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105. It will serve no good purpose to quote the paragraphs proving the existence
of this great source of disease, as any reader, of the summaries the report contains, will
find, that wherever the cause of the soldiers' disease is discussed, chief position is
given to this potent factor of disturbance.
Generals, Commissioners, Commanding Officers, Magistrates, Doctors—all admit
it—have admitted and deplored it for years past. But the soldier goes ever his own
way in this delicate matter. With money, resulting from the hardship and danger of
campaign (paras. 22 and 56), he gathers the loose characters of the country to his
neighbourhood, and indulges freely in liquor and women.
This is a sad picture of solemn official utterance, but the words are on record
and I am bound to give them prominence.
106. While so much of license is permitted, there cannot be any hope of perfect
success left to the lock hospital scheme. The ratio of disease will rise or fall, as the
years pass, possibly in obedience to the laws of probability. But, in every year, a
very large amount of disease will assuredly occur.
It might serve a good purpose, if the loss of efficiency, resulting from this disease,
could be accurately determined. The information is not contained in the returns.
But assuming that each case, of the 3,340 of 1881, represented 11 days' sickness, it
follows that 100 men were lost to the cause of duty throughout the year ; and in
all probability the diseases were not cured. in an average of 11 days.
107. In view of the persistent prevalence of disease, amongst the soldiers,
recorded in all, years as the result of their consort with women of the country out-
side the protection of the lock hospital scheme, it seems possible to arrive at only
one conclusion. Which is, that until soldiers improve in regard to moral character,
absence of excessive venereal complaint amongst them is not to be expected.
This is the opinion of the Commissioner of Kumaun, Who attributes, the decrease
of disease recorded at Naini Tal during the year, to the fact, that a better class of
men than usual joined the Depôt there (para. 70).
108. As regards measures recommended for the improved working of the
scheme. Besides the all-important and almost universal recommendation for the
more strict control of the soldier, there is one other which seems to meet a pretty
general approval. It is the punishment of the soldier for the offence of self-inflicted
incapacity for duty. In previous years this, it appears, has been permitted. But in
1881 it is reported (para. 52) that the " Regulation of the Forces Act" forbids
punishment as before.
I regret to say that I have no knowledge of the Act in question. But I understand
that the clause referred to forbids punishment, for the concealment or aggravation of
disease—which does not seem to be the same thing, as self-inflicted incapacity for duty
by contract of venereal disease. If, however, the action of the Act is to prevent
reasonable punishment, as recommended in the para. quoted, then it is necessary
I should say, its action is not upheld by the general weight of opinion, as expressed in
this report—which strongly favours the punishment of the soldier. In two places
(paras. 52 and 70) the opinion is recorded, that soldiers enjoy the enforced idleness of
a stay in hospital, pending cure for venereal disease. Apparently some counterpoise
of suffering should be in existence to balance any feeling of that kind.
But again, I should say that an opinion exists, (para. 28) to the effect, that the
expectation of punishment deters the soldier from declaring his diseased condition.
This is a very serious consideration, as it is of the very first importance that the
soldier should be encouraged to seek immediate cure in the right direction. One
form of punishment hitherto in vogue at some stations—namely, that of requiring
evening duty from a man after cure, for the prevention of illicit intercourse by other
soldiers—hardly commends itself as reasonable. Because, to deal efficiently with that