CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. REPORT SELECT COMMITTEE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACE AMENDMENT BILL | (CB. 8—'95)]. _ Printed Ps Order of the Legislative Couneil. ih "1895. CAPE TOWN: Bal ke W. A. RICHARDS & SONS, GOVERNMENT PRINTERS : Bis 1896, ‘ ©, 595. _ CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT AMENDMENT BILL. ~ CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. REPORT SELECT COMMITTEE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT AMENDMENT BILD [C.B. 895}. Printed by Order of the Legislative Council. 1895. CAPE TOWN: W. A. RICHARDS & SONS, GOVERNMENT PRINTERS 1895. C.5—’95. CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT AMENDMENT BILL. . CONTENTS. Order Appointing Committee Report sa Schedule of Aisa gente sdk Proceedings of Committee ... Minutes of Evidence : — Hon. P. H. Faure, Colonial Secretary Mr. J. C. Faure, Resident Magistrate, Cape Town Dr. J. F. Dixon, Medical Taspestor Cape Town Lieut. - ety Goodenough, Commanding Troops Dr. H. Clarke, District Seon na Health Officer, Simon’s Town Dr. Smuts, Stellenbosch Surgeon Lieut.-Colonel miler’ P.M. 0. Dr. Waterston 5 = : Appendix :— A. Contagious Diseases Act Amendment Bill [C.B. 84—’95] (Showing amendments Be: posed by Select Committee) —.. B. Contagious Diseases Prevention Act, Nb, 39 of 1885 (vide Acts of Parliament) C. Report of Select Committee of House of Assembly on C. D. Act [A.B. 24—’94]... D. Evidence taken by the above Committee { Returned to the House of Assembly] . E. Cireular issued to Members of the Medical Profession residing in districts where the Act is in force 5—’95. CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. ill iil iv CONTENTS. F. Replies to ditto :— Dr. Falkiner-Falkiner, Surgeon to Cape Government Railways, Acting Police and Casualty Surgeon, &c.... Dr. C. L. Herman Dr. C. McG. Kitching, Wodkbut Officer, Cape Town Prison ... Dr. J. F. Manikus Dr. D. J. Wood Dr. Claude Wright, Piskack Surgeon and Medical Inspector, Wynberg .. Dr. Clifton, ditto, ditto, Knysna Dr. Considine, Port Elizabeth Dr. Harris, Resident Surgeon Provin- cial Hospital, Port Elizabeth Dr. Uppleby, Medical Inspector under C. D. Act, Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage L Dr. Vanes, (edie. Dr. F. J. Parson, Resident Surgeon, Somerset Hospital os Further replies in Manuscript, some of which were received after the Com- mittce had reported... G. Return of admissions, &c., to the Lock Hospitals in Cape Town, ig and King William’s Town _... H. Return of Cases in the Military Hospital, from 1884 to 3lst May, 1885 I. Memo. from Dr. Gregory, with Advance Copies of his Report on bi of the C. D. Act during 1894 ... : J. Return showing Working of Act in Cape Town during the year 1894 ¥ K. Form of Notice piel by Medical In- spector PAGE. xii Xili XiV X1V Xvi o-4 m4 CONTENTS. . Venereal Disease in Cape Town Military Hospital.— Returns for the oe 12 1883-94 . . Average ditio for the 6 years 1883-88 - Ditto ditto ditto 1889-94 ... . Average ditto showing comparison between the 6 years immediately before the intro- duction of the Contagious Diseases Act and the 6 years immediately ee its introduction ... . Return of Admissions per l, 000 for the past 12 years, 1883-94 - Copy of Monthly Sanitary neva on General Health of Troops in South Africa R. Circular for Private Circulation among U. Ni: Regimental Officers as to the best means of Combating the Prevalence of Venereal Disease, dated 26th January, 1895 (not printed). . Ditto ditto, dated 18th March, 1895 (not printed). . Return showing numbers admitted into the Simon’s Town Lock Hospital from 1889 to May 31st, 1895—the number discharged—the number examined and the number remaining on Hist for Inspec- tion—from each year, respectively Table showing the Wosene of the Act at Simon’s Town.. :; Comparative Table Src wane in i per cent. the Working of the Act W. Return of Cases of Venereal Disease con- X. ¥: tracted in Simon’s Town admitted into the Royal Naval Hospital, 1888-94 Report on Sanitary Measures in India in 1892-93 | C.7514] Drvk Birkbeck Nevins, ‘Examination of Sanitary Reports, Cape of Good Hope, re Venereal Diseases (Pamphlet). XVili XVili xx Xxl Xxii XxXlll XXIV b 2 Vi ORDER APPOINTING COMMITTEE. 26th June, 1895. The Order of the Day having been read, for the Second Reading of the Contagious Diseases Act Amendment Bill [C.B. 8—'95], It was moved: —That this Bill be now read a Second Time. . Which being objected to, It was Ordered,—That the Bill be referred to a Select Committee, with power to call for Papers, take Evidence, and report ;—the Committee to consist of the PResipEnt, Messrs. Van Ruyn, Hervotpt, Wrenanp, Hueco, Rev. Dr Vitiiers, and NEETHuING (the Mover). Vii REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE appointed to consider the Con- tagious Diseases Act Amendment Bill [C.B. 8—’95], with power to call for Papers, take Evidence, and Report ;—the Committee consisting of the PResIDENT, Messrs. Van Ruyn, Hernoitpt, WienanD, Hueco, Rev. W. P. pe Viniiers, and Nreraiine (the Mover). Your Committee, after taking the Evidence of a number of competent witnesses, perusing the Evidence given last year before a Select Committee of the House of Assembly, and reading the valuable annual Report of Dr. Gregory, beg to report as follows :— 1. The weight of Medical Evidence isin favour of the retention of the whole of Act 39 of 1885. Those medical men who have been charged with the administration of Part I of the Act are decidedly of opinion that its effect has been to diminish the number, as well as the virulence of venereal disease among the soldiers and sailors, but they admit that the disease continues to be propagated by means of females carrying on illicit intercourse in such a clandes- tine manner that the Act cannot reach them. Other medical practitioners are of opinion that the Act has had a beneficial effect throughout the Colony, but they are unable to say whether this effect is due to Part I or Part IT of the Act. Your Committee is of opinion that, as regards the Colony generally, any decrease of syphilis that may be perceptible, is due to the operation of Part II, and that Part I has had very little practical effect in those portions of the Colony in which it is not in force. 2. The question then arises whether the scope of Part I should not be extended so as to make it applicable to all females in the Colony, wherever they may be found, who may become the possible means of spreading the disease viii ; REPORT. among the population. Upon this question none of the witnesses has ventured to suggest that the periodical eXamination, required by the 12th Section, should be extended to any but common prostitutes. Your Committee is of opinion, for reasons which must be obvious, that the difficulty in the way of such an extension is insuperable, and that the periodical examinations can only be applied to a small proportion of the females who are the means of diffusing the disease. 3. In considering the question whether Part I of the Act could safely be repealed, your Committee is of opinion that the experience of other countries ought not to be lost sight of. In India as wellas in England similar Acts have been repealed without the disastrous results which had been confidently predicted. In the report of the Army Sanitary Commission, for India, dated the 19th July, 1894, the following passages occur: “ It admits of no question that in 1892 venereal diseases prevailed among European soldiers in India to such an extent as to con- stitute a most serious cause of inefficiency. In a separate memorandum, which we submitted in December, 1893, we discussed this question at some length, and gave the reasons why we arrived at the conclusion that the evil had been very slightly mitigated in India under the Lock Hospital system, and that the re-introduction of this system on sanitary grounds could not be recommended. We need not pursue this subject further, but it may be useful to reproduce here a statement which was appended to that memoraudum, showing the statistics of venereal disease among the men serving in the United Kingdom for the six years during which the Contagious Diseases Acts were more or less in force, and the next six years when they had ceased to be in operation, aud from which it will be seen that the ratio of admissions per 1,000 has decreased since the Acts were abolished.” Then follows the table which will be found in the Appendix to tais Report, and fully bears out the above statement. The report concludes thus: ‘‘ These figures suffice to show how very little influence the Acts could have had in diminish- ing venereal disease under conditions more favourable to their operations than those which exist in India.” 4. [t is important to bear in mind that the REPORT. ix Contagious Diseases Act was originally adopted by the Legislature of this Colony in deference to the wishes of the Imperial Government. The main object. was to protect the troops stationed in this Colony and the seamen frequenting our ports, and so long as the Imperial Government retained similar * cts in other portions of the Empire, it might have been considered unreasonable on the part of this Colony to refuse the pro- tection deemed necessary elsewhere. But this reason for the retention of the Act falls to the ground after the repeal of similar Acts in England and in India. The Committee desires to call particular attention to the weighty evidence given by Lieutenant-General Goodenough, the General Officer in command of Her Majesty’s Troops in South Africa, and especially to the following passages: “There seems a certain amount of incongruity in calling on the men to exercise a higher morality in their conduct, whilst at the same time the Government of the country makes provision, as far as it can, for a man’s indulgence in his propensities without injurious consequences. ‘The result of this action on the part of the State, on men, on officers, and on society, is generally to slacken effort towards correction of habits of sensual indulgence, and to throw all the responsibility for the prevalence of diseases on the shoulders of Government. In England it is now begiuning to be understood that the Acts are a thing of the past; that it is no use hoping for their revival; and that other means must be resorted to to check vicious habits and the diseases they entail.” 5. Your Committee fully concurs in these views, and is of opinion that the proper means of checking syphilitic disease is by making Part II of the Act more stringent than it is, and by a more vigilant exercise on the part of the authorities of the powers already conferred upon them by that part of the Act. The Amendments which your Committee would recommend will be found in the Schedule annexed to this Report. Your Committee would further suggest that all Resident Magistrates and District Surgeons should be urged by Government Circular to use every means in their power to give effect to the provisions of the 38th section of the Act as now proposed to be amended. 