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ANNUAL REPORT ON THE LOCK HOSPITAL, SAUGOR, FOR THE
YEAR 1878.
From C. Imrie, Esq., Secretary to the . Cantonment Fund Committee, Saugor, to the
Secretary to the Chief Commissioner, Gentral Provinces, Nagpur,—No. 162,
dated Saugor, the 3rd February 1879.
In forwarding the Medical Officer's report of the working of the Locli
Hospital, Saugor Cantonment, during 1878, I have very few remarks to make.
There was on the whole less disease than in 1877. The Detachment “ The
Royal Scots" had incurred a good deal of disease on the way to Saugor in that
year, and their condition has since much improved. The Battery was not unfa-
vourably reported on till it went into camp in the beginning of the cold. weather.
The increase of disease since then shows that registration might he better
enforced outside the city and within the four miles radius. I would suggest that
the respectable inhabitants of Patharia Ahir, in the vicinity of the Artillery
camp, be entered in a list—not a very difficult matter—and every other woman
subjected to regular examination during the stay of the Battery in camp.
I have to remark on the Medical Officer's criticism of the Police. They
might certainly bring up more unregistered prostitutes. But if their evidence is
to be carefully weighed in the ease of " badmashes, " it is to be still more care-
fully weighed in the case of women brought to Court as prostitutes. The Police
know this and are chary about accusing any women without strong evidence
against them, and this is rather hard to get. The men who know most of the
women are either men whose word does.not go for much, or men who would be
ashamed, and certainly unwilling, to testify against them. It is useless for a Magis-
trate to expect a European soldier to point out women he has had connexion
with. And I do not see how it is to the interest of registered prostitutes to
increase their ranks. If they do give information their statements must be the
less reliable, that they are evidently due to spite. For a prostitute does not
think registration altogether desirable. Perhaps it might be suggested to the
Medical authorities that, particularly in a station like Saugor where the Medical
O f f i c e r r e p o r t s s o f a v o u r a b l y o f t h e l i c e n s e d p r o s t i t u t e s , t h e w e e k l y e x a m i n a t i o n
be made a monthly one, at a time suiting each woman, and the greatest objection
to registration be thereby greatly obviated.
Annual Report on the Lock Hospital, Saugor, for the year 1878, by Surgeon Major
D. F. Bateman, in medical charge.
The hospital is capable of containing twenty in-patients, and for that num-
ber the accommodation is suitable. There are two
wards, a dispensary and examination room, two
bath rooms, a cook and four rooms for servants.
There are two latrines, in which dry earth conser-
vancy is carried out and the soil removed twice daily.
During the past year the walls have been whitewashed, a new roof put on
the patients' ward, and some minor repairs to other parts of the building.
I.—The nature and extent of hos-
pital accommodation, whether it is
suitable, and whether there has been
any change in it during the year.
III.—The extent of venereal disease
amongst European troops.
Surgeon M. D. O'Connell held charge of the hospital from 1st January to
6th March 1878 and Surgeon J . C. Dorman, 2-1st
Royal Scots, from 7th March to 25th June 1878.
Since then I have been in charge of the institution.
II.—Any changes in the Medical
charge of the Lock Hospital during
the year.
During last year the Detachment of 2-1st Royal Scots, with a strength
of 225, showed 45 cases of venereal disease or 200
per thousand ; this is a decrease of 92 when com-
pared with the preceding year. The forms of the dis-
ease were gonorrhœa, 26 ; primary syphilis, 18; secondary syphilis, 1 total, 45.