The Queen's Daughters in India

Appendix A.

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The photographic reduction of the following document was originally issued by the Friends’ Association for Abolishing the State Regulation of Vice. It is here reproduced by their permission.

The Names of the Commander-in-Chief and of the Quartermaster-General who were in office on the date of issue of each of the Circular Memorandums mentioned in the following Parliamentary Return.

According to the Indian Army and Civil Service List, 1870 to 1876;
India List, 1877 to 1886.

List of Senior Officers

On the 4th and 7th Aug., 1893, Lord Roberts disclaimed knowledge of the contents of the Circular Memorandum of June 17th, 1886 (see pages 63 and 84 of Parliamentary Return [C. 7148], of 1893). But on the 11th Aug., 1893, Lieut.-Gen. E. F. Chapman, who was Quartermaster-General at the time, gave very different evidence (see pages 85 to 90 of the same Return). He stated that Sir F. S. (now Lord) Roberts, the Commander-in-Chief, went on his usual cold weather tour of inspection in the early part of 1886, when he would have the fullest opportunity of consulting the general officers of his command on the subject. On his return to headquarters he discussed the matter with the Surgeon-General and the Quartermaster-General. The result of their deliberations was drawn up by the latter official, sent to Sir F. S. Roberts for his approval, and then issued by his authority to the subordinate military officials. A copy was sent to the Military Department of the Government of India for their information, and the receipt thereof acknowledged by them.

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Fac-simile copy (reduced) of Lord Roberts’ Circular Memorandum.

EAST INDIA (CONTAGIOUS DISEASES)
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RETURN to an Address of the Honourable The House of Commons,
dated 4 June 1888;—for,

“COPY of a Circular Memorandum by the Quartermaster General
in India, dated 17th June 1886.”

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India Office,}J. A. GODLEY,
4 June 1888.}Under Secretary of State for India.
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(Sir John Gorst.)

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Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be Printed,
4 June 1888.
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LONDON:

PRINTED BY HENRY HANSARD AND SON;

AND

Published by Eyre and Spottiswoode, East Harding-street, London, E.C.,
and 32, Abingdon-street, Westminster, S.W.;

Adam and Charles Black, North Bridge, Edinburgh;
and Hodges, Figgis, and Co., 101, Grafton-street, Dublin.

[Transcriber’s Note: The following text is the transcription of a two-page memorandum within the multi-part document. Images of those two pages can be seen here (first page) and here (second page).]

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COPY of a Circular Memorandum by the Quartermaster General
in India, dated 17th June 1886.

(No. 21.)

CIRCULAR MEMORANDUM.—Addressed to General Officers
Commanding Divisions and Districts

Cantonment Lock Hospitals

Office of Quartermaster General in India,
Army Head Quarters, Simla,
17 June 1886.

In former years His Excellency the Commander in Chief has frequently impressed on General and Commanding OfficersVide PrÉcis of Circulars attached the necessity for adopting stringent measures to reduce the chances of venereal disease spreading more widely amongst the soldiers of the Army.

2. At the present time His Excellency desires me to give prominence to the following points which appear to be specially deserving of consideration by the Military and Medical authorities in every command.

The treatment of venereal disease generally is a matter calling for special devotion on the part of the medical profession.

To mitigate the evil now experienced, it is not only necessary to deal with the cases of troops in hospitals, but to arrange for a wider-spread effort which may reach the large centres of population, and, in this view, His Excellency has suggested to the Government of India the desirability of establishing a Medical School from which native practitioners trained in the treatment of venereal disease may be sent to the various towns throughout the country.

It can no longer be regarded as derogatory to the medical profession to promote the careful treatment of men and women who are suffering from a disease so injurious, and in mentioning the step which his Excellency has taken, he desires me to indicate the extreme importance in the first instance of medical officers being prepared to study and practice this particular branch of their professional work, under the assurance that their doing so must certainly result in the recognition of their efforts.

Whether or not the Lock Hospital system be extended, it is possible to encourage in every Cantonment, and in Sudder and Regimental Bazars, the treatment of those amongst the population who are suffering from venereal disease. The bulk of the women who practise the trade of prostitution are willing to subject themselves to examination by Dhais or by Medical Officers, if by their so doing they can be allowed to reside in regimental bazars.

Where Lock Hospitals are not kept up, it becomes necessary, under a regimental system, to arrange for the effective inspection of prostitutes attached to regimental bazars, whether in cantonments or on the line of march.