6. Coming next to the main purpose for which your x REPORT. Committee has been appointed, we are of opinion that, with the safeguards already suggested, the first part of the Act may with advantage be repealed. The immediate effect may perhaps be to increase the disease in some of the seaport towns, but there is no reason to believe that the ultimate effect will be different here from what it has been elsewhere. The provisions of Part I are expensive in their operation; they are degrading to the class of women to whom they are applied, and they shock the sense of decency of a large proportion of the community. There is a strong feeling among the female members of the community, as evinced by the numerous petitions which have been presented to this Council, that their sex is dishonoured by an Act which is so partial and degrading in its operation. Some of these objections are no doubt sentimental only, but they cannot be wholly overlooked. If the Act is really necessary for the preservation of the public health, sentiment must yield to necessity, but the burthen of proving the necessity lies upon those who affirm it. it is admitted by those who are most strongly in favour of the Act that Part I fails in reaching a large pro- portion of those who diffuse the disease, and that it is impossible in practice greatly to extend its operation. It may, to some extent, protect sailors and soldiers against syphilitic disease, and mainly against a minor venereal disease, but it does not materially serve to diminish, much less to stamp out, syphilis in the Colony as a whole. The only justification, therefore, tor the retention of the measure falls to the ground. Your Committee would therefore recommend the repeal of Part I of the Act, accompanied by the Amendments of Part II, which are embodied in the schedule which your Committee submits for the considera- tion of the Council. J. H. DE VILLIERS, Chairman. Committee Rooms, Legislative Council, 11th July, 1895. xi SCHEDULE OF AMENDMENTS PROPOSED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE BILL TO AMEND THE “CONTAGIOUS DISEASES PREVENTION ACT, 1885 ”—[C.B. 8—’95 ]. In line 15, section 2, sub-section (a) and following lines, to omit the words ‘‘ who shall thereupon make enquiry into the circumstances, and, if upon such enquiry such Resident Magistrate shall deem fit so to do, it shall and may be lawful for him,” and to insert-im lieu thereof, ‘“‘and it shall be lawful for such Magistrate, after due enquiry, either to order the detention of the affected person in a Hospital until he or she shall be duly discharged there- from, or.” In line 24, sub-section (4), to msert “or” after *“ Medical Inspector.” To insert the following new sections :— 3. If any person being the owner or occupier of any house, room or place, or being a manager or assistant in the charge thereof, having reasonable cause to believe that any female is affected with Contagious Disease, shall permit her to resort to or be in such house, room or place for the pur- pose of illicit intercourse, he shall be liable on conviction before the Resident Magistrate of the District to be imprisoned with or without hard labour for any period not exceeding three months, or to pay a fine not exceeding [£20], or to both such fine and imprisonment: Provided always that a conviction under this section shall not exempt the offender from any penal or other consequences to which he may be liable for - keeping a disorderly house or a brothel, or for the nuisance thereby occasioned. 4, If any person, knowing that he or she is affected with Contagious Disease, shall by means of illicit intercourse, communicate such disease to another person, he or she shall be guilty of a contraven- tion of this section, and shall be liable, on con- viction before the Resident Magistrate of the xii SCHEDULE OF AMENDMENTS. District, to the punishment provided in the last preceding section. 5. If any person who shall be detained in any Hospital by order of a Resident Magistrate, in terms of the Ist Section of this Act, shall depart therefrom without the permission of the Resident Magistrate, or of the District Surgeon, he shall be liable to the punishment provided for in the Alst Section cf Act 39 of 1885. Xlli PROCEEDINGS OF COMMITTEE. Senect CoMMITrEE appointed to consider the Contagious Diseases Act Amendment Bill (C.B. 8—’95}, “with | power to call for Papers, take Evidence, and Report ; —the Committee consisting of the PRESIDENT, Messrs. Van Ruyn, Heruotpr, Wienanp, Hveo, Rev. Dr Vitiiers, and the Mover (Mr. Neeruuine). os Thursday, 27th June, 1895. PRESENT : The President, Mr. Van Rhyn, Mr. Herholdt, 5, Wiener, 5, Hugo, Rev. Mr. De Villiers. ,, Neethling, 1, Order of Council, 26th June, 1895, appointing Com- mittee, read. 2. Resolved,—That the President be Chairman of this Committee. 3. The Cierk laid before the Committee :-— The Contagious Diseases Act Amendment Bull ro. B. 8— 95]. The Contagious Diseases Prevention Act, No. 39 of 1885. Report of the Select Committee of the House of Assembly on Petitions relating to the Contagious Diseases Act, No. 39 of 1885 [A. 24—-794 ]. Return of Females (a) examined under Part I of the Contagious Diseases Act, 1885; () admitted to hospital; and (ce) discharged therefrom during the vear ending 3ist May, 1896, in the districts. of Cape Town, vee and King William’s Town. Xiv PROCEEDINGS OF COMMITTEE. 4. Resolved,—To apply for the Evidence heard before the Committee of the House of Assembly in 1894 for the use of this Committee. Also for Report of the Army Sanitary Commission, November, 1894. 5. Resolved,—To issue a circular to members of the medical profession practising in the neighbourhood, re- questing them to state whether, from their observation of the working of Part I of Act 39 of 1885, that Act has had the effect of diminishing venereal disease among the population generally. 6. Resolved,—To examine the Colonial Secretary at 10°15 a.m. at the next meeting. Mr. Faure, Resident Magistrate of Cape Town, at 10°30. The Chief of Police at 11. Dr. Dixon at 11:30. 7. Adjourned until Tuesday, the 2nd July, at 10 a.m. Wednesday, 3rd July, 1899. PRESENT: : The PrEsIDENT in the Chair, Mr. Van Rhyn, | Mr. Neethling, 5, Herholdt, 5, De Villiers. » tHugo, Minutes confirmed. The Clerk read a circular addressed to medical prac- titioners in districts where the C. D. Act is in force, asking whether in their opinion the effect of the Act of 1885 has been to diminish venereal disease among the population generally. Also replies received up to date. Also letter from Surgeon Lieut.-Col. Dwyer, P.M.O., regretting his inability to furnish a copy of the Army Sanitary Commission for 1894, and forwarding a return showing the admissions for venereal into the Military Hospital from 1884 to 51st May, 1899. PROCEEDINGS OF COMMITTEE, xv Also letter from Under Colonial Secretary, forwarding memo. by Dr. Gregory, covering advance copies of his report on the working of the Contagious Diseases Prevention Act during 1894, forming part of the Annual Report on the Health of the Colony. The Chairman stated that in reply to a letter, addressed by him to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, he had obtained a copy of the evidence heard before the Com- mittee of the House vf Assembly last year—for the perusal of members of the Committee. Resolved,—To examine H. KE. Lieut.-General Good- enough at 10-30 a.m. to-morrow. The Hon. P. H. Faure, Colonial Secretary, examined. Mr. J. C. Faure, Resident Magistrate of Cape Town, examined. Dr. Dixon examined. During examination, witness put in Return showing the working of the Contagious Diseases Act, Part I, in the District of Cape Town, during the year 1894. Also Form of Notice by Medical Inspector of times of examination. Resolved,—To examine Dr. Clarke at 11-15 to-morrow. Adjourned until to-morrow at 10-30 a.m. Thursday, 4th July, 1895. PRESENT: The PRresIDENT in the Chair. Mr. Neethling, Mr. Van Rhyn, , Herholdt, 5, De Villers. 5, Hugo, Minutes confirmed. Lieutenant-General Goodenough examined. During examination the following documents and returns were put in :— Venereal disease in Cape Town : Return of cases of admission, deaths, and invalids for the past twelve years, 1883-94, Average ditto for the six years 1883-88. Average ditto ditto 1889-94. XVi PROCEEDINGS OF COMMITTEE. Average ditto showing comparison between the six years immediately before the introduction of the Contagious Diseases Act, and the six years immediately following its introduction. Return of admissions per 1,000 for the past twelve years 1883-94. Copy of Monthly Sanitary Report on general health of troops in South Africa. Circular for private circulation among Regimental Officers as to best means of combating the pre- valence of venereal disease, dated 26th January, 1895. Ditto ditto dated 18th March, 1895. Dr. H. Clarke. District Surgeon and Health Officer, Simon’s Town, examined. During examination witness put in :— Return showing numbers admitted into the Simon’s Town Lock Hospital from 1889 to May 31st, 1895; the number discharged, the number examined, and the number remaining on list for inspection from each year respectively. Table showing the working of the Act at Simon’s Town. Comparative Table showing in ratios per cent. the working of the Act. Return of cases of venereal disease contracted in Simon’s Town admitted into the Royal Naval Hospital, 1888-94. The Clerk read replies to circular from Dr. Parsons, Resident Surgeon Somerset Hospital, Dr. Wood, Dr. Kitching, Dr. Manikus, Dr. L. Beck and Dr. Vanes. Resolved,—To apply to Mrs. Solly for copies of the fol- lowing papers mentioned in her letter to Mr. Van Rhyn:— Report on sanitary measures in India in 1892-93. [C—7514. ] Dr. T. Birkbeck Nevins examination of sanitary reports, Cape of Good Hope, ve venereal diseases. Resolved,—To examine Surgeon-Lieut.-Col. C. E. Dwyer, P.M.O., at 11-15 at the next meeting, and Dr. Smuts, of Stellenbosch. Adjourned until Wednesday, the 10th instant, at 10°30 a.m. _ PROCEEDINGS OF COMMITTEE. XVli 10th July, 1895. PRESENT: The PrREsIDENT (in the Chair), Mr. Neethling, Mr. De Villiers, ,, Herholdt, ,, Hugo. » Wienand, Minutes confirmed. The Clerk stated that the Rev. Mr Muller had been summoned to attend as a witness, but that, being absent from Cape Town, he requested to be allowed to attend on another day. The Clerk read replies to circular from: Dr. Anderson, Dr. Douglas, Dr. Falkiner-Falkiner, Dr. Piers, Dr. Murray, Dr. Claude Wright, Dr. Clifton, Dr. Uppleby, Dr. Syfret. Also a letter from Dr. Clarke as to the disease in India. And a letter from Mrs. Solly forwarding the papers asked for at the last meeting. Resolved,—That an extract from the Report on Sanitary Measures in India form part of the Appendix. Dr. Smuts, Stellenbosch, examined. Surgeon-Lieut.-Col. Dwyer, Acting P.M.O., examined. The Chairman and Messrs. Neethling and De Villiers were appointed a Sub-Committee to draft a Report. Adjourned until 10°30 a.m. to-morrow, the 11th instant. Thursday, 11th July, 1895. PRESENT : The Present (in the Chair), Mr. Neethling, Mr. De Villiers, », Herholdt, igen LUO, », Wienand, », Van Rhyn. Minutes confirmed. Replies to the circular read from : XVili PROCEEDINGS OF COMMITIEE. Dr. Kitching, Medical Officer to the Cape Town Prison; Dr. Harris, Resident Surgeon, Pro- vincial Hospital, Port Elizabeth ; Dr. Considine, Port Elizabeth. Dr. Jane Waterston examined. Committee in deliberation. The Chairman submitted draft Report from the Sub- Committee. Committtee in deliberation. Resolved,—To adopt the Report, and the Chairman was instructed to report accordingly. — MINUTES OF EVIDENCE, SELECT COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. a Wednesday, 3rd July, 1895. or PRESENT : His Honour the Cutzr Justicr (Chairman), Mr. Herholdt, Mr. Hugo, ,, Neethling, », Van Rhyn. », De Villiers, Hon. P. H. Faure, Colonial Secretary, examined. 1. Chawrman.| You are Colonial Secretary ?—Yes, The Hon. 9. And as such, does the Contagious Diseases Act. fall” ES under your administration ? ---Yes. July 3, 1895, 3. Have you given any consideration lately to the working of Part I of the Act ?—I cannot. exactly say that I have; it is a matter that has been departmentally worked, and no complaints hardly have been brought to my knowledge. ‘There was one from Port Elizabeth last year. The Act seems to be working very smoothly, and there has been no particular occasion for me to have my attention drawn to any part of the Act that has not worked well. 4, The view which some members of the Committee are inclined to take is, that the only justification for such an Act is that it has the effect of checking the disease generally and not in a portion of the Colony only; have you been able to find out whether the operation of the Act has had that effect ?—I cannot say, because, as I have already said, I have not given the working of the Act any particular C,5—'95. CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT, B The Hon. Yi: B ar yeah July 3, 1895. 