( 18 )
given ; but then the 1876 return is manifestly inaccurate. This latter statement shews the
numbers on the register and the numbers attending the periodical examinations as iden
tical, while in the next and adjacent column it demonstrates that 11 registered women
were reported to the Magistrate for non-attendance.
VII.—What registration fees or payments of any kind are levied on prostitution in Thayetmyo.
Registered prostitutes carrying on their business are subjected to a fee of one rupee
each per mensem. When in hospital, or from other causes incapacitated from acquiring
resources, no demand on them is made. Two hundred and nineteen rupees have been
received this year in registration fees.
VIII.—Whether the women have been regular at the periodical examinations ; any remarks as to the
cause of irregularity ; the number of individual women reported for non-attendance ; the fines and
other punishments awarded, and the amounts realized.
The attendance at the periodical examinations has been satisfactorily regular.
The average number absent on each occasion was 2.7, or 10 per cent. of average num
ber on the list ; and taking into consideration the circumstance that the examinations
are held weekly, and that attendance of all women is made compulsory, it is gratifying to
find that such good order has been preserved. I notice that the absentees, taking all the
lock hospitals of the province into the calculation, for the last year averaged 16 per cent.,
and as at the majority of these institutions periodical examinations take place less fre-
quently than at Thayetmyo, the regularity of attendance which has been locally obtained is
especially noteworthy ; and, in consequence of this punctuality, no large sum has been
realized in the way of fines for absence; indeed, only four cases apparently of this nature
have merited punishment, for four is the total that figures in the return of punishments
furnished by the Cantonment Magistrate, and which is introduced in paragraph 5. Of these,
two were sent to jail for eight days' each in default of payment of fine ; and from the other
two, the aggregate sum of Rs. 30 was procured.
IX.—The arrangements for examining and treating the women of the town.
There is no house-to-house visiting for this purpose : all the women are examined by
the Medical Officer in charge at the lock hospital, and are detained there for treatment
whenever diseased.
X.—How far disease has increased or decreased amongst the women ; to what extent it has become less
virulent • its nature as compared with that amongst the men ; is there any relation between the
two ? How far the admissions amongst the women are due to non-venereal affections, or to deten-
tion of women during the monthly period.
Venereal disease has been much less prevalent amongst the prostitutes during the
past year than it was in 1876. In 1877, the cases admitted were
Primary syphilis
...
...
...
...
5
Secondary do.
. . .
. . .
...
...
1
Gonorrhoea
...
. . .
...
. . . . . .
...
32
Other venereal diseases
...
...
...
...
12
Total
...
50
While the corresponding number for the preceding year were
Primary syphilis
...
...
...
...
16
Secondary do....
...
...
...
...
0
Gonorrhoea ...
...
...
...
. . .
31
Other venereal diseases
...
...
...
...
20
•
Total
...
67
This decrease of the disorder is of itself congratulatory, and, when considered in con
junction with the fact that 53 women were on the register in 1877, against 34 in 1876, the
result affords more than ordinary satisfaction.
But little relation between the disease among the troops and the registered women
can be traced, because the soldiers brought much of their venereal to Thayetmyo with them,
and contracted not a little in clandestine coition ; but, in the following table, the interest
ing comparison of the relative diminution of venereal among the civil and criminal popula
tion and the prostitutes, conclusively exhibits the benefit of the Contagious Diseases Act.