4
affecting the effective strength of the force ;" and he continues : " throughout the
country, prior to its annexation, venereal diseases in both its male and female
population were rampant to a repulsive and dangerous degree, and the cancelment
of the Contagious Disease Act will ensure their perpetuation. Efforts have been
made to induce the loose women to place themselves under medical treatment, but
generally without success. This is to be regretted in a country, the women of
which, as already stated, are deeply saturated with this disease in one form or
another. In fact its extent is so great that the compulsory attendance of those
affected would be justified if only as a philanthropic measure by Government to
prevent the decline of the natural health of the people, apart even from other
considerations. The question viewed from all sides is one of the utmost importance
and magnitude, being far-reaching in its effects. It is important to the Burmese as
a nation and to the State, inasmuch as the efficiency of our army is being very
seriously affected, and our hospitals filled mainly with such cases (most of which
are of long duration) at a heavy and unnecessary, or at least avoidable, cost."
In 1888 the admissions for primary syphilis were 1,151, for secondary 511,
and, for gonorrhœa 2,295 against 918,384 and 1,652 for the previous year, or
taking them as ratios per mille of strength, the figures were in the same order,
81.79, 36.31, and 163.08 for 1888, and for 1887, 78.21, 32.71, and 140.74. Thus
it is observed that there has been an increase in the admissions for all three factors
of this group of disease in the year under report.
The following table gives the ratios of admissions for primary syphilis
secondary syphilis, and gonorrhœa per 1,000 of mean strength in the Madras,
Secunderabad, Nagpore, Belgaum and Bangalore, and Burma Districts for 1887
and 1888 :—
Districts.
Madras District.
Secunderabad
District.
Nagpore District.
Belgaum and
Bangalore
Districts.
Burma District.
Ratio per 1,000 of mean strength.
A.
D.
A.
D.
A.
D.
A.
D.
A.
D.
Primary
syphilis.
1887.
49.18 ...
43 . 22 ...
6.41 ...
92.30
147.60 ...
1888.
87 . 89 ...
88 . 26 ...
31.10
...
98.01 ...
67.81 ...
Secandary
syphilis.
1887.
9 . 8 4 ...
29.16 ...
9.62 ...
19.84 ...
19'9U ...
1888.
22 . 51 ...
42.51 ...
27 . 51 ...
27.14 ...
24.80 1.02
Gonorrhœa...
1887. 224. 04 ...
141 . 25 ... 164. 53 ... 127 . 22 ..
1 2 0 . 5 1
...
1888. 178 . 99 ... 161 . 02
166.27 ...
159 . 26 ...
1 1 4 . 3 7 ...
The Mandalay and Myingyan district is excluded for purposes of comparison
as it only came into existence on 1st April 1888.
Primary Syphilis.—The largest amount of primary syphilis in proportion to the
strength occurred in troops " on the march," the ratio being 139.07 per mille
against 40.27 in the previous year. The actual numbers were 42 this year, while
they were only 6 in 1887.
The Belgaum and Bangalore districts come next with an admission of 408 and
a ratio per mille of 98.01 against 349 and 92.30 the previous year.
In Upper Burma the admissions were 163, being a proportion of 87.82 per
thousand.
The Secunderabad district gives 245 admissions for primary syphilis, this being
a ratio of 88.26 per mile of strength against 123 and 43.22 in 1887.
The Madras district has 82 admissions or 87.89 per mille against 45 and 49.18
in the preceding year.
Lower Burma comes next with 134 cases or 67.81 per mille against 267 and
147.60 in 1887.