2 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT attention. The Act is worked by an officer in the department, and I have not given it any particular attention, I have had a document compiled in the office as to the working of the Act and the effect of it, which I see 1s already in the possession of the Committee. ‘That gives all the information that the department is able to ive. : 5. What is the annual expense connected with the working of Part Ias separated from Part II of the Act ?— I could not say. 6. Under whom does the working of the Act fall ?— It falls under the health branch of the Coloniai Office. 7. Who would be the permanent officer who could give us most information on the subject ?—Dr. Gregory and Mr. Langham Dale. Dr. Gregory has drawn up a memorandum. Dr. Dixon also would be able to give the Committee every information. %. Are you aware that there is a strong feeling, especially among women, against the Act?—Yes. Iam aware of that. : 9. Do you consider that to a great extent a matter of sentiment ?—Certainly, it is. 10. But you agiee, do you not, that although sentiment would have to yield to necessity, unless the necessity of such an Act is proved, there is no justification for Part I of the Act?—No; but I believe the Committee will have snfficient evidence to justify the working of Part I. 11. Do you think the Act is a matter of necessity ?— Absolute necessity. 12. But, if it is a necessity, why confine its operation to a few towns ?—It is confined mostly to seaport towns, where Iam informed the necessity exists on account of vessels touching, as well as places where there is a large military force stationed. 13. That is a protection to the seamen who come and go; but how is it a protection to the bulk of the population of the country ?—I believe the reason why the Act was applied to seaports and places where soldiers are stationed, was because a large majority of the seamen and soldiers are not married; the bulk of the population in the inland towns are of the more respectable class or married people. 14, And yet it is in the inland parts of the country t at COMMITIEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. 3 the disease is said to increase mostly. That would be a Ps Hn. reason for extending the operation of the Act to inland —*"” towns, would it not ?—Yes ; but I believe the disease of ’Y 3, 1896. which they complain in inland towns is more syphilis than venereal disease, and Part I of the Act deals more particularly with venereal disease. 15. Syphilis is venereal disease, is it not ?—Yes, but it is not gonorrhea for instance. 16. The main object of the Act is to prevent the diffu- sion of syphilitic diseases. Gonorrhea does not affect the constitution and syphilis does ?—That is so. 17. I understand generally, that when people speak of the Contagious Diseases Act being beneficial, it is that they think the frightful disease of syphilis is thereby pre- vented from spreading among the population generally ?— I always understood the werking of Part I of the Act to be particularly directed to the eradication or stamping out of venereal disease or gonorrhea. 18. Not syphilis ?—Not so much syphilis. 19. Then why should we, for the benefit of soldiers and sailors, stamp out gonorrhea in this country ?—It is not only for their benefit ; it is directly for their benefit but indirectly for the benefit of the community, because it is spread by them again. 20. I am satisfied that, but for syphilis being a venereal disease, the Act would never exist. Is not that so?—I believe that the Act was originally passed with the intention of stamping out both, and I believe if a person is taken to the Lock Hospital and examined there, and found to be suffering, not only from gonorrhea or venereal disease, but also from the viler form of disease, namely, syphilis, such person would be detained in the Lock Hospital. 21. Are you aware that the Act was originally intro- duced into this country for the benefit of the troops stationed here ?—So I have been told, but the Act was - passed before I was in Parliament. 22. After that Act was repealed, a subsequent Act was introduced, mainly for the benefit of the troops. If it should now be found that the Imperial Government does not consider it necessary, for the sake of the troops, that the Act should continue in operation, would you see any - objection then to the repeal of Part I ?—First of all, I do B 2 The Hon. PH, Faure 4 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELEOT not think the Imperial Government, or the representatives ‘of the Imperial Government or the Military Authorities July 3, 1896. ‘here, would be disposed to abolish the working of Part I of the Act; and secondly, if the Imperial Government were of opinion that it might be repealed, I believe that, never- theless, the Act would exist. 23. Are youaware that, with the consent of the Imperial Government, the Acts have been repealed and are not in operation in the garrison towns of England, nor in India any longer ?—Yes. 24. In India, so far from there being an increase of syphilis among the troops, there has been an ultimate decrvase, has there not?—That may be, but I think that when the Act was not in force here for a certain time, the number of people suffering from disease was greater than the number now found after the Act has been working. : 25. Then you think that, quite independently of the benefit to soldiers and sailors, it is for the benefit of the © community generally that the Act should be kept in force ? — Yes, in large towns where it is in force now. 26. But that would not prevent the spread of syphilis in the way it is being spread now up-country, by people who are really not prostitutes, would it ?—No, it would not in up-country towns and places where syphilis prevails. I may say that we have had circulars issued to Magistrates and District Surgeons, and the Government has been doing all it could, with the means at its disposal, to try and stamp out the disease, but it is a most difficult task, and it will cost a tremendous lot of money properly to deal with the matter. 27. I take it that no one would suggest to repeal Part II ‘ of the Act, but if Part I were repealed should Part II be made any more stringent than it is as present. Suppose that a provision, for instance, were introduced that any woman communicating the disease to a man or vice versd could be punished; would not that to some extent meet - the case ?—] really do not know whether purishment meted out in cases of that nature would have much deterrent effect. 28. Mr. Neethling.| You have no objection, have you, that the Act should be amended and improved upon, if found necessary ?—It depends upon the alterations that COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. 5 are made. I should have to give the matter every con- sideration. 29. There is an outcry to the effect that the country has to pay for the prostitutes; that they are sent to the Lock Hospital and cured there, and after they are cured they return again to the brothels and carry on their same trade? —That is just the peculiarity of the kind of sin they commit, and I do not, as I said before, think that any punishment would deter them. 30. Do you think that these bad houses are properly controlled ?—I know nothing about them. The Magistrate or the Police might be able to give you some information on the subject. 31. Mr. Van Rhyn.| Ave the names of the prostitutes registered ?—Yes, the names are registered at the Lock Hospital where they are inspected periodically. 32. On religious grounds do not you think itis a sin that we should pay out of the public revenue towards these prostitutes, and practically encourage them to commit sin?—That is a matter of opinion, upon which I would not in any way materially affect the decision of the Com- mittee if I were to express my views. We have simply to administer the law as Parliament made it. 33. Do not you think the Act, as it stands, tends to lead many poor but respectable girls into temptation, when they see how prostitutes are cared for and looked after by the Government ?—I do not think so, because I believe that women whose names are on the register regard it as a shame and disgrace to have to go to the Lock Hospital to be examined, and they would like to do so unobserved, but they have to go up in broad daylight. It would be the greatest shame perhaps that the respectable girls you allude to could be subjected to. 34. But do not you think that many a young girl has been led into temptation by seeing how well the prostitutes are cared for ?—I do not think so. Although the Govern- ment does provide accommodation in the hospital, the idea of going there is not liked. We care for people in our prisons, but nobody cares to go to prison on that account. » 85. Do you thiuk the Imperial Government would have any objection if we were to abolish Part I of the Act ?— Ido not know whether the Imperial Government would eae oe et. 2 The Hon.- P. H. Faure. July 3, 1895. The Hon. P. H. Faure. July 3, 1895. Mr. J. C. Faure, RM. 6 MINUTFS OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT have any objection, but I believe the opinion of the Military » anthoritves es is in favour of the working of the Act. — 36. Chairman.) Would it not facilitate the repeal of Part I of the Act if the Military authorities were to be in favour of it?—I -believe it would as far as Cape Town 1s concerned. : 37. Mr. Van Rhyn.| Do not you think if places like Graham’s Town and Queen’s Town and many others can do. without the Act, we can do just the same ?—The Com- mittee will be best able to decide that when they have the statistics before them. ‘They will be able to see the state of things when there was no Act and the state of things when the Act came into force. Mr. J. C. Faure, R.M. of Cape Town, examined. 38. Chairman.| You are Resident Magistrate of Cape Town ?—Yes. 39. How long have you been so ?—'l'wo years all but a month. s ! 40. During the whole of that time has the Act of 1886 been in operation in Cape Town ?—Yes. IHG 41. How far have you had anything to do with the — operation of the Act ?—Comparatively little. Now and again cases have been brought before me by the nurse or superintendent of the Lock Hospital, cases of insubordina- tion, women refusing to obey orders, becoming obstreperous and noisy, and destroying property. Lately I sentenced some cases to three months’ imprisonment for the malicious destruction of property belonging to the Government in the Lock Hospital, smashing windows and so on. Some eases have been brought before me also where women, after having received notice to appear before the Medical Inspector for examination, have failed or refused to do so; such cases are, under the Act, made punishable. A few cases have also been brought before me where women have been charged by other women with carrying on prosti- tution. I had to enquire whether there was any truth in’ the statement and whether they should be directed to proceed to the hospital for. inspection. In some eases I have ordered the inspection to take place, and in other COMMITIEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. Y cases I have acquitted the woman of the charge—not , many though. 42. Mr. Herholdt.| Were those charges under Part I of July 3, 1890. the Act ?—Yes. 43. Chairman.|] Under the 10th Section of the Act, where information on oath is laid before the Resident Magistrate to the effect that the party making such infor- mation has good cause to believe that the female therein named isa common prostitute, and is either resident within such a place, or, being resident outside such a place, has been in such a place for the purpose of prostitution, the Magistrate may, if he thinks fit, issue a certain notice. Do you often issue notices under the 10th section ?—Very - seldom. ‘Those notices have been taken in hand by the _ Inspector of the Lock Hospital with his assistant. 44, Then I presume that the 14th section of the Act is generally put into operation, namely, that the female voluntarily submits to examination ?