§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, S.E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the facts stated in the Army Medical Report of 1897, that the number of admissions to hospital for 301 venereal disease per 1,000 was 507, only three per cent. less than in 1896, and that the number invalided to England in 1897 was 662, an increase of 183 over the previous year, the Government will consider the advisability of permitting the Indian Government to take such measures as they may think fit for the detection of diseased persons of both sexes, and to detain such perons in hospital until cured; and whether the Government has received any Reports as to the effectiveness or otherwise of the new cantonment rules enforced in 1899?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAThe statement quoted by my honourable and gallant Friend relates to troops in cantonments only. Including those on field service, the admission rate for venereal disease was 485 per 1,000 in 1897, against oil in 1896, a reduction of 26 per 1,000. The new cantonment rules were not brought into operation until towards the end of 1897, and could not be expected to have much effect in lowering the ratio for the whole year. No Report has yet been received as to their effectiveness or otherwise, and until the results of their working have been ascertained I do not propose to take any further action. The Returns for 1898 so far as they are known are very encouraging, and show a considerable further decrease.