Progs. No. 287-3.
From the Commissioner of the Tenasserim Division to the Deputy Surgeon-General, Indian Medical
Department, British Burma Division (despatched through the Secretary to the Chief Commissioner,
British Burma),—No. 551-68, dated the 22nd March 1878.
I HAVE the honour to forward the report on the lock hospitals at Toungoo
and Moulmein for the year 1877.
2. At both places, the buildings used for these institutions are considered
unsuited, more particularly at Toungoo, where, from the inconvenient locality on
which it is built, efficient supervision and control cannot be exercised ; the build-
ing, also, is said to be old and badly protected, the palisade being so low as to
admit of escapes over it by the inmates of the hospital. A reference will be made
to the Deputy Commissioner on this subject.
3. The result at both stations during the year of admissions from venereal
affections (though shewing a decrease at Toungoo) are not satisfactory.
Admissions.
Moulmein ...
...
. . .
... {
1876 ...
214.
1877 ...
292.
Toungoo ...
...
. . .
. . .
{ 1876 ...
73.
1877 ...
45.
The Medical Officer at Toungoo, in remarking on this subject, adds that
" allowance must be made for a frontier station like Toungoo, which is open to in-
fection on all sides : Shans, Karens, and people from Upper Burma, and also from
the south, daily come into Toungoo, and the disease is imported by them." Shwe-
gyeen, where there is a detachment of the 17th Regiment, N. I., and Ningyan, a
large town a short distance beyond the frontier, are, he adds, " two well-known
sources of venereal disease." Much of the disease contracted by the troops at
Toungoo is supposed to be from the native camp-followers and native residents of
the bazaar at that station, who, it is alleged, practise prostitution clandestinely.
With regard to the removal of this evil, it has already been remarked by the Gov-
ernment of India in its resolution on the lock hospital report for 1876, that
much depends upon regimental arrangements and control. The expenditure
incurred during the year amounted to Rs. 782-15-9.
4. At Moulmein, among the troops, which consisted of a wing of the 4th and
a wing of the 15th Regiment, M. N. I., the number of cases of venereal affections
increased slightly during the year of report. The increase was confined to the
latter regiment, which had been located at the station a longer period. The Police
Inspector attached to the civil lock hospital at Moulmein supervises and regis-
ters all prostitutes. Among the civil population the admissions increased, being
as follows for the past four years :—
1874.—Admissions
...
159.
1876.—Admissions
. . .
214.
1875.— Ditto
...
191.
1877.—
Ditto
...
292.
The Medical Officer appears unable to account for the increase one year and
decrease in another. He considers that a large number of cases are imported.
Doubtless the results are affected by immigration and emigration among the coolie
class (Coringees) from the Madras coast.
5. One hundred and thirty rupees were derived from fines inflicted on pros-
titutes by the Magistrates during the year, which is Rs. 38-9-6 in excess of the
previous year. The expenditure during the year of report was Rs. 2,269-8-8,
being Rs. 269-15-1 in excess of the previous year, which is owing to the Hos-
pital Assistant having drawn arrears of pay due him on promotion.
6. The situation of the lock hospital at Moulmein allows it to be overlooked
from the road. I consider that, while lock hospitals in this country are best
situated near the civil dispensary, for the sake of better superintendence and
more effective control of the women therein confined, they should be kept out of
public sight as much as practicable. I would propose that a site behind the dis-
pensary building at Moulmein be chosen, to which the lock hospital might be
transferred. The site occupied by the lock hospital at present could be made
available for the resident Apothecary's quarters,—the old house being in very bad
repair, and requiring to be rebuilt.