Frogs. No. 287-5.
From the Commissioner of the Pegu Division to the Secretary to the Chief Commissioner, British Burma,
—No. 277-48, dated the 30th March 1878.
I HAVE the honour to forward, in original, reports as per margin upon the work-
ing of the lock hospitals
at Rangoon, Thayetmyo,
Prome, Bassein, and Hen-
zada in the year 1877.
These hospitals are the
same as those reported on
for the year 1864, and the
laws and rules under which
they were worked were the
same in each year, i. e., the Rangoon and Thayetmyo Hospitals were managed ac-
cording to the cantonment rules framed under Act XXII. of 1876, and the others
under the Contageous Diseases Act XIV. of 1868. The desirability of an assimi-
lation of the law relating to these institutions is obvious.
2. The areas brought under the protective operation of these laws are as
follow :-
Rangoon
...
...
...
...
...
...
Square miles.
12
Thayetmyo ...
...
...
...
...
196
Prome
...
...
...
...
...
...
9
Bassein
...
...
...
...
...
...
14
Henzada ...
...
...
...
...
2.85
The protected area at Thayetmyo, it will be seen, is of unusually large extent ; but
this is chiefly caused by the rules having been extended to Allanmyo on the
opposite side of the river, where there is a camp to which troops are sent when
disease breaks out at Thayetnayo. Ordinarily, this side of the river does not
require protection, as it is not resorted to by prostitutes ; but the rules have been
extended there in order that they may be brought into operation as occasion may
require.
3. The population inhabiting the protected area is set down as-
Rangoon
...
...
...
...
... 99,986
Thayetmyo ...
...
...
...
. . .
. . .
... 38,237
Prome
...
...
...
...
...
... 34,000
Bassein
...
...
...
...
...
... 22,397
Henzada
...
...
...
...
. . .
...
...
16,469
In the population report for last year, the population of Rangoon, estimated from
the number of houses, has been set down as 117,045. In the case of Thayetmyo,
a large proportion of the population above shewn is on the left bank of the river,
which does not ordinarily require protection from venereal disease.
4. The average number of prostitutes on the register at each place during
the last two years was as follows :—
Rangoon ...
...
...
...
...
...
1876.
1877.
431.01
443.10
Thayetmyo...
...
...
...
. . .
...
24.25
24.9
Prome
...
...
...
...
. . .
...
23.7
23.4
Bassein
...
...
...
. . .
...
...
13.4
23.7
Henzada
...
...
- .
...
9.5
10.5
This class of the population therefore remains almost stationary as regards
numbers. The prostitute population of Rangoon is recruited chiefly from among
the low caste natives of the Madras coast, many of whom are said to land here in
a state of disease. The prostitutes in the other districts are chiefly natives of the
country.
5. The average number of women attending at the periodical examinations
during the last two years was—
Rangoon ...
...
. . .
...
. . .
...
1876.
1877.
349.66
285.95
24.25
22.12
Thayetmyo ...
...
...
...
...
...
22.5
19.35
Promo
. . .
...
...
...
...
...
10.4
16.4
Bassein
. . .
...
...
...
...
...
8 . 2
9.
Henzada ...
...
...
. . .
...
Town Magistrate Rangoon, No. 17-10, dated 6th March 1878, with
enclosure.
Deputy Commissioner, Thayetmyo, dated 1st February 1878, with
enclosure.
Deputy Commissioner, Prome, No. 34, dated 8th February 1878,
with enclosure.
Deputy Commissioner, Bassein, No. 74-3, dated 24th February 1878,
with enclosure.
Deputy Commissioner, Henzada, No. 74-22, dated 18th January
1878, with enclosure.