—In most cases they submit voluntarily. 45. Can you say how often during the two years you have been Resident Magistrate here you have been asked to issue the notice mentioned in the 10th section of the Act ?—I have not issued any notice myself. Parties whom I have dealt with have been brovght before me on the notice of the Lock Hospital Inspector. There may be a little irregularity in the form perhaps, but still, that has been done. 46. Then you have issued no notices under the 10th _ section of the Act ?—I have.not. 4/. Who would do so, then?—The Lock Tospital authorities have done that themselves. There may be an objection to that course, and perhaps it ought to be more distinctly stated. 48. The 12th section provides for a proper enquiry by the magistrate. Is it left altogether to the inspector ?— The inspector of the Lock Hospital has been doing these things, perhaps, and, as I say, they have gone further than they ought to have done. In a few instances women have found their way to my private office, and I have made enquiry, but the notices themselves have not been issued by me in the first instance. 49, The 14th section provides that any female in any J. on Faure, RM. July 3, 1895. 8 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT place to which the Act applies may voluntarily, by sub- mission in writing, signed by her in the presence of any resident magistrate or medical inspector, attested by such magistrate or medical inspector, be subject to periodical examination. I understand they have never appeared before you, nor have you attested at all ?—I have not. 50. Practically, you have had very little to do in the matter ?—Yes, I might say that there appears to be some ~ little friction between the police and the Lock Hospital — authorities, the latter wishing the police as much out of it as possible. That seems to me to be the desire. The police, I know, have been the means of bringing a lot of these people to the notice of the Lock Hospital, but there still seems to be a disinclination on their part that the police should interfere at all. 51. Do you think all the submissions for inspection - have been voluntary on the part of the females ?—As far as I am concerned. ‘There may have been one or two cases brought before me where notice was issued in the first instance by the Lock Hospital, and I may have asked ‘‘ will you have yourself inspected,” and in one case a woman agreed in my presence, without any trouble, to have herself examined periodically. She admitted that she was carrying on prostitution. 52, Judging from the number of cases tried before you, I presume the keeping of brothels is rather frequent in Cape Town, is it not ?—Yes; it is a very common: occur- rence, and often carried.on in a disgraceful way, so as to become a public nuisance. I had as many as six cases in one day. I may say that those six cases are the only ones. I have tried since I have been here, but one case was previously tried twelve months ago by the assistant magis- trate, and one of the women convicted by me lately was convicted previously of the same offence. 03. Brothel keepers are not summoned until they become a public nuisance, are they, until the women become indecent in public ®_That is so. All the six eases T tried were of that sort. I have nothing to do with what happens inside a house, but only with what occurs ourside. 54. Io not you think it would bean improvement i in the Act if it were made pies on the part of any woman COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. f 9 to communicate disease to a man?--I doubt whether it , .“™ would have any good result. at 55. Or punishable on the part of a man for communicating 5,1, 3” 1895, disease to a woman ?—I really cannot answer that. I have not given it any thought. 56. Personally, you have nothing to do with the administration of the Lock Hospital, have you ?—1 find nothing in the Act requiring the Magistrate to make periodical visits to the Lock Hospital, but I have been there on a few occasions to visit the inmates. There is, however, no authority for my doing so, and I think it would bea good addition to the Act if it were made part of the Magistrate’s or Assistant Magistrate's duty to make such visits once a week say, to find out whether there are any complaints. I went once or twice, but there were no complaints. 57. Mr. Neethling.| Have there been any cases where females were forced to go to the Lock Hospital and after- wards were found to be clean ?—I am not aware of any. The Medical Inspector will be able to tell you that. I might mention a case which occurred, where two common prostitutes made a deposition before Dr. Dixon of the Lock hospital, who is a Justice of the Peace, charging a woman with carrying on prostitution. The matter was brought before me, and I made enquiry into it, but I found the woman was quite innocent, and I discharged her. There was no occasion for it, but these prostitutes are the lowest of the low, and everything they say must be taken cum grano satis. They do not hesitate to say anything when they have any spite against a woman, and it is the easiest thing. in the world for them to club together and try to get a person into trouble. Hence, a good and thorough investigation must be made. This woman I speak of did not undergo any examination, and she suffered no hard- thip. The matter was heard privately in my office, and not in public. 68. Are such matters always heard privately ?—Yes ; except cases of violence or insubordination in the Lock Hospital. 99. Do not you think it would be much better if the law were so amended that every fresh case should in the July 3, 1895. 10 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT first instance be tried by the Magistrate for security’s sake ?—That is the case now. 60. ‘then how is it that during two years you have only had a few cases ?—Because there was no resistance ; they submitted voluntarily and offered no opposition, as ‘far as I remember. 61. Chairman.| That shows, does it not, that these women did not look upon it as such a great grievance, as some people suppose, to be examined?—I do not think they do. There may be a few who have an objection. 62. Mr. Neethling.| Do you think the number of prosti- tutes has increased while you have been here ?—I cannot say. I have no idea. 63. Are there many charges of disorderly houses brought before you ?—I have had altogether seven. Six were in ~ one day, when the police made a regular raid. There were serious complaints from a part of the town called Coustitution-street, one of the lowest streets, where a number of brothels exist, and complaints were made to the Town Council. The police made a raid and brought up six cases in one day. Previous to that one case was brought before me in two years. 64. You know that the Act is in operation only in five places ?—Yes; so I believe. 65. Do you think there would be any objection if the law were so amended that it should have force over the whole Colony, not in an expensive way, but worked under ~ the district surgeons, so that the disease could be better stamped out than at present ?—Of course the object in having the Act in force in places where it now 1s, is principally for the case of seamen and soldiers. 66. Is it not in force in King William’s Town ?—That is a military place. A large number of troops is always there, Colonial forces, the Cape Police and the C.M.R. Altogether I should say it was a desirable spot to have the Act in force. 67. But are there not many cases of venereal didéate brought up from the country to Cape Town ?—I think it would be rather undesirable to have the Act im force in every small village in the country. It would give rise to a lot of dissatisfaction. In the seaport towns I think it is working very fairly. Of course there is a certain COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. 11 amount of sentiment existing on the part of females, but 1) Mey do not think that men as a rule are opposed to the working raw. ° of the Act, it is more a matter of sentiment among women. ,,). 3” ys95, 68. When you were magistrate at Graaff-Reinet, were ; there not cases of syphilis there ?—Yes ; there were cases here and there. There was a Lock Hospital at Graaff- Reinet where men were placed when the disease was considered of such a nature as likely to spread. We had several in the Syphilis Hospital as it was called. 69. Chairman.| Were there no prostitutes at all in Graaff-Reinet ?—I daresay there were, but no regular brothels that I am aware of. 70. But were there any prostitutes ?—I cannot say ; there is hardly a place in the world without them. 71. Mr. De Villiers.| Do you know the exact number of cases where charges were made against women which were proved to be false ?—-Perhaps one or two at the out- side. Very few cases have been brought before me. 72. Do not you think if such a charge is false it is a great hardship on a woman to be brought up before the magistrate, although it may be in private ?—It is a hard- ship, and any party bringing up a woman falsely is liable to severe punishment. A fine of £20 is provided for in the latter part of the Act or imprisonment for three months. If the person is worth powder and shot, a civil action might be brought. 73. Mr. Herholdt.| So one has to be very careful ?— Yes. In the case I mentioned just now no steps were taken. 74. Mr. Hugo.| You said the female was not medically examined, I believe ?—No. 75. Mr. Van Rhyn.| Do you think it fair that the Act should be made applicable to women only and not to men. Why should not men be included in the Act ?—I do not think it would work if men were examined. A man will keep the disease to himself, but a woman may communicate it in one night to half-a-dozen persons. 76. Is there a separate hospital for prostitutes in Cape Town ?—Yes, there is a very good substantial building, away from all other buildings, in Roeland-street, near the gaol. The wards are large and airy, with separate beds. : 3 12 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT 77. Then these prostitutes are well provided for ne Tea ~ * they are kept clean ; there are baths and so on. Dr. Dixon examined. 78. Chairman.| You are Superintendent of the Lack Hospital in Cape Town ?—Yes. ’ 79. How long have you held that position ?—Since the end of 1892. 80. Then the Act had been in operation for some time before you came ?—Yes. 5 81. Who was the Superintendent before you ?Dr: Impey. 82. Do you devote all your time and attention to the work, or have you any private practice ?—Just at present I am “doing duty at the Old Somerset Hospital as well, but I do no private practice. | 83. Are all cases of venereal disease sent to the Lock Hospital or only prostitutes ?—Only prostitutes, with very few exceptions. 84. Where are cases of syphilis sent eee cases are treated at the New Somerset Hospital. 85. As a rule persons coming to the Lock Hospital are women, are they not ?—Yes, “practically prostitutes, the whole of them. 86. How many have you there at present ?—This morning | think we had 28. 87. Have you any return showing the number ?—I sent ina return to my Department a few days ago showing the figures for the last five years. 88. I find that the number of admissions into the Hospital in 1889 was 120— that was the first year the Act was in force. In 1890 the number was 105; 1891, 109; and in 1892, 348. How do you account for the increase from 109 to 348, between 1891 and 1892, the Act being then in operation ?—The explanation in my own mind is this, and I believe I am simply repeating what I told my Department, that there is reason to believe that the examinations were almost nominal in character; no speculum had been used, and in fact the inspection had. got to be very perfunctory. 89. You came there in 1892 ?—Yes. COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES AOT, 13 90. In 1893 the number of admissions fell to 260-?— Pies Yes. ay 91. But in 1894 they rose again to 297?