( 12 )
of strength is 158.62, against 160.23 in 1879, 151.34 in 1878, and 260.02 in 1877.
Primary syphilis shows only 59 cases contracted in Rangoon, against 67 in 1879.
The total number of cases of disease among the European troops at Thayet-
myo was 83.63 per mille of the total strength of garrison, or 55 per mille if
imported cases are excluded.
It is remarkable that among the Native troops, with a mean average strength
of 1,675 men, there was not a single admission for treatment, although there were
17 cases of venereal disease in 1879. If any cases occurred at all, the nature of
the diseases must be very mild, and never affected their constitution ; so that they
cured themselves with ordinary Native drugs, and did not seek hospital relief.
Among two companies of Native troops stationed at Bassein for short periods
no case of venereal disease occurred.
11. The great disproportion between the number of women reported to
the Magistrate for infringement of rules and the number punished calls for
remark. In many cases the women had absconded and could not be found ; but in
others leave of absence had been given, apparently without any intimation having
been sent either to the Civil Surgeon or the police. It ought to be a rule that, before
leave of absence is granted, the Civil Surgeon should be consulted, with a view to
ensure that the woman can show a clean bill of health before proceeding to other
places, where a diseased prostitute may propagate disease to an alarming extent, and
that, when leave has been granted, both the lock-hospital sergeant and the police
should be informed, so that on the one hand a woman really on leave may not be
unnecessarily harassed, and on the other that the leave may not be converted into
a mere cloak for avoiding examination. The necessity of steps being taken to
prevent diseased prostitutes leaving Rangoon and carrying contagion elsewhere
has been forced on my attention by the increase of disease about Leppadan on the
Irrawaddy Valley (State) Railway, which at times has become a favourite resort for
these women, who find their victims among the passengers by the slow trains
compelled to remain at Leppadan all night in haunts which are little better than
brothels. Steps are being taken to provide proper quarters for passengers at Lep-
padan, but none the less is it right that the ingress of ,diseased prostitutes should
be checked.
12. The total cost ofthe lock-hospitals in this division has been Rs. 19,205-10-5,
giving an average cost of Rs. 34-5-0 per each woman. Rs. 1,554-2-0 were
recovered in fines. Fees have been discontinued under the orders of the Govern-
ment of India.
13. I entirely concur in the following remarks of Dr. Johnstone :—" There
" is no reasonable doubt but that were it not for lock-hospitals, the disease
" would be far more prevalent, and doubtless of a more virulent type. It is seldom
" now that one sees the virulent types of syphilis which formerly existed.
" One may imagine what would be the case if 400 women were allowed to
" practise prostitution without any medical supervision at all. The supervision
" has also the good effect of making the women keep themselves cleaner ; they
" are at the best a dirty lot, but without any supervision in their dirty state, the
" venereal diseases would assume the most virulent and destructive forms."
14, It would seem that the proposals which were sanctioned by the Chief
Commissioner on the 29th May 1879 have not been carried out in their integrity
even in 1880. When the deputation of a police inspector and three peons for the
special purpose of carrying out duties essential to the proper working of the lock-
hospital system was approved, it was certainly never intended that the inspector
should be employed on court duties for five-and-a-half hours of the day, or that the
number of peons should be reduced to two. The Deputy Commissioner of Rangoon
has been requested to submit, for the information of the Chief Commissioner, an
explanation from the officer who is responsible for the omission to carry out the
intentions of Government. The reason for that omission is not explained by the
remark that the inspector has now been taken off all other police duties.
The imperfect effect given to the sanctioned proposals appears the more
inexcusable when it is considered that the area to which the rules apply has
been for more than a year past increased to several times its former size. I strongly