How under these circumstances is Thayetmyo's comparative immunity to be
explained ? Toungoo's 131 admissions are classified thus :—
1883.
1882.
1881.
Primary syphilis
...
...
...
...
...
85
49
34
Secondary syphili
...
. . .
...
...
3
9
6
Gonorrhœa
...
...
. . .
. . .
...
...
43
25
37
For easy comparison the figures for the two preceding years, extracted from the
divisional report, are placed alongside, and I quite concur with the Superintend-
ent when he says
—
" Such figures as these show plainly enough that, for some reason or other, the present
system of controlling prostitution is not working satisfactorily."
There may be comfort in the reflection that the primary sores acquired in
. recent years can rarely have been of the true Hunterian type, otherwise we should
have now. more secondary ailments to deal with.
IV.—Whether a cantonment sub-committee for exercising special supervision over the rules has existed
throughout the year and what officers composed it.
In Moulmein, Akyab, Bassein, Thayetmyo, and Toungoo the lock-hospitals
are under the control of their respective municipalities. The control of the lock-
hospital in Rangoon reverted to the local Government during the year under
review. The cantonment sub-committees described in the previous year's report
are still in existence and are similarly constituted.
V.—What special measures have been taken for control of prostitutes, and especially for preventing the
. danger from unlicensed prostitutes frequenting the lines.
The Medical Officer in charge of the Rangoon lock-hospital complains of the
inadequacy of the police establishment detailed for the control of prostitution.
In the beginning of the year one inspector, one naik, and three constables were
deputed for this duty ; but since June last the naik and two constables have been
withdrawn, reducing the establishment to one inspector and one constable, which,
as Dr. Johnstone points out, cannot possibly control an area covering 102 square
miles within which is located a population of 185,723, of whom nearly 500 are
registered women of the town.
One hundred and thirty-three prostitutes belonging to Rangoon were arrested
for evading medical examination, one for absconding from hospital, 23 for solicit-
ing, and 97 for practising without a license.
At Thayetmyo there is no special agency appointed for this purpose, but the
award of part of the fines imposed to informers is said to work well.
During the year under review 15 women were prosecuted for unlicensed
prostitution ; of these nine were fined and six sent to jail. Dr. Dalzell writes
thus regarding the control of prostitution at Toungoo :—
" A. special standing detective agency, consisting of two constables supervised by a head
constable, has been in existence for two years, but they have signally failed in checking
clandestine prostitution or in bringing offenders to justice. This, in my experience, is in-
variably the case with regard to the police who are told-off for this duty. The truth is that
the work is distasteful, and they imagine that the opprobrium they would incur if they per-
formed this duty conscientiously would not be sufficiently compensated for by the credit
they would receive ; indeed it is far from unlikely that they are better rewarded for main-
taining a discreet silence. As I have pointed out in previous reports, it is impossible to
believe that, living as they. do amongst the people and seeing soldiers entering and fre-
quenting certain houses, they could remain ignorant of the characters and calling of the
occupants ; if they do, then they are totally unfitted for their appointments. The subject
is one which requires to be firmly dealt with, but until Police Officers can be convinced that
clandestine. prostitution is a crime as much as theft, and that spreading a loathsome disease
wilfully is paramount to inflicting grievous hurt, no improvement can be expected.to take
place. The favourite cry is that arresting for this offence opens the door to abuse and op-
pression. Granting that it does, the same may be said of arresting for any other crime on