numbers in the two
preceding years, if the figures are correct. Mistakes, however, have been made in filling up
the table under this head in the Civil Surgeon's report. The figures in the last column, which
should represent the rate per mille, are only the rate per cent. The period of occupation
also is represented as 631 days, which seems to be a stereotyped formula peculiar to this
officer, as it is the same in all the years from 1870 to 1875 inclusive. This being pointed
out to the Civil Surgeon, he sent me a corrected table showing that the European troops
occupied the station for periods varying from 31 to 358 days, the average period for the
whole force being 205 days. This correction, however, did not produce any corresponding
correction of the other figures, which have been allowed to stand, as if the period of occupation
made no difference. The following is the explanation with which he accompanied the
The extent of venereal disease
among European troops, as shown
by the weekly returns.