( 22 )
Statement showing the extent and nature of the venereal diseases from which the European
troops in Thayetmyo suffered during the year 1879.
Regiments and batteries.
Period of occupation.
Nature of admissions
from venereal diseases.
Remarks.
1-4 I N F A N T R Y
44th East Essex
.. From 1st January to 31st December ..
493 Primary syphilis.. 30
Rat i o of t ot al admi ssi ons per
1, 000 of aver age s t r engt h, —79.
Rat i o of admi s s i ons , excl udi ng
cas es known t o have been con-
t r a c t e d known t o ha ve be e n c on-
t r a c t e d e l s e wh e r e , p e r 1 , 0 0 0 o f
average st rengt h, —49.
43rd Light Infantry .. From 26th March to
ditto
..
710 Secondary do. .. 21
89th Princess victoria.. From 20th do. to
ditto
320 Gonorrhœa
.. 66
R O Y A L A R T I L L E R Y .
K-1 Battery
.. From 1st January to 9th December ..
152
Total .. 117
10-8 do.
.. From 26th March to 7th November ..
85
11-8 do.
.. From 1st January to 29th November ..
30
4-8
do.
.. From 25th November to 31st December
89
16-8 do.
.. From 10th December to
ditto
..
82
It is seen then that among the soldiers venereal disease was to a slight
extent more prevalent in 1879 than in 1878, the rate per mille being respectively
79 against 77, But there has not been any increased ratio of disease acquired
in Thayetmyo during the year 1879 on that of the former year, and this will be
presently demonstrated. The proportion of admission to strength in 1877 was
114 per mille, but, as was pointed out in the annual report for the year, several
of the cases were imported ones. There was no change in the garrison in 1878 ;
some small drafts came to the station for the 44th Regiment, but I presume that,
seeing nothing to the contrary has been stated in the annual report for that year,
none of the men were suffering from venereal on their arrival. It frequently
happens that men for divers reasons choose to conceal the sources of their com-
plaints ; and hence it occurs that the regimental authorities are so often unable to
supply this information, replying in answer to the question whence contracted?
unknown ; but during the year of report more than usual pains appear to have
been taken to determine this point, and many instructive data have been fur-
nished. With regard to importation, it is shown there were 20 cases of venereal
disease brought into the station by soldiers of the various forces that were des-
patched to strengthen this garrison. The 43rd Regiment, which arrived on the
26th March, introduced 13 cases. The admissions among this regiment on their
occupation of barracks were 13 cases of primary disease, while, although they
were nine months in the station, their total admissions from primary disease
amounted to only 27,—that is, 13 cases for the first month of occupation and 14
for the remaining eight months. The imported cases are said to have been
acquired in Rangoon ; it seems probable however that some were contracted in
Madras.
The 4-8 Battery of artillery, which reached Thayetmyo on the 25th Novem-
ber, had among their small force of 89 men two suffering from syphilis and one
from gonorrhœa, acquired it is stated in England. Since their arrival they have
had no admissions whatever. The remaining four cases of importation are distri-
buted between the 44th and 89th Regiments, and occurred among small drafts.
In order to determine the extent to which the disease was acquired in Thayetmyo,
it is necessary to deduct from the total admissions not only the imported cases,
but likewise all re-admissions to hospital, of which there were 25 (secondary
syphilis 21, and relapses of gonorrhœa four).
The total admissions were 117, the imported cases with the re-admissions
45, so that in only 72 instances did the men acquire their diseases in Thayetmyo ;
and this among a garrison with an average strength for the entire year of 1,480