RESOLUTION

ON THE

REPORT ON LOCK-HOSPITALS

IN

BRITISH BURMA

FOR THE YEAR 1881.

Extract from the Proceedings of the Chief Commissioner, British Burma, in the General Department,—
No. 15, dated the 11th April 1882.

          READ—

Annual Reports on the working of the several lock-hospitals in the province of British Burma for
the year 1881.

          Read also—

The Review on the working of the lock-hospitals by the Deputy Surgeon-General, British Burma
Division.

      RESOLUTION.—Lock-hospitals are at present maintained at six towns in British
Burma. At Rangoon, Toungoo, and Thayetmyo they are worked under the Can-
tonment Act, 1880, while at Moulmein, Akyab, and Bassein the Contagious Diseases
Act, 1868, is in force. At Rangoon, Thayetmyo, Toungoo, and Moulmein, where
troops are stationed, the lock-hospitals are no doubt a necessity, but the Chief Com-
missioner has doubts whether it is either necessary or desirable to maintain
such institutions at Akyab and Bassein. In the year 1880 Deputy Surgeon-
General Joseph reported that, in his opinion, the lock-hospitals at these stations
were not carrying out the intentions of Government, and that large sums of money
were being annually expended upon them without any benefit. It was found, how-
ever, that the balance of local opinion was in favour of retaining both hospitals.
It was admitted that these institutions were of little, if any, benefit to the Burmese
population, who do not as a rule consort with registered prostitutes, but it was
argued that they were of great value to the European and other sailors visiting
the ports. No statistics were adduced in support of this view. Such statistics
are, however, now being collected, and in the meanwhile the lock-hospitals are
being maintained as before.

      2.The statistics of venereal diseases contracted by British soldiers at Ran -
goon, Thayetmyo, and Toungoo for the past three years have been as follows :—