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ANNUAL REPORT ON THE MILITARY LOCK HOSPITALS, MADRAS PRESIDENCY.

      The subjoined statement exhibits the instances in which the European soldier has pointed
out the female who diseased him, and how far his statement has proved correct:—

      There has been no change in the present system of examining and treating women, who
are made to attend the Lock Hospital on appointed days and are examined and treated if
found diseased. Almost all cases have been readily amenable to treatment, but not so in the
case of women who were newly brought on the register. On the whole the results exhibited
in the report are more favorable than in 1879.

Extracts from the Annual Medical Report of the Lock Hospital at Wellington by
Brigade Surgeon A. D. GULLAND, A.M.D.

      The wooden screw of the examination room has been extended to the roof, and a door was
put up for the safe custody of medicines, &c., which are kept in the same room. The erection
of a new latrine was entered in the annual list of buildings on the 26th April 1880, and
forwarded by the Commanding Officer of the station for the sanction of the Commander-in-
Chief.

      The measures that have existed for some time past for controlling prostitutes, and specially
for preventing dangers arising from unlicensed prostitutes practising their calling within the
lines, still continue in force. These consist in the patient that reports sick from venereal
disease proceeding to the Wellington or Coonoor bazaar in company with a Constable and a
hospital orderly, to whom the woman who communicated the disease to the patient is pointed
out; the woman is then taken to hospital and there treated if found diseased. There can be
little doubt that on the hills there is a considerable amount of clandestine prostitution, and
often the men are unwilling to identify the women from whom they contracted the disease.
The Police Inspector is of opinion that venereal diseases are often contracted in the Toda
villages, or from certain of the wives of the soldiers' themselves. I consider the registration
has been efficient.

      There has been a decrease of 11 admissions to the register during the past year, the total
number for 1880 being 8 as compared with 19 during the year 1879. As a rule the women
have been regular at the weekly examination. They are examined weekly at the Lock Hospital
and admitted for treatment if found diseased. During the year there has been a decrease from
the venereal diseases. The diseases have been, generally speaking, of a mild type.

      I have no suggestion for the improvement in the existing rules, except that as the Lock
Hospital is so near the Depôt Hospital, and as the requirements in the former are so little, that
the medicines should be supplied by the latter, thus saving expense and trouble.