Progs. No. 263-6.
Endorsement by the Commissioner of the Arakan Division,—No. 166-155 (General), dated the 8th April
1879.
COPY of the following forwarded to the Secretary to the Chief Commissioner,
British Burma. There can be no doubt that the Civil Surgeon has entirely
neglected his duties in regard to this hospital for some time past. His expla-
nation of the non-registration of Arakanese women appears to be purely
hypothetical,—assumed without any examination of facts. At the same time, I am
not prepared to say that the police might not do more than they do. The dalâls
can hardly be unknown to them, and, if watched in their proceedings with sailors
and others, sufficient evidence of the occupation of the women for whom they act
would often be forthcoming.
Remarks by the Town Magistrate, Akyab, on the Lock-hospital Report.
THE report is in my opinion valueless, for there has been but very little supervision
exercised by the Civil Surgeon. The examination of the prostitutes has been frequently
delegated to subordinates,—a most objectionable proceeding and contrary to the Act.
2. There has been a considerable increase in venereal disease, which I attribute to
the above causes.
3. It is stated in the report that not a single Arakanese woman has been registered
since the lock-hospital was established : this is incorrect. Two were registered in 1876 and
eight in 1877. Strong efforts have been made to enforce the registration of these women,
but directly they find the Inspector is after them, or they receive notice to attend, they
abscond into the district, and remain away sometimes for months.
. 4. The phraseology of the report—especially the section beginning "in the paddy
season"—would lead one to believe that the concoction of it, as well as the general super-
intendence, has been left to a subordinate. It throws, or attempts to throw, the blame of the
ill working of the Act on this court, by asserting that women when brought up have only to
say that they are kept by some man, and they are allowed to go scot-free. I can positively
assert that no such excuse has been accepted as valid for the 2½ years I have presided.
No woman proved to be a prostitute has ever, or would ever, even if she brought 50 wit-
nesses, get off on such grounds. No woman, whether wife or kept woman, would, if proved
to be common, be exempted from attendance.
5. Forty-nine women are mentioned as having been reported for non-attendance. Every
single one of these women have been separately reported on by the police ; of this number,
five have been fined or imprisoned, 22 were found to have absconded, and the remainder
were sent to hospital with a warning, as they were generally absent from other ailments,
or shewed satisfactory reasons for their absence. There should have been 52 examinations
in the year, and the numbers reported absent shew an average of not quite one each
inspection. I disagree in the necessity of the Government being put to the expense of
providing either cots or extra clothing. This class of women have as a rule more bedding
and clothing than any other, and the quarters provided for them in the lock-hospital are
of a far better description than they are accustomed to in every-day life.
ANNUAL REPORT ON THE AKYAB LOCK-HOSPITAL FOR THE YEAR 1878.
THE former military hospital building is now used as lock-hospital. It is a long
wooden building, consisting of an office, a large ward for the prostitutes retained for treat-
ment, a room for medical stores, a room for Hospital Assistant's quarters, and a long
platform-like verandah alongside towards the western side of the building. The building
is well suited for the purpose, and well ventilated, being situated in a plane of which every
side is kept open for several 100 yards. In short, the building is a strong one, and requires
very little repair.
2.—The prostitutes who attended during the year under review are all Bengalees, and
there was not a single Burmese or Arakanese woman. It appears that none of the latter
women ever registered as prostitutes since the establishment of the lock-hospital. This
fact was brought to the notice of the local authorities, and appeared in almost all the
annual reports drawn by my predecessors, Dr. J. W. Mountjoy and Dr. H. Johnstone ; but
no steps have yet been taken to fill up this gap, without which it is impossible to attain
the benevolent object for which the lock-hospital is establised.