28
MILITARY DEPARTMENT, 8TH SEPTEMBER 1879, No. 5000.
Stations.
Primary
Syphilis.
Gonorrhœa.
Ratio per 1,000 of Strength.
Primary Syphilis.
Gonorrhœa.
1877.
1878.
1877.
1878.
1877.
1878.
1877.
1878.
Madras . . .
69
95
92
126
106.81
161.02
142.41
213.56
St. Thomas' Mount . . .
37
58
53
33
115.26
185.30
165.11
105.43
Trichinopoly . . .
32
34
52
39
112.28
126.40
182.45
144.98
Bellary . . .
242
171
141
74
286.39
196.78
166.86
85.15
Pallavaram . . .
. . .
. . .
1
. . .
. . .
. . .
24.39
. . .
Total . . .
380
358
339
272
177.73
173.19
158.56
131.59
Bangalore . . .
226
220
170
186
130.64
136.65
98.27
115.53
Cannanore . . .
6
38
33
51
9.46
59.38
52.05
79.69
Calicut . . .
12
6
8
27
123.71
61.22
82.47
275.51
Malliapooram . . .
2
. . .
1
. . .
21.28
. . .
10.64
. . .
Total . . .
246
264
212
264
96.28
108.06
82.98
108.06
Secunderabad . . .
245
294
183
266
102.04
118.98
76.22
107.65
Kamptee . . .
48
102
119
72
57.83
120.71
143.37
85.21
Seetabuldee . . .
7
9
5
12
142.86
187.50
102.04
250.00
Total . . .
300
405
307
350
91.46
120.39
93.51
104.04
Rangoon . . .
69
50
34
45
92.12
66.67
45.39
-
60.00
Thayetmyo . . .
20
24
33
20
34.97
38.83
57.69
32.36
Tonghoo . . .
19
2 6
25
19
45.56
65.33
59.95
47.74
Port Blair . . .
2
1
. . .
. . .
14.92
7.69
. . .
I
. . .
Total . . .
110
101
92
84
58.76
53.27
49.14
44.31
Poonamallee . . .
1
5
8
7
6.45
31.45
51.61
44.03
Wellington . . .
17
21
32
16
32.50
51.60
61.19
39.31
Ramandroog . . .
3
1
. . .
. . .
51.72
33.33
51.72
. . .
There were no admissions for venereal affections among women and children
during 1878. In 1877 two admissions for hereditary syphilis in children and
one death from this cause were recorded.
The results attending the prevalence of venereal diseases during the past
year have been unsatisfactory. During 1877 the presence of famine led many of the
starving population to practise prostitution as a means of livelihood, and during
1878 this cause, although existing in a less degree than in the former year, was still
present, and the statistics of these affections show that their prevalence had
increased. To what has been said in former reports on the subject of venereal
disease and the Contagious Diseases Act in this command I would now observe
that it is unfair and misleading to look upon the prevalence of the former and the
operation of the latter from the point of view suitable with regard to England
that in fact the more the social conditions of the lower classes of the population
with whom soldiers in this Presidency consort are considered the more apparent
does the fact become that the effect of the Act upon them can never under their
peculiar conditions be in any respect like what it is in garrison towns in the
United Kingdom. This aspect of the question is being worked out in special
reports on the subject. All therefore that is necessary here is to allude to the above
circumstances, and with reference to them observe that there is no reasonable
doubt that were it not for Lock Hospitals in military stations, however prevalent
venereal diseases now are among our troops, they would be far more prevalent,
for at least some infected women are now treated in them, and for a time rendered
harmless, whereas without them there would not even be this temporary safety
with any of those who are accessible to men ; unfortunately such classes are more
numerous than for a time we had any idea of.
Vaccination has been carefully carried out during the year.