—Yes. InJuly 3, 1899. that year we had, I think, a corresponding rise in the number of fresh names on the register. 92. From your evidence given before the Select Com- mittee of the House of Assembly last year, | gather that you are strongly in favour of the continuance of the Act? —Yes, I am. 93. How do you account for it that in 1894 the number of admissions rose again to 297 if the Act was so beneficial in its operation? I think I can explain that in two ways. First of all, the number of women on the register rose from 229 to 264, and every year we get, to a large extent, a new register altogether. For instance, last year we registered 105 new cases, and this year we shail register, at the rate we are going on now, very considerably more than that number of new cases. 94. Do you mean new cases of disease or new prosti- tutes ?—New prostitutes. In the same year we lost 86. ~The first year I had the register in hand we lost over 100, and, roughly speaking, we lose from 80 to 100 every year, and we add rather more than that number of fresh names to the register. Last year 9 were removed from the books - by order of the Magistrate; 13 died; 23 removed to some known address—included in that number are those who went into service or got other employment; 36 were lost sight of altogether, no trace of them could be found; and 5 were married, 95. I see that the number of women examined had been increasing annually from the year 1890 ?—Yes, the register has been steadily creeping up. 96. There were 203 in 1890; 206 in 1891; 237 in 1892; 229 in 1893; and 267 in 1894. That represents the number of women, J suppose, upon the register during 1894 ?—Yes. 97. I think you said in your previous evidence that you believe there is a good deal of illicit intercourse going on _ which you do not reach at all ?—I think there is no doubt as to that. CMe 98. Do not you think in that way the disease is com- municated to the public more than through prostitutes ?— Dr. Dizon. July 3, 1895. 14 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT I think there is probably a larger percentage of disease among unregistered women. If necessary, I could give the Committee the proportion of disease among first examinations. 99. Is there any possibility of reaching cases of persons who carry on illicit intercourse and spread the disease, but do not fall under the Act ?—We already get a good many, although we believe there are many others we donot get. For instance, these 108 new cases no doubt would be largely made up of girls hitherto practising on the sly as it were. 100. The only justification for such an Act is its ten- dency to stamp out a loathsome disease. If you cannot reach these cases that you mention, of illicit intercourse without prostitution, do you still consider that an expensive Act of this kind ought to be kept in operation ?—I wanted to put my previous answer in this way,—that although I believe we reach a large percentage of these illicit cases, yet still there is a considerable residuum which we do not succeed in reaching. 101. And never will reach ?—I do not think we shall ever reach the whole of them. It would require a most inquisitorial system of inspection to absolutely ensure doing that. I do not think that any Act will do more than reduce the disease to a certain minimum; there will, I think, always be an irreducible minimum remaining. 102. You are aware that the Act is in operation in very few towns in the country ?—I do not know anything about up-country towns in which the Act-is in ae It is in force in the seaports, I believe. 103. Do you think the operation of the Act at the sea- ports has any perceptible effect on the country generally, or has it effect only on the soldiers and sailors ?—It must have a large effect on the civilian population. I am told that it had a marked effect, for instance, on the railway employés in the Cape district, and no doubt on all other civilians more or less. 104. How does any one know that? How can they tell whether railway employés have the disease or not ?—The railway medical officer, I believe, is of that opinion. 105. Is there any law to compel a railway officer to report to his superior that he has got the disease ?—No, COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES AOT. eet but I suppose they rely on the fact that they can obtain Peo. gratuitous medical attendance. vig 106. In the case of the troops, I believe they areJ™y 3, 189. bound to report if they have the disease, and in that way they reach every case ?—Yes, that isso. 107. There is no other way of reaching civilians, is there ?—I merely draw the inference from the relative number applying for treatment. 108. If there is all this inspection, and women come to the Lock Hospital and are cured and sent away, how do they get the disease again ?—From other men again, I presume. 109. Ought not those men be punished who com- municate the disease again to them ?—TIf the girls choose to report them they can be placed under compulsory treatment, if they can identify them. There is power to take action against a man, and I have done so on two or three occasions. One man got away in the steamer ; we sent to the docks after him, but the steamer was just on the point of leaving the dock entrance. T'wo other men were handed over to the Magistrate. 110. Anyone refusing to attend for inspection can be fined £5, can he not ?—Yes. 111. What proportion of the 27 cases you have now are syphilitic ?—I think we have about five cases of syphilis at the present time. "112. And the rest ?—They would be cases of gonorrhea. There is always a large preponderance of gonorrhea, 113. Was not the main object of the Act to stamp out syphilis?—I believe so. I believe it was the great prevalence of syphilis that led to its being promulgated. 114. And these Acts were mainly introduced for the benefit of Her Majesty’s troops stationed in the Colony, were they not ?—I believe so. I was not resident here at the time, and do not know of my own knowledge the “conditions under which the Act was passed. ~ 115. Are you aware that in England and in India these _Acts have been repealed ?—I have heard so. 116. Are you aware that both in India and m England, although the immediate effect of the repeal was to increase the number of cases among the troops, the ultimate effect was rather to diminish the number ?—I was not aware of that. Dr. Dizon. ae. 16 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT 117. I gather from what you said before the House of Assembly and what you have said to-day that you do not July 3, 1895 think that would be the effect in this Colony ?—No, I feel confident that it would not, at all events in this district. 118. The Resident Magistrate says that the submissions | for examination are all voluntary and he could only re- member one case in which it was compulsory under Section 10 of the Act. I see you mention three cases ?—Yes, we have a record of three for 1894. These cases are so unfrequent that the Magistrate might very easily forget. 119. Perhaps they came before the Assistant Magis- trate ?— Possibly. 120. When you speak of voluntary submissions, is it entirely voluntary; is there no persuasion used at all ?— No. 121. Is it done through a lay inspector ?—No, it is | done in my presence. 122. Does the lay inspector first report to you ?—Yes, in the first instance. 123. And then the woman appears before you ?—Yes, 124. I understand that you do not employ the police in the matter ?—No, we have nothing to do with the police. 125. You prefer that ?—-Yes, it introduces an element of risk and is not necessary. 126. How many lay inspectors have you ?—T wo. 127. Are they trustworthy men?—Yes, one of them has been working under the Act ever since its introduc- tion, and he could tell you a good deal. 128. Mr. De Villiers.| How do they set to work to find out new cases?—Generally some neighbour gives the information in the first instance, but in some cases, women simply come up and say “I have gone to live in such a place and I want to pass, put my name on the register.” 129. Mr. Herholdt.] Have many cases come before you where complaints have been made by other women ?— Yes, quite a good proportion of the number, I daresay half. 130. Do you often find that they are unfounded ?—Yes, several times I have found them to be unfounded, I cannot say how many, but on several occasions, COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT, 17 131. Is it not a great hardship fora woman to be sub- Br. jected to such an indignity on the evidence of other low women ?—She cannot be examined on that evidence. Even if she does not choose to make the admission and objects to being placed on the register, it is not in my power to go any further, all I can do is to place the matter in the hands of the Magistrate, and, as a matter of fact, we very seldom get a case in that way at all.’ 132. You said that there were several cases where you found the charge to be unfounded ; is it nota hardship for these women to appear before the doctor ?—They are @ generally glad to come if they find that an accusation has been made; they come of their own accord, with the view of getting the matter disposed of. 133. Chairman.| Do they get a certificate on leaving the hospital ?—No, they get a notice telling ;them when they must next attend. That is one of them (handing it’ in). isi. Was not there a practice of giving them a certifi- eate t) the effect that they were clean?—Not to my knowledge; certainly not since I have had charge of the duties. 135. This notice would almost amount to a certificate of cleanliness, would it not ?—It would be a proof that the woman had passed the doctor successfully on the date in question undoubtedly. 136. Do these women keep this notice to show to their customers ?—I do not know. It is not given them with that motive. The Act requires us to. give a notice in writing, otherwise we cannot legally summon them for not attending. ; 137. Mr. Neethling.| Do not you think it would. be better if, in the first case, a person charged with being a prostitute were brought before the Magistrate ?—They prefer, as a rule, to come and;see me. 138. Would it not act as a deterrent to becoming a pros- _ titute if they had to appear before the Magistrate ?—-The law gives them the option as it stands at present. The alternative is that they should go before the Magistrate, but they almost invariably, we find, go to the doctor. It is private and it is a less unpleasant ordeal for them. 139. The examination by the Magistrate is also private, _ ©. 5—'95, CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. . Cc July 3, 1895, Dr. * Dizon, July 3, 1895. 18 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT is it not; but does not going before the Magistrate act as a deterrent for them not to become prostitutes ?—I think it would only lead to concealment, that would be the only effect of it. It is sufficiently difficult now to get hold of all these sly women. 140. You said that you had found eases where parties were not guilty, and nothing was done to the informers ? —That would be out of my province. A woman, I imagine, would be at liberty to take legal proceedings 1 in such a case for slander if she liked. 141. Mr. Herholdt.| Would you be a witness ?—Yes. I should have to be if the wom1n subpcenaed me. 142. Mr. Hugo.| Do not you think it should be made a penal offence for any person to have sexual intercourse, — knowing him or herself to be at the time suffering from venereal disease ?—Yes; that seems just, I think. 143. Mr. De Villiers.| With reference to mformation made on oath, has not that to be done only before the Magistrate, or can it be done before the Medical Inspector ? —I cannot take any action in regard to evidence taken on oath. 144. Has not the information to be laid before the Magistrate alone, and not before the Medical Inspector ?— Under the compulsor y clause it must go before the Magistrate. The exact process is this ; J take the affidavits in the first instauce and send them to the Magistrate, and upon that he issucs a summons, but the thing is out of my hands as soon as the affidavits have left my office; I take no further action. 