R E S O L U T I O N
LOCK-HOSPITAL REPORTS, BRITISH BURMA,
F o r t h e y e a r 1 8 7 5 .
Ext r a c t f r om t he Pr oc e e di ngs of t he Chi e f Commi s s i one r , Br i t i s h Bur ma , i n t he Ge ne r a l De pa r t me nt , - No 205, da t e d t he 7t h Se pt e mbe r 1876.
The annual reports on the working of the Lock-hospitals in British Burma during 1875.
RESOLUTION.- There are now eight lock-hospitals in British Burma, but of
these the one at Henzada does not come under consideration in the review for
1875. In the cantonments of Rangoon, Thayetmyo, and Toungoo, where alone
European troops are stationed, the institutions are administered under rules
framed in accordance with sections 17, 18, and 19 of Act XXII. of 1864, and the
hospitals at Bassein, Prome, Moulmein. and Akyab, under Act XIV. of 1868.
2. Some important changes, both in applying the rules and in the general
management of the hospitals, have been introduced during the year. The one at
Rangoon was raised from the second to the first class, originally to admit of the
arrangement for the emoluments of a Junior Civil Surgeon. The work at the
hospital was accordingly divided between Dr. Griffith and Dr. Crombie, each
draw ing one-half of the sanctioned allowance for charge of the institution. The
former conducted the periodical examinations, and the latter took charge of the
diseased women while confined for treatment within the hospital. Such a distribu-
tion of work was open to serious objection, and before the close of the year it
w as found possible to supplement the pay of the Junior Civil Surgeon from
other sources. Dr. Griffith has accordingly been since placed in undivided
charge. The Government of India have advocated the extension of the area
affected by the rules. The matter has not yet been placed before the Chief Co
m-
missoner for disposal, and he will be glad if Dr. Fitzgerald will take an early
opportunity of doing so. At Thayetmyo, the hospital was amalgamated with the
Civil D ispensary, thus setting free the services of a Hospital Assistant for other
employment. The Deputy Commissioner was invested with power to punish
breaches of the rules occurring within the protected area, though beyond canton-
ment limits, and the Cantonment Magistrate's jurisdiction was confined to offences
within can tonments. The area over which the rules were in force was extended
to a distance of four miles in every direction from the cantonment boundary
- line-a limit which has been since increased to seven miles, so as to include
Allamryo; on the opposite bank of the Irrawaddy.
3.
The Chief Commissioner regrets that the results of the year are not
very s atisfactory. From the Deputy Surgeon- General's report and its enclosures
it would appear that in most of the hospitals the maintenance of the registers,
on the correctness of which so much depends, was defective; that there is no uni
- formity in the manner of keeping them, and that the practice commonly obtains
of retaining on them indefinitely the names of women who have failed for long
periods to attend the regular examinations. Generally the application of the rules
has not been enforced with that energy and rigour which is necessary to justify
t h e e x p e n s e , o r a f f i r m t h e p r i n c i p l e o f a p p l y i n g t h e m a t a l l . T h e t i me h a s
clearly come when a much closer scrutiny over the work of this department is
necessary, and, with Dr. Fitzgerald of the same opinion, the Chief Commissioner
feels confident that the reforms he advocates, and desires to be put in motion, will
not be f r u i t l e s s
.