The isolation of women found diseased, and their maintenance while under treatment, becomes also a question to be dealt with regimentally.

In the regimental bazars it is necessary to have a sufficient number of women, to take care that they are sufficiently attractive, to provide them with proper houses, and above all to insist upon means of ablution being always available.

If young soldiers are carefully advised in regard to the advantage of ablution and recognise that convenient arrangements exist in the regimental bazar, they may be expected to avoid the risks involved in association with women who are not recognised by the regimental authorities.

The employment of Dhais, and insistance upon the performance of the acknowledged duties, is of great importance.

The removal of women who are pronounced to be incurably diseased from cantonment limits, should be dealt with as a police question in communication with the civil authorities.

In regard to the soldiers themselves, there are means at the disposal of Commanding Officers to enforce a more careful avoidance of contact with women who are diseased, where venereal is largely prevalent, the increase of the regimental police in controlling the movements of the men is imperative.

Frequent medical inspections should be ordered, and every endeavour should be made to make the men realize their own responsibility in assisting their officers, by indicating the women from whom disease has been acquired.

Much may be done to encourage a feeling amongst the men that it should be a point of honour to save each other where possible from risk in this matter.

The medical inspection of all detachments before leaving or entering a cantonment should be enforced by General Officers.

In conclusion, His Excellency desires me to impress upon all concerned the necessity for meeting the present difficulty by increased individual effort.

However much legislation may be desired to check the spread of disease, it is necessary to abandon a sense of false modesty in dealing with the matter in question, and to recognise that, as in the case of all other diseases, its open treatment, and the widespread knowledge of its disastrous effects, are the surest means of effacing it in each locality.

(By order)

E. F. Chapman, Major General,

Quartermaster General in India.

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RELATING TO CONTAGIOUS DISEASES (EAST INDIA)


PrÉcis of Circulars issued in the Quartermaster General’s Department regarding the adoption of stringent Measures to reduce the chances of Venereal Disease spreading more widely amongst the Soldiers of the Army.
Number and Date of Circular.	PURPORT.
No. 43, dated 20th July 1870.	I. Officers commanding troops on the line of march to ensure the effective inspection of prostitutes attached to their regimental bazars.
	II. When any woman is found to be diseased, measures are to be adopted for her isolation on the march, and her transfer to the first or nearest Lock Hospital for treatment.
No. 87, dated 20th November 1871.	Forwards a copy of a report by the Sanitary Commissioner with the Government of India, reviewing the working of the rules for the prevention of venereal disease amongst British troops for the year 1870, and calls special attention to the necessity of officers commanding stations affording more efficient and energetic means for preventing the admission of casuals to the vicinity of the barracks.
	Any increase of disease should at once be met by increased energy on the part of Station and Regimental authorities, and especially of Regimental Police.
No. 51, dated 23rd August 1872.	Forwards copy of a communication from the Government of India to that of Bombay, regarding the disposal of incurable women attending Lock Hospitals, in which the former approves of a proposal to employ an incurable woman on small wages in the duties of the hospital at Mhow.
No. 80, dated 30th September 1873.	Directs that the practice of levying registration fees from prostitutes be discontinued.
No. 90, dated 8th July 1875.	Calls attention to Circular No. 87 of 1871, and strongly impresses upon Officers Commanding Divisions, Districts, and Stations, the necessity for strengthening the regimental police of corps when venereal is on the increase at a station, it being the general impression that the disease is not, as a rule, contracted from the registered women, but from unlicensed prostitutes who wander about the lines as hawkers, or are employed as coolies by the Public Works Department.
	2. Requests that it may be pointed out to regimental Commanders, and the Lock Hospital Sub-Committees, whose special duty it is to supervise the working of the Lock Hospital rules, how important it is that they should more actively exert themselves to check the prevalence of this disease.
No. 35, dated 8th May 1876.	The Commander in Chief in India having had under review the annual reports on the working of the Lock Hospitals at certain stations, His Excellency regrets to find that the results are not satisfactory when compared with those of previous years.
	2. The Lock Hospital rules, as they stand, appear to meet all requirements, but it is considered that much greater vigilance and interest on the part of the local authorities is required for their efficient working.
	3. The authorities most concerned in working out these rules are Commanding Officers of Regiments and Batteries, their Medical Officers, and the Sub-Committees, and their attention is called to the following points:—
	I. The number of women on the register is not in proportion to the number of men who visit them.