145. Mr. Van Rhyn.| In your opinion, what is the cause of the tremendous increase in the number of prostitutes — during the last two years ?—I think we have looked them up much more efficiently; the lay inspection has been much more efficient than it was previously. 146. Do not you think it a sufficient reason to abolish the first part of the Act, so as to stop the merease of © prostitutes ?—-I think myself that it rather points to the necessity for the Act. With all these women going about it would be very disastrous if they were not under some supervision. 147. Do not you think one cause of the increase of prostitutes is because they are so well treated by and COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. 19 provided for by the Government, many girls practising Ps prostitution who would not otherwise, perhaps, have done so?—No; I cannot say that I take that view. I look?” 3, 1895. upon the compulsory attendance as having rather a deterrent effect. 148. Chairman.| I understood you to say that the submissions were voluntary ?—Yes, they. are, but the women, as it were, makea virtue of necessity. They know that if they do not come up it is only a matter of time before sufficient evidence will be collected. 149. Mr. Van Rhyn.| Do you register all the prostitutes’ names ?-—Yes, and their addresses. 150. As soon as you know of any case and the woman gives up her name, you put it on the register ?—Yes, if -she is willing. 151. Is not that a cause of temptation ? —It has never occurred to me in that light. They are supposed to come as long as their name is on the register every fourteen days to be examined. 152. Whether they are clean or not ?—Yes. 155. Chairman.| Are there many cases where women leave the hospital cured and come back diseased ?—Yes, a good number. From the return you will see that there were last year 297 admissions, but only 143 women diseased. 154. How does that show whether the same women came back ?—Because the admissions are larger than the number of women, therefore the same women on a good many occasions must have come in more than once. 155. Mr. Van Rhyn.| Is there more than one doctor for these prostitutes ?—No, only myself. I do nothing else. 156. Is the Lock Hospital kept separate from other hospitals ?—Yes. 157. If the Act were abolished would it not be a pecuniary loss to the doctor of the Hospital ?—1i do not think so. I am on the fixed establishment and the Government would find me something else to do. 158. Chairman.| What is your salary ?—£600 a year. ‘That includes the duties of registration which are really Much more onerous than those of the hospital. It isa difficult task to look after these women, get their addresses and see that they attend.. I should like to add that there are instances on record of women while actually in domestic c2 . ‘ Dr. Dizon July 3, 1895. aera Gen. W.H. Goodenough July 4, 1895. 20 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT service, having been examined and found diseased. One such case is in hospital at the present moment. ; Thursday, 4th July, 1895. PRESENT : His Honour the Cuter Justice (Chairman), Mr. Neethling, Mr. Hugo, 5, Herholdt, 5» Van Rhyn. 5, De Villiers, Lieut.-General W. H. Goodenough, C.B., examined. 159. Chairman.| You are Lieut.-General of the Army and also General in Command of Her Majesty’s troops in South Africa ?— Yes. 160. Does the command include Natal as well as the Cape Colony ?—Yes, it includes Natal. : 161. How long haye you been in the British army te Since December, 1819. 162. Have vou had any service outside England before you came to the Cape; have yeu been in India ?—Yes. 163. How long were you in, India ?—I was there on two occasions; on the first about five years, roughly, and on the second under two years. 164. Have you given any consideration to the question of the Contagious Diseases Acts ?—-Yes, I have done so for a number of years. I may say that I was at first a believer in the efficacy of the C. D. Acts all round; that was from my observation abroad, but when | saw the large number of eminent names that. were opposed to them, it ‘caused me to reconsider whether I was sound in my former con: clusions; and ultimately I came to believe that those whe opposed the Acts were in the right. I may say that have prepared a Minute for the information of the Com: mitte, which I will read :—The Acts have been 1 in force ix Cape Town since 1588; in Natal they are not in force The comparison between the cases treated among soldiers COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. 21 ten years prior ‘to with those subsequent the passing the Teut.-Gen. ets shows that a very great diminution has followed their Boodationg, atroduction. The body of military. opinion is, there can 6 little doubt in favour of the maintenance of the ActsJuly 4, 1895. Wwith increased vigour. The Standard Werk for guidance lof our Medical Staff (Parkes’ Military Hygiene) is out- spoken in its advocacy of the Acts, on the ground of the enormous diminution of disease attending their introduction in England, together with the rebound which took place on their abolition; the proof offered by statistics is incon- testable. It is claimed that restraint is enforced on women whose habits have improved as to cleanliness and decency. The higher question of the influence on women of the recognition of the trade of prostitution is not touched on, ‘but, as to men, the view is advanced that continence is possible, indeed comparatively easy, if mental and physical activity is practised and the thoughts of men diverted from lewdness. Parkes’ Work (edition, 1891,) does show that since the earlier years following the abolition of the Acts in England, and after the first increase, there has been a diminution of disease among soldiers, and the statistics of 1893, subsequently received, bear this out, but still the averages are higher than during the period when the Acts were in force. ‘On his arrival in South Africa, in January, 1895, the G.O C. found a recrudescence of ‘disease, and he set himself to combat it by the aid of Officers commanding Companies, by pointing out to the men that their habits were gross, that elsewhere in the army, officers ard men, means had been found to correct the old licence, and that it behoved them to mend their ways; the Memorandum issued for guidance can be produced. The admonition and -method appear to haye had some effect, and disease has diminished ; but too much permanent effect is not to be relied on, from such efforts as this, relapses must be expected unless they are systematically continued. There ‘seems a certain amount of incongruity in calling on the : men to exercise a higher morality in their conduct, whilst at the same time the Government of the country makes provision, as far as it can, for a man’s indulgence in his propensities without evil consequences. The result of this action on the part of the State on men, on officers, and on society, is generally to slacken effort towards correction of Lieut.-Gen. W. 4H. Goodenough, C.B. July 4, 18965. 22 = MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT habits of sensual indulgence, and to throw all responsibility — for the prevalence of diseases on the shoulders of Govern- | ment. In England it is now beginning to be understood that the Acts are a thing ‘of the past, that it is no use hoping for their revival, “and that other means must be resorted to to check vicious habits and the diseases they entail. Thus in 1892-3 the Military Authorities addressed all Generals-in-Command calling on them to move the Civil Administrations in their neighbourhoods everywhere to be vigorous and helpful in putting the laws of the country in force, ¢.g., in suppressing houses of ill-fame, and in securing the freedom of public-houses, &c., from being used to encourage the trade of prostitution. ‘The G. O. U. has witnessed in his time an enormous improvement in the habits of officers, and among the higher classes, in respect of intercourse with women; he has also witnessed an enormous change, with the introduction of short service and of increased habits of, and demands on, the mental and physical activity of soldiers, in the conditions of life in the army, which formerly led to stereotyped customs differen- tiating the soldier class from the rest of the community. Now-a-days, as the toue of the community improves so will — that of the soldiers, and perhaps all the more rapidly as they are thrown into and under the influence of their officers, who, as modern gentlemen, are now open to little reproach in respect of the customs which formerly degraded them. Ile is, therefore, very hopeful that an amelioration is going on, and he fully believes that it is more to be fostered by efforts tending to the spread of a healthy tone of morals and conduct than by measures tending only to stamping out disease under Government supervision. Whilst it should be sought to elevate the tone of men we must seek at the same time to avoid the degradation of women—as they surely must be degraded by being treated as the receptacles of disease. It is encouraging to think that the ‘fallen’ class have but a short career, so that every measure tending to stop the supply will aid with some rapidity in reducing the numbers ‘on the streets.”” It has been shewn above that the prevailing military opinion would be probably in favour of the main- — tenance of the Acts, but the course of legislation in — England and in India, supported as it is by such a body of COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. 23. opinion worthy of all respect,.has been so persistently in TMent.-Gen. favour of their abolition, and of the resort to other means of aooddeintin, combating the evil, that the G. O. C., S. Ac, considers he %? is loyal to his cia and to the Imperial Government, July 4, 1895. in encouraging the abolition of the Acts here. But the abolition should be made in presence of an awakened public opinion, alive to the circumstances of immediate danger attending it, and fully prepared, without Squeamishness, io recognize the existence of the. prevalent evil, and to support the law officers and the police in enforcing or improving the laws against brothels, public-houses or other places where prostitution is en- couraged; aiso against abduction, procuring, and, generally, the evils to which the Criminal Law Amendment Act, England, was directed. Missions generally, and such organizations as the Y.M-C.A., would then doubtless feel and manifest an increased sense of responsibility, and would endeavour by all meaus to bring into operation those restraining influences which, doubtless, all who advocate abolition of the Acts rely upon, and would invoke, re- garding them as a surer method for the attainment of a higher standard of social purity and health than any measures which aim at stamping out disease but involve a general condonation of vice. I might also read the following extract from Parkes’ Hygiene, page 593, Edition 1891 :-— ‘Tn stations under the Contagious Diseases Acts 1,000 men gave 50 admissions from primary venereal sores and 84 from gonorrhea (average of 13 years 1870-82). ‘“In stations not under the Act the amounts were, respectively, 118 and 108. “In May, 1885, the compulsory examination of women was discontinued, and the Contagious Diseases Acts repealed in the following year. The result has at once shown itself. In the stations formerly under the Acts the admissions for primary venereal sores at once rose in 1883 to 110 and in 1884 to 138. Since 1885 in both classes of stations there has been some diminution. In 1883 in the whole of the United Kingdom the admission rate for venereal diseases was 224-5 per 1,000, and for primary yenereal sores 93:1.” In the year 1893 the ratio of primary sores was 69°95 Lieut.-Gen. W. A. Gooden Bei: one, July A “1895. 