( 5 )
the corresponding figures for any previous year. The number struck off during the year
is higher than usual, but that is due to the large number absconding towards the close of
the year.
It appears that venereal disease has been more prevalent among the European sol-
diers than during the previous year—although the per-centage is . still below the average.
I have elsewhere expressed my opinion that the remedy for this is more in the hands of the
Regimental Authorities than of the Municipal Police, as I believe that the soldiers contract
disease chiefly ,from women in their own lines, wives of native followers, &c., whom the
police can rarely touch, and whose registration would be a matter of difficulty. I find that
the Civil Surgeon, with a long experience of the subject in Rangoon, takes the same view
in his report. I think, however, that the working of the past year shows that the police are
working more effectively as their experience increases, that with the increased registration
there will be an increased population in hospital, and that therefore the proposed extension
of the building is desirable.
There is no doubt a number of women in Rangoon, who, if not prostitutes, are next
door to it. These are chiefly, if not entirely, among Burmans,"and it is always a question
of some difficulty whether any individual of this class should be registered or not. The
existence of this class is a part of ,the Burmese social structure, and any harsh dealing
with its members, so long as they keep within certain limits, would produce an outcry.
What I mean is, that there are many women who lead loose lives, and have three or four
lovers a-piece, who support them. Their neighbours recognize the situation -with but a
modified disapproval, until the women fall a stage lower. It is then that we interfere
but it is not always an easy matter to decide, in sympathy with the popular sentiment,
when a woman has overstepped the line, and in such cases the order ,to register is gener-
ally vehemently opposed. Once registered, Burmese women are fairly obedient, and,
latterly, they had been very regular in their attendance at the fortnightly examination.
I have recently reported on the extension of the rules to outlying villages. I do not
believe they could be even partially enforced without an expense altogether out of propor-
tion to the benefits resulting ; but I should be glad to hear of the Contagious Diseases Act
being extended to Yandoon, whither our deserters generally betake themselves. I imagine
that at present the number of Rangoon prostitutes in Yandoon must be unusually large.
Owing, I believe, to the increase of cases in the hospital of the 1-21st Regiment, the
examination of the women at the lock-hospital was made weekly from the 15th September,
and this still continues. I am not aware that this had any particular effect on the num-
ber of admissions, which had considerably increased before the change Was introduced ; the
average population for August being 73 . 15, and that for the four subsequent months 68.67,
having fallen to 54 . 51 in December. (It would have fallen still lower were the present
system of discharge from hospital modified.) Thus on the (24th) 25th December, I find that
thirty-five out of a population of sixty-three were discharged as cured. It is hardly pro-
bable that they could all have recovered simultaneously, and, therefore, it is likely that
some of the women were detained longer than was necessary,—a state of things not calcu-
lated to popularize the institution among those for whose immediate,. benefit it is
intended.
The other effects of the change, however, are more distinct. It is needless to repeat
that it has been a very unpopular one amongst the women. One might perhaps afford to
disregard their likes and dislikes in the matter, if it rested there ; but, besides petition-
ing and besieging the Magistrate's Office to get the obnoxious measure rescinded, they
have given decided evidence of their disapproval, by refusing to obey the order and abscond-
ing. During the four months following its issue, 166, on an average strength of 383 . 5, or
over forty per cent., have had to be struck off, against eighty-eight on an average strength
of 351, or twenty-two per cent. in the coresponding months of the previous year. The total
number of those who were struck off during 1875 was 248, so that during the first eight
months of the year, only eighty-two were lost as against 166 in the last four months.
I regret to add, too;- that the women who have most objected to the weekly examinations are
the better class of Burmese prostitutes not at all frequented by European soldiers, and rarely
affected by disease. Of these ninety on an average strength of 114, or seventy-nine per
cent. were struck off during these months as against forty-two on an average strength of
117, or thirty-six per cent., in the corresponding period of the previous year, while the women
we are now registering to replace them are of an inferior class.
Lastly, on this point, although the numbers on the registers keep up (absconding
women are not struck off till there is little chance of recovering them) the amount of
receipts is decreasing, and the average proportion of absentees from examination is increas-
i ng. The former has fal l en 71/3 per cent. , the l atter has i ncreased a monthl y average
of sixty-two to one of 139, or about 125 per cent. If allowance is made for the women in
hospital, the difference will be £ more striking.
The cost to Government of the lock-hospital, and the enforcement of the rules, exclu-
sive of the Municipal Police outlay, and after deducting receipts, was Rs. 4,408. Last year
it was Rs. 786. The excess expenditure this year was due chiefly to the increase (Rs. 600)
2