( 16 )
The following statement compares the amount of venereal existing amongst
the women as compared with the British troops, and prisoners in the jail :—
A v e r a g e s t r e n g t h o f p r o s t i t u t e s ,
467.08.
A v e r a g e s t r e n g t h o f B r i t i s h t r o o p s ,
8 2 3 . 8 .
A v e r a g e s t r e n g t h o f j a i l , 1 , 6 5 8 .
Primary syphilis
..
..
..
. .
499
79
7
Secondary do.
.. .. ..
. .
166
10
15
Gonorrhœa
..
..
..
133
58
3
Other venereal diseases ..
..
..
..
7
5
14
Total
..
805
152
.
39
Dhaies have not been employed.
X.—Concluding remarks and suggestions.
I have on several occasions observed that the detective agency, viz., one
Inspector and two constables, are totally inadequate for the work expected of
them. Rangoon has a larger number of prostitutes on the register, extended, too,
over a greater area than any town in the Madras presidency, and yet the detec-
tive agency is smaller than any of them. Mr. Thurgood, the Inspector, of whom
I cannot speak too highly, considering the means at his disposal, has in addition
numerous other duties to perform : he has to attend court all day, look after the
police cases at the general hospital, and other multifarious duties ; and yet he is
expected weekly to seek out all women who absent themselves from hospital and
apprehend them, arrest those who abscond from hospital or who practise clan-
destine prostitution, and conduct the registration of women. It would be impos-
sible for one man to perform all these duties perfectly ; and yet a very creditable
amount of work is shown, all things being taken into consideration.
Six out of 12 women who absconded from hospital have been arrested ; 16
women have been apprehended for prostitution without a license. All those who
absented themselves from the periodical examinations have been accounted for,
and registration has been effectively performed, although in diminished numbers.
I have already remarked that I think the Inspector should be relieved of all
duties unconnected with the lock-hospital ; and I also think that the staff at his
disposal may well be increased from two to five.
It is desirable that some measures should be taken with reference to incur-
able women who are a burden upon the hospital. Last year it was proposed,
and sanctioned by the Chief Commissioner, that they should be deported to their
own country at Government expense ; as however the women were unwilling the
idea fell through, there being no law apparently by which such women can be
deported against their will. It would be desirable that such women should be
removed from the register, being totally unfit for prostitution. As however there
is no other means for them to obtain their livelihood, a difficulty at once arises : if
their names be removed without tangible security, the probabilities are that they
would at once return to their old modes of living, and in a place like Rangoon a
long time might elapse before they were discovered. Again, it might be said that
it would be difficult or impossible for these wretched creatures to give such security
as would ensure their living honestly.
I would again observe that the Apothecary sanctioned two years ago for the
lock-hospital has not yet been supplied. The hospital is far too large to be under
the control of a Hospital Assistant, and requires a Resident Apothecary, who
would also assist me with the examinations and maintain discipline in the hos-
pital,—a most difficult task.
The establishment is also much below the mark, as I pointed out last year,
when I gave a statement comparing it with the Madras Hospital ; in point of
fact, a smaller hospital as far as the number of patients,—80.