24 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT per 1,000, and for all forms of venereal disease 194-4 per 1,000. That shows that whereas immediately after the abolition of the Acts there was a tremendous bound up in tne number of cases, there has since been a diminition and a_ gradual amelioration. 165. That, I believe, has also been the experience in India, has it not?—I have not been able to get any information about India. 166. I understand from statistics furnished last year to the Select Committee of the House of Assembly that since the introduction of the Act of 1885 there has been a diminution of the disease among the troops. Might not that be partially owing to some extent to inereased morality among the troops. Should it be aseribed solely to the effect of the Acts; might not other causes have been in operation to cause the diminution ?—I think so, just as there has been a diminution in England. The men — here have come recently from England, and their habits, as compared with the habits of soldiers 20 years ago, have improved. ‘The diminution here therefore might be partly attributable to that, and not solely to the operation of the Acts in Cape Town. 167. I find that Mr. Campbell Bannerman, the Secretary — of State for War, stated in the House of Commons, on the 13th of June last year, with reference to India, where . there had been a very remarkable and startlmg develop- ment of the disease: ‘‘I will only say that the very best advice I can obtain goes to show me that the disease was not materially diminished when extreme restrictive practices and regulations were enforced, and that since these extremely rigorous regulations have been removed, no material increase of the disease has manifested itself.” I suppose, as Secretary of State for War, he would have had the fullest opportunity of inv estigating the subject, aud he would also have had the best statistics before him, would he not ?—I believe so. I might also say that men like that are able to take a comprehensive view of the question. 168. He says also, with regard to Eugland: “I was Secretary to the Admiralty at the time when there wasa_ strong agitation for the repeal of the Contagious Diseases COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISHASHS ACT. 25 Acts, or, at all events, of the most objectionable portions Tent aah of them, and I looked ver y carefully, with the assistance ipptaeme of some of the most eminent and competent medical %® authorities of the Navy, into the statistics of the matter, July 4, 1395. so far as they affected the Navy, and the conclusion to which I came, and the conclusion to which I think every- one else came, who went into the subject, was, that these Acts had no practical effect whatever in checking the progress of the disease.” Would you not attach consider- able weight to those statements of the Secretary of State for War ?—Yes; I would attach considerable weight to those statements, but I am bound to say that they do not agree with the information which I got from Parkes’ book, which is also entitled to respect. 169. But, still, the Secretary of State for War would have had more information before him than Parkes, would he not, when he made those public statements ?—We are entitled to think that he would. 170. Are you aware that originally these Acts were introduced mainly at the suggestion of the Imperial Government, for the sake of the troops stationed in South Africa ?—I am not at all surprised at being told so. 171. Do you think there would be any objection on the part of the military authorities now if the Parliament of this Colony were to repeal Part I of the Contagious Diseases Act ?—There can be none in view of the persistent legislation of the Imperial Government. 172. It would not be reasonable on the part of the Imperial Government, would it, to expect the Colony to keep up these Acts after it has itself been a party to their repeal both in England and India ?—No; it would appear to be unreasonable. I have here a table shewing the admissions for venereal disease for the year 1883 to 1894, which I will put in; also a table showing the percentage of admissions for venereal diseases in the Cape Colony and Natal, where no Act isin force. In the Cape Colony the percentage was 3°78, and in Natal 1-17. 173. Is your objection to the Acts founded upon what is generally called sentimental ground, or is it more upon practical ground, that the effect is really not to put an end _ to the disease ?—My ground is, that the effect is not to put end to the disease. I believe the Acts cause a ey: : ; Lieut.-Gen. W.H. Goodenough, oUB: July 4, 1896. Dr. Clarice. 26. MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT temporary lessening of the amount of the disease, but we are not on a sound basis, and we should be constantly liable to re-action and to the disease again gaining head. I believe that the only sound basis of procedure is to try and introduce a general improvement in the moral tone such as I have ailuded to already in my memoraridum as having — come in among the more educated classes. A general improvement in the moral tone is the only sound ground for improvement in social purity leading to better health. 174. Then I understand that in your opinion, altough the immediate effect of a repeal might be to increase the disease, yet the ultimate effect would not be such as to increase but rather to diminish it ?—The ultimate effect would, I believe, be to diminish it. ~ 175. There might be a temporary imerease from the repeal, but it would be checked in course of time by means of the other agencies to which you refer ?—That is what I fully believe. I might perhaps read to the Committee a circular on ‘‘ Combating the prevalence of venereal disease” which was issued. Shortly after I came here, 1 found that the guard at Governmeat House had a woman in the guard room, which was a monstrous thing, and I should be greatly surprised if such a thing were to happen now after the talking to that they had. I may add that my belief is that advocacy of the Acts often arises from want of study of the arguments on the opposite side of the question ; by the opposite side I mean the side of those who advocate the abolition ot the Acts. At the same time I must state that these views of mine are not held by many of the staff and heads of department in this command who have had considerable experience in the working of the Act, and who will be able to give valuable evidence. Dr. Clarke examined. 176. Chairman.] You are District Surgeon at Simon’s ~ Town, and surgeon in charge of the Lock Hospital at Sunon’s Town ?—Yes. " 177. How long have you held that position ?—Since the — Act was promulgated, 16th November, 1888. 178. Can you te)l me how many prostitutes there were on the register when you first started ?—-The Act was COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. oF promulgated in November, 1888, and in 1888-89 we had may 56 women on the register. 179. How many have you at present Daw 180. How do you discover whether any woman ought to be placed on the register or not?—We are very careful about that. An affidavit is made, which is sent on to the Magistrate, and he investigates the case, and if he con- siders the case is not proved, or if he has any doubt about it, he simply does not put the woman on. Most of the cases are cases of voluntary submission. 181. We have it in evidence that in Cape Town, out of -several hundreds of cases, only two or three are cases which have ever come before the Magistrate ; they are mostly cases of voluntary submission. Is that also your experience ?—Yes, that is my experience at Simon’s Town. 182. Is no pressure at 2ll put upon women to submit ?— No. 183. Have you any inspector to go round to enquire as to cases?—Yes. I have an assistant, an elderly man, formerly a police constable. 184. Is it his duty to bring to your notice cases of women who carry on prostitution ?—Yes; but I never send him to investigate certain cases. If I hear, for instance, of a charge against any one who is at all respectable, I, as a rule, simply take no notice of it. If I hear a woman has come from Cape Town, and that she is living with the prostitutes in the Brook, I send the inspector to investigate that cas», but I chiefly use him for the purpose of warning women as to examination. They often make excuses for not coming on their appointed days for examination, and he goes down, as he knows them all, and finds out whether the excuse is valid or not; he then warns them and brings them up. We are very cautious how we work the Act at Simon’s Town. 185. Do you employ the police at all for the purpose of discovering cases?—We have nothing to do with them. The only thing is this—we have an arrangement with the naval authorities that whenever a biue-jacket reports that he has the venereal disease, according to an order issued by the Admiral, he is brought up to the Magistrate’s Office to identify the woman if possible. Sometimes he cannot do it, and sometimes he can, and sometimes we find that he July 4, 1898. Dr: Clarke. July 4, 1895. 28 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT got it from a woman on the hospital roll. In the latter case, the man then makes a statement, which statement is sent on to me by the chief constable. 186. What do you mean by a woman on the hospital roll. Is she on the roll without being in the hospital ?— She is liable to periodical examination. 187. You mean she is on the register ?—Yes; I should have said the register ; the hospital roll has nothing to do with the Medical Inspector’ 8 register. | 188. Are you quite sure that you reach all the women who carry on illicit intercourse ?—I do not think so. I should like to mention one case that happened a short time ago. A gentleman at Simon’s Town—I should not like his name mentioned—has a very respectable servant. She was chosen from among 30 applicants, i England, to come — out here. A man stated that he contracted gonorrhea from her, and I heard also that she had given gonorrhea to a” sapper at the barracks. Of course in a case like that one has to be very careful in regard to the working of the Act. — I may say that I took no notice of the statement. 189. And yet that woman can spread disease ?-—I think she had only one or two favourites. 190. That might be the case with ordinary prostitutes, might it not 2—None of the professional prostitutes get free at all. My experience is that they do not try to hide themselves away, they generally come up for examination voluntarily and cheerfully, they do not object at all. 191. Can you expect really to check the disease unless you can meet the case of every woman who carries on illicit intercourse ?—IJ think you can check the bulk of it, and I think we have done that at Simon’s Town. I have very favourable returns here as regards the working of the Act at Simon’s Town. I have first of all the report of the Director-General of the Naval Medical Department on the Health of the Navy for 1893. The report for 1894 only reaches the Colony at the end of the year. Speaking of the Cape of Good Hope, he says: ‘‘ The great majority of the cases of venereal diseases was contracted at Zanzibar and Cape Town, a few at St. Helena, Bathurst, Mombasa, and other places. The Contagious Diseases Act is in force at both Cape Town and Simon’s Town, but while it is stated to be administered with some laxity at the former place, it -COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. 29 has been so strictly enforced at the latter comparatively Gta. small town that syphilis seems to have been eradicated altogether. The medical officer of the. Thrush remarks3™y 4, 1896. that ‘although the ship was nearly four months at Simon’s Town, no disease whatever was contracted at that place owing to the vigilant supervision and examination of _ prostitutes which is carried out’; this statement is con- firmed by the testimony of other medical officers.” 192. But that assumes that the Act was administered with laxity at Cape Town. The evidence does not show that, does it?