( 19 )

(16)MUTTRA.

      84. During the year 1878 a monthly average of 15 women have remained on
the register against 18 in 1877.

      The results of the management have been unsatisfactory. The ratios of venereal
cases per 1,000 of the European garrison for the five years, 1874-78, have been 190,
127, 132, 96, and 223 respectively. It should be added that of a total of 71 cases
admitted to hospital in 1878, 42 occurred on the line of march between Rawal Pindi
and Muttra.

      85. The Medical Officer reports that a large proportion of the cases of disease
amongst the soldiers are due to women who walk about the lines selling rope, socks,
or begging. These women are to be found, also, on the outskirts of cantonments. Six
unregistered women arrested by the regimental police were all found to be seriously
diseased.

      The registered women have been regularly examined and satisfactorily managed.
Disease amongst them has been little, only 11 cases of venereal disease in the year.

      86. The Magistrate forwards the report without comment.

      87. The Commissioner is of opinion that for the effectual suppression of venereal
disease we must look to increased vigilance on the part of the regimental police, and
to a considerable restriction of the men's right of wandering at will through native cities
and bazaars, and not to extended registration of women.

      88. It may be observed that the preceding short notices provide information
concerning 16 lock-hospitals only, although there are 17 lock-hospitals in the
province.

      The seventeenth, of which notice is missing, is the hospital at Sitapur, and the
cause of the omission is that up to date no lock-hospital reports of 1878 have been
received in my office from Sitapur.

      The want of report may be due to the departure of the European garrison to the
seat of war. The report has been asked for, and the facts in regard to Sitapur will be
submitted to Government as soon as possible.

      89. Omitting, then, all reference to Sitapur, the total figures of the returns
pertaining to the sixteen hospitals previously noticed provide statements of results for
the year pointing to a total failure as regards the purpose for which lock-hospitals
were established—namely, the prevention of venereal disease amongst the European
soldiers, and this notwithstanding an increased number of registered women for the
year, and an increased expenditure, as compared with the two previous years.

      90. The facts for the past three years are drawn together in the following
table:—

Results of lock-hospital management in the North-Western Provinces and Oudh for
the three years 1876-78.

      *NOTE.—The figures for 1878 do not include those for the Sitapur hospital. They will, if possible,
be submitted hereafter.