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COPY OF CIRCULAR MEMORANDUM

Number and Date of Circular.	PURPORT.
No. 35, dated 8th May 1876—contd.	II. The improvement of the conditions under which the women ply their trade, such as greater privacy, facilities for ablution, &c. &c.
	III. The kind treatment of the women and every reasonable inducement being held out to them to attend the Lock Hospital when suffering from disease.
	4. Commanding Officers of regiments and batteries are to report at once to the General Officer Commanding, when any increase of venereal disease occurs amongst their men. Such reports to show the supposed causes of the increase, and the measures adopted for its suppression, and after remark by the Deputy Surgeon General to be forwarded to the Quartermaster General’s Office.
	5. The Lock Hospital Sub-Committee are to be assembled at least once a month, and their reports forwarded to General Officers Commanding.
	6. It is considered that a Careful attention to these points will contribute considerably towards checking the spread of venereal disease, and His Excellency hopes that no effort will be spared by either Regimental, Medical, or Local authorities to ensure more satisfactory results than have hitherto been obtained.
No. 67, dated 19th August 1876.	The annual reports on the working of Lock Hospitals during the year 1875, show that much venereal disease was contracted when on the line of march; Commanding Officers’ attention should therefore be called to Circular No. 43 of 1870, and to the Medical Regulations which direct the Medical examination for venereal disease of every unmarried soldier on the day of his arrival at a new station from the line of march; and the effective inspection of the prostitutes accompanying the regimental bazars.
No. 11, dated 28th February 1878.	As it would appear that the great increase which prevails in a regiment on the line of march is attributable in a great measure to illicit prostitution, requests that the necessity for the exercise of greater care and vigilance on the line of march may be urged upon regimental authorities.
	2. If necessary, some restriction should be placed on the men going out of camp, by posting picquets in different directions, and strengthening them when cases of venereal increase.
No. 68, dated 24th November 1880.	Draws attention to Circular No. 67 of 1876, and requests that the instructions therein contained regarding the medical examination of all unmarried soldiers on first arrival at a new station may be carried out, care being taken that the examination of the men is conducted with the utmost decency.
	2. These medical examinations are of importance in detecting the existence and arresting the spread of venereal disease.
No. 23, dated 23rd April 1883.	Forwards for information and guidance an extract from a ruling of the Chief Court, Punjab, regarding the registration of women convicted of practising illicit prostitution.
No. 69, dated 26th November 1883.	The Commander in Chief requests that careful attention of Cantonment Committees and Lock Hospital Sub-Committees may be directed to the following points, wherever free quarters for registered women have been, or may hereafter be, established:—
	2. Where cantonment funds can afford it, experienced and reliable Dhais should be employed to supervise the registered women.

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RELATING TO CONTAGIOUS DISEASES (EAST INDIA)

Number and Date of Circular.	PURPORT.
No. 69, dated 26th November 1883 —continued.	3. Such Dhais should be well paid if the fund can afford it, and they should be held responsible that:— I. The women under their charge consort with none but Europeans. II. That they do not entertain a man in any house but the one allotted them as quarters; III. That a woman is sent to hospital immediately she is found to be diseased; IV. To ensure the latter, the Dhai should examine the women daily between the periodical inspections of the medical officer.
	4. Soldiers who have been diseased by registered women, have been frequently known to attribute it to women met in their walks outside the bazaar, and the diseased woman has thus been allowed to practise her trade in this state for sometime without detection.
	5. Every house should therefore be numbered outside, or in some conspicuous spot inside, and a soldier on reporting himself sick should not be required to personally point out the woman from whom he contracted the disease, but merely to give the number of her house.
	6. If the Dhai does her duty, these measures should lead to the early detection of disease amongst registered women.
	7. Each house should be provided with a urinal and means of ablution, and such other preventive measures, within the means of the Cantonment Fund, as suggest themselves to local committees should be freely resorted to.
	8. His Excellency will be prepared to sanction any reasonable expenditure from cantonment funds on the measures therein suggested.
No. 42, dated 12th July 1884.	Requests that the attention of Officers Commanding Stations may be drawn to the desirability when constructing free quarters for registered women, of providing houses that will meet the wishes of the women.
	2. Unless their comfort and the convenience of those who consort with them is considered, the results will not be satisfactory.

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