( 28 )

year. It seems just that the Native Doctor should be paid as desired, more especially
as the paid services of a Native Doctor are allowed in 15 other lock hospitals.

   104. At Fatehgarh it is recommended that a recognized place of residence for
the registered women should be established. And there cannot be a doubt that a cluster
of village-like huts, conveniently situated, should be provided for this purpose. Also
the necessity, of providing a hospital inclosure wall, is proved at paragraph 84.

   105. The recommendations described in paragraphs 97 to 102 are the features
of the report which require the attention and decision of the Government. And it can-
not but be right, to ask attention to the extremely favourable record of paragraph 2,
in regard to the conduct and abilities of Hospital Assistant Hira Lal. And to the favour-
able record of paragraph 31, in regard to Native Doctor Karim Baksh.

   106. The expenditure on account of lock hospitals for the year 1883 is shown in
the appendix, Forms Nos. II. and III. And it appears that a sum of Rs. 4,203-2-0 was
expended from Imperial funds, and Rs. 26,892-9-0 from Cantonment funds. Total
Rs. 31,095-11-0;

   In 1882, the total expenditure was Rs. 35,583-5-1. Of which Rs. 6,898-15-4 was
drawn from Imperial funds, and Rs. 28,684-5-9 from Cantonment funds. The figures
therefore warrant a report that, for 1883, there was the considerable decrease in
expenditure of Rs. 4,487-10-1.

   The decrease of expenditure from Imperial funds is most commendable, as there
cannot be a doubt that the Cantonment authorities are more likely to give heed to the
management, When the ,provision of the necessary funds falls to their lot.

   The Benares and Naini Tal lock hospitals are the only institutions of this class
wholly supported by Government. And at Benares the average expenditure for each
woman registered was Rs. 67-8-2—the average of all the institutions being Rs. 31-40-8.

   The chief reason for the decrease of Imperial expenditure was that, whilst in 1883
the expenditure at Moradabad and Roorkee was met in greatest measure from Canton-
ment funds, in greatest measure, during 1882, it was met from Imperial funds.

   The chief causes of the total decrease of expenditure were:—

   (a.) The lessened disease prevalence, fewer women having had to be maintained
in hospital—the daily average being 125, against 193 in 1882.

   (b.) The transfer of the Benares hospital, from the 1st to the 2nd class, in the last
quarter of the year.

   (c.) The decreased cost of establishment which has been pretty general in all the
larger hospitals.

   107. Faithfully recorded in one paragraph—the important facts of the manage-
ment, and the experiences, of the year of report, may thus be summarised

   A year of decided success, notwithstanding the soldier's persistent preference for
unregistered women (a fact witnessed to and deplored by all authorities). And not-
withstanding the persistent decrease in the number of registered women.

   A year of lessened expenditure, from the very best of causes—a lessened prevalence
of disease.

   The causes of these better results not plainly apparent, but fairly attributable to a
better management, in regard to the prevention of unlicensed intercourse in certain
important stations—possibly due in some measure to fortuitous circumstances. And
yet, as the lock hospital system has had to bear the odium of failure for so many years,
it is right to give it comfort of some praise for a year of comparative success. One
circumstance, at any rate, may justly be considered to have originated from its existence.
Namely, the comparatively milder character of the venereal disease now generally .seen.