§ MAJOR RASCHI beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that, out of an actual strength of 16,600 British troops proceeding on service in the recent campaign on the North-West Frontier, 1,500, or nearly 10 per cent., were incapacitated for service in the field by venereal disease; and whether the Government of India propose to take any further steps to remedy this condition of affairs?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingThe force, from which the 16,600 British troops were drawn for service in the recent campaign, consisted of 21,439 men. Of these 989 were rejected as unfit for service on account of venereal disease; while a further number of 492 were incapacitated during the campaign for the same reason. The total number of men known to have been thus disqualified for active service is therefore 1,481, or nearly 7 per cent., on a total strength of 21,439. The Government of India are fully aware of the importance of this matter, and have taken and are taking steps with the object of diminishing the prevalence of venereal disease among the British troops in that country.
§ MAJOR RASCHI suppose the noble Lord is aware that 16,000 and not 21,000 men were ordered from Simla to the front?
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