No. 1749
86
-
II I Fig
A. H. L. FRASER, ESQUIRE,
ASSISTANT SECRETARY TO THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER,
Central Provinces.
To
THE SECRETARY To THE GOVERNMENT OF INDI
Borne Department,
Dated Nagpur, the 8th May 1878.
SIR,
I am directed by the Chief Commissioner to submit the reports on the
working of the Lock Hospitals of Kamptee, Sitabaldi, Pachmarhi, Jubbulpore
and Saugor for the year 1877, with a few accompanying papers.
2. In a recent Resolution,* the Government of India in the Home De-
partment recorded various remarks and suggestions
regarding the administration of Lock Hospitals
and the prevention of venereal disease in India; and
this resolution further invited suggestions and expression of opinion on the
part of Local Governments and Administrations. It is the intention of the
Chief Commissioner, on receipt of replies from the officers whom he has deemed
it expedient to consult, to submit a full expression of his views on the subjects
mooted. It is unnecessary therefore to deal with them in this place.
3.
There is nothing very striking in the figures for the year under report.
The cost of the various institutions is much the same as last year ; and the
statistics of their working do not show any marked change, though they are on
the whole more favourable. There is a decrease in venereal admissions reported
from Kamptee : especially marked in the case of secondary syphilis. This
shows that the type of the disease is milder than formerly ; and that the
improvement of last year has continued. The decrease in the number of admis-
sions at Jubbulpore, and the prevalence of a milder type of the disease there,
are attributed by Dr. Rice to the fact that during their first year of occupancy,
regimental prostitution is chiefly confined to the women on the register ; as the
acquaintance of the soldiers does not extend further. This statement is said to
be based on the experience of several years, and may perhaps have some foun-
dation in fact ; though it would probably not be safe to adopt the conclusion
hastily. In Saugor the figures are not so favourable ; but it is clear that this
result is partly at least due to the fact that the 2-1 Royal Scots contracted a
good deal of disease on their way from Lahore to Saugor.
4.
Unlicensed prostitution seems still to prevail to a large extent. This
is represented as partly due to defective registration, to want of vigilance on
the part of the police &c. The Cantonment Magistrate of Saugor points out that
the power of the civil police to prevent it is greatly limited by their fear of the
European soldiers, with whom they run no little risk of collision, when they
attempt to arrest women illegally plying their trade ; and there is little doubt
that -much must be left to the .Regimental police. The employment of female
punkah pullers and coolies is unfavourably commented on by Surgeon Major
Suffrein of Kamptee. At Saugor the precaution of employing males only on
public works in connection with or in the vicinity of the barracks has been
adopted. The question resolves itself mainly into one of expense, and as
Saugor is a military works charge, the military authorities have probably
*No. 357, dated 21st December
1877.