( 30 )
somewhat higher than the ratio for the two preceding years, which were as
follow :—
Years.
Number of ad-
missions.
Locally acquired. Ratio per cent.
1879 ...
...
...
. . .
117
72
4.86
1880 ...
...
...
...
...
115
77
5.52
It is seen from this statement that venereal disease was to a certain extent
more prevalent during 1880 than 1879 ; but it is worthy of note that out of the
129 cases of syphilis tabulated above no less than 65 were cases of secondary
syphilis. If this fact be considered in connection with the following remark of the
Senior Medical Officer of British troops, Dr. Pout, the deduction is somewhat sig-
nificant :—" The admissions for locally acquired disease have diminished very
" much during the last six months. From 1st January to the 30th June there were
" 75 admissions, from the 1st July to the 31st December only 22, which shows that
" the rules in force are working well and that increased vigilance has been brought
" to bear in enforcing them. " Now, granting that symptoms of secondary syphilis
supervene after the lapse of a period varying from three to six months or more after
the acquisition of the primary affection, the natural conclusion to be drawn from
the foregoing statement is that disease which was really acquired during the lat-
ter months of the year 1880 was first detected during the early months of 1881
and shown as having been acquired during that year. I think no reasonable
doubt can be entertained that this has actually occurred. The mean average
strength of the Native portion of the garrison for the year 1881 was 598 men,
among whom there were three admissions for venereal disease. Of these, how-
ever, two were re-admissions, leaving one single case of primary disease : a ratio of
17 per cent. It is difficult to understand why the Native troops should be so exempt
from venereal affections, but the experience of previous years confirms the fact.
In 1879, out of an average strength of 1,465 men, there were 17 cases; and in 1880
not a single case of venereal disease is reported to have occurred among a force
of 1,675 men.
IV.—whether a Cantonment Sub-Committee for exercising special supervision over the rules has existed
throughout the year and what officers composed it.
There is no Cantonment Sub-Committee. The Cantonment Magistrate and
Civil Surgeon are chiefly concerned in the administration of the Act, referring
matters beyond their control to the Cantonment Committee at the ordinary month-
ly meeting, when the venereal returns for the month are also submitted and
inspected.
V.—What special measures have been taken for control of prostitution, and especially for preventing the
danger from unlicensed prostitutes frequenting the lines.
No special measures have been adopted for the purpose, and it is much to be
regretted that some steps cannot be taken to check the unlicensed prostitution
that takes place. So long as the working of the Act seems efficient and the
results satisfactory there will be little to attract attention to the subject, but it is use-
less to shut one's eyes to the prevalence of the evil because the results are not
immediately apparent. I am quite prepared to state that about 80 per cent. of the
cases of venereal disease from which the men in garrison suffer are contracted
from intercourse with unlicensed women. It is true that when a soldier has con-
tracted disease from a woman he is made to point her out, but as often as not be
fails to point out any one ; nearly always the woman (generally a registered pros-
titute) when pointed out is found to be free from disease, and it results in the real
offender getting off undetected.
The method in which this practice of deception is carried on is worthy of
note. The licensed and unlicensed women are evidently in league, and the latter
resort at night to the houses of the former and thus mislead those who fre-
quent them as to the person and name of the true occupant. When enquiry is