MILITARY LOCK HOSPITALS, MADRAS PRESIDENCY.

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Extracts from the Annual Medical Report of the Lock Hospital at Secunderabad. by
Surgeon-Major E. S. CLEVELAND.

Strength of Prostitutes.

Number of Sick.

      The new block of building of the hospital has been completed and occupied during the
year 1880. It is on higher ground than the old one, and affords accommodation for 30 patients.
Its superfical area is 1,800 square feet and the cubical space 32,400 cubic feet. The whole
flooring is paved with stone, and the building is a cleanly comfortable one. The hospital now
provides accommodation for 69 patients. The other petty improvements effected during the
year were—

        (1.)  The heightening of a portion of the compound wall of the hospital to the west and
south as a safeguard against the escape of the inmates.

        (2.)  The separation of the cook-room from the main building by a partition wall.

        (3.)  The compound of the old hospital having been uneven was levelled and sloped for
rain-water to pass freely.

        (4.)  Also the construction at the eastern extremity of quarters for the Hospital Assistant,
which were occupied in July.

      Although there were four Constables and one Head Constable attached to this institution
throughout the year their work cannot be said to be satisfactory, inasmuch as the number of
new registrations fell from 182 in 1879 to 128 in 1880, giving an average of 25.6 registrations
to each man, whereas in the previous year, when the detective agency was short by one man
for seven months, it was 41.4. The falling off is due no doubt to the frequent changes in the
men, which have a baneful tendency in the working of the institution, in consequence of the men
having to learn their work, which cannot be acquired within a short space. Some of the men
attached to this duty are not as zealous and active as might be desired. One of them only
registered only one female within a period of six months, and one was removed for intemperate
habits. The work of the police would have been very poor had it not been. for the timely
re-transfer of two of the old experienced detectives.

      The year under report is better than the preceding in respect of the attendance of the
prostitutes at the weekly examinations, there having been 567 absences against 849 in 1879,
but not better than in 1878, in which year there were 502 absences. In the case of the
individual absentees the figures are also satisfactory, for there were only 190 women who
absented in the year under report as compared with 219 in 1879. The following figures show
how the absentees were dealt with in the past two years :—

1879.

Total Individual Absentees.

1880.

Total individual Absentees.

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