—I do not agree with what is stated, and I have some naval hospital returns at home now which show that last year there was a falling off in the amount of disease contracted in Cape Town, there was a very marked falling off last year. I have also a return from the Naval Hospital. All through his reports the Director-General speaks very highly of the working of the Act at Simon’s Town. In the statistical reports on the health of the navy for 1858, at the end of which year the Act was promulgated, the Director-General says: ‘‘Simon’s Town and St. Helena are stated to have caused the greater part of the disease, more especially the former locality. There, however, at the end of the year the Colonial Government put into operation the Contagious Diseases Acts which, it is hoped, may lead in future to a reduction on this year’s statistics of venereal disease.”” ‘That was for 1888, before the Act had got into working order. In 1889 he said: ‘“‘ As compared with 1888 there has been during the present year a marked decrease in all the forms of venereal disease. This is doubtless due to the re-establishment at Simon’s Town in November, 1888, of the Contagious Disease enactments, since which time the affections contracted there have greatly diminished both in number and severity. These Acts appear to be carried out in Simon’s Town with great care.” In 1890 he said: ‘‘The good effect of the strict regulations at Simon’s Town as mentioned in the return for last year is still maintained’? ; and in 185i, he says: ‘‘The marked immunity from venereal disease arising from the Contagious Diseases Acts in force at Simon’s Town seems to be fully maintained.”” I would like to draw attention to a return which I have got from the naval hospital. I have pointed out how the Director- Dr. Clarke. July 4, 1895. 30 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT General, in 1888, the year when the Act was put in force, stated that most of the cases of venereal disease were contracted at Simon’s Town. Ihave unfortunately mislaid the report for 1889, but I find that in 1888 there were 31 cases of primary syphilis admitted into the naval hospital and there were 26 cases of secondary syphilis, shewing that the disease must have been most virulent, 26 cases of secondary syphilis following 31 cases of primary syphilis, being very high. There were also 66 cases of gonorrhea. In 1890 the cases of primary syphilis had come down to 6, in 1891 to 2, in 1892 to 2, in 1893 to 3, and in 1894 the number was 8. 193. How do you account for the increase ?—I know how that happened. There was a woman who came from — Cape Town, and before we got hold of her she had diseased several men. If one woman with a chanere of primary syphilis escapes examination, it is quite possible for her to do that. For instance, I have a woman on the register who bragged the other morning to the matron that she had lately been with several fsailors and soldiers. 194. Had she the disease at the time ?—No; she was on the Medical Inspector’s roll. 195. Then the effect of the Act, according to your evidence, is to diminish the disease among the sailors ?— Certainly, there is no doubt of it. 196. But the object of introducing the Acts is to stamp out syphilis throughout South Africa ; how does the stamp- ing it out among sailors help in stamping it out im the interior of the country ?—I may say that I was district surgeon up country in 1882, when the disease was so prevalent, and I remember very well that it was much more virulent then than it is now. 197. Where were you district surgeon ?—At George at that time. 198. The Act is not in operation there, is it ?—No; but I remember that the disease was very bad, par ticularly at the mission station at Pacaltsdorp and Oudtshoorn. 199. What has diminished it there ?—I believe there is no doubt that if you can stop the disease at the sea port towns, you diminish it inland. 200. You are aware that there are two parts of the Act, Part I and Part II; do not you think the operation of | e Part IT has had something to do with it ?—Very likely, but the disease must originally have come from a prostitute, and unless you have some means of checking the disease July 4, 1890. where prostitutes mostly live in the seaport towns there is very little chance of preventing it going inland. It is, moreover, always beneficial to treat syphilis. 201. It is not proposed to stop treating syphilis. Part ‘II of the Act provides for the treating of all cases of syphilis where the patient is not under proper medical treatment. Itis not proposed to repeal that. What would you think of a provision making it penal to communicate the disease, whether it is a man or a woman who does it ? —TI should certainly make it penal in the case of a man, and I would look after the woman, for this reason, that a man knows if he has syphilis, while a woman does: not. There is no doubt about that. I have here Acton on Prostitution, which is a standard work on the subject, and Dr. James Lane, F.R.C.S., surgeon to St. Mary’s and the Lock Hospitals, says (and it is quite my way of thinking): “ It may be affirmed that a system of compulsory inspection of women known to be prostitutes, associated as it must necessarily be with adequate provision for their seclusion and treatment when found to be diseased, is of the greatest advantage to the unfortunate women themselves, that the early treatment which it necessitates has a most beneficial influence on the character and duration ‘of their disease, that it saves many from local mutilation, and many from permanent loss of health. On the other hand, women of this class, when left to shift for themselves, do not for the most part apply for relief till their disease has assumed serious proportions, or until it interferes with their means of obtaining a livelihood. In the slighter cases of syphilis, both primary and secondary, and. in cases of uterine and vaginal discharges, they can follow their profession fer an indefinite period without any considerable pain or incon- venience; in fact, many of the Government patients pro- _ fessed to be quite ignorant that anything was the matter with them until it was discovered by examination.” It is quite possible for women to get a chancre of a most virulent nature on their internal parts and not know anything about it, and the infected woman may go on spreading the disease among a lot of persons. I feel perfectly certain that the | COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. ou Dr. Clarke. j Dr. Clarke. Tuly 4, 1895. 32 MINUTES (OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT __ disease is milder now than when the Act was put in foree, and one reason is because the woman comes up for periodical — ‘examination. The Medical Inspector examines her and he finds a chancre and treats it in its initial stage, whereas the chances are if that woman were not subjected to periodical examination she would simply go from bad to worse, and not only spread the disease but become ruined herself. That is clearly shewr by the scars and marks on the bodies of older prostitutes. . 202. The logical result of your evidence is that, through- out the country, wherever you have prostitutes, they should be periodically examined ?—I think so. They do not object to it at Simon’s Town. Of course sometimes, — when you take them into the hospital, they do not like it, but many women are very glad when I really show them that they are diseased ; they do not mind bemg admitted. In the case of some, if we were to give them liquor and admit men into the hospital, they would be perfectly happy. 203. Even if you carried out that measure generally and — applied it to all the prostitutes in the Colony, there would still be a large number of women carrying on illicit inter-— oe without being prostitutes, and those eins me aes | eaiachiat as the other women. 204. But I gathered from your evidence that the woman you refer to was not diseased ?—No, but if she had not — been subject to medical inspection she ‘might have diseased all those sixteen men. I think the Act isa blessing to the women themselves in keeping them free from disease. 205. Mr. Neethling.| How many girls have -you at present suffering from the disease?—I think there were six — in the hospital this morning, they are not all suffering: gia syphilis, some have gonorrhoea. 206, Do you think the law should be brought Be | operation where there are prostitutes ?—Yes, I think so. _ 207. You are aware that at present there-are only five . places in the Colony where the Act is enforeed, butiyou think that it should operate wherever prostitutes are found ? © —Where there are professional prostitutes they should be subject to periodical examination for their own sakejas well as for the sake of others, i COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. 33 208. When the disease was so bad at George were there Dr. many prostitutes there ?—No, I remember that at the Pacaltsdorp Mission Station, close by, most of the syphilis?’ 4, 1896. was brought there by young men who used to go on togt, ‘and also married men even, who worked on the roads. They used to go away for a week and come back and give it to their wives. I saw several instances where the wives gave the disease to their unfortunate children. There were daughters who were in service in George, and I have known several instances where the disease was brought into families. Secondary syphilis is contagious, that is where there are eruptions about the mouth and that sort of thing. 209. You said that the disease was also very bad at Oudtshoorn ?—Yes, it was fearfully bad at Oudtshoorn, so bad that I remember, before the Act was passed, the Gov- ernment had a hospital there, and the district surgeon was treating a large number of cases, in fact I think Oudts- hoorn was one of the worst districts in the Colony. 210. In your opinion, what is the cause that the disease was so very bad in 1882 and 1883 at George, Oudtshoorn, and perhaps other places you have not mentioned ?_The disease must have been introduced from the seaport towns, and it was a most virulent form, as we know very well. I might direct attention to the report of the Select Com- mittee on the reports of the district surgeons which sat in 1888. That was before the Act was finally promul- gated. ‘The disease is easily carried inland, and it is most virulent. 211. Ohairman.| I understand that the disease was very bad in George and Oudtshoorn in 1882 ?—Yes. 212. And before 1889 it had been considerably modified ? —I think it was still existing. 213. Was it as bad ?-—I know the Government were letting the district surgeons treat cases. _ 214. In what way was it diminished ?—I should think it was diminished in severity by the treatment ; I cannot speak with regard to the numbers. 218. Mr. Neethling.| You are aware that to carry out Part I of the Act involves the expenditure of a large sum f public money annually, something over £4,300 ?—Yes, nd it is money well spent I think. .5—'95. CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. D Dr. Clarke. July ee 1895. 34 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT 216. If the Act were put in operation wherever pro- fessional prostitutes existed, would it not involve a very heavy expenditure, judging from what it costs in five places now ?—The question is, is there much professional — prostitution in other places? I think the Act ought to be carried out where there is professional prostitution—where it is practised as a means of obtaining a livelihood. 217. Chairman.| Do not cases of syphilis occur where there are no prostitutes at all ?—They are mostly imported cases. Men contract the disease at the seaport towns. It cannot originate spontaneously. 218. Is there any particular reason why it must begin at seaport towns more than anywhere else; it has always. existed among the natives here; ever since the country was established there has been syphilis among the natives ; why should it necessarily come from the seaport towns and not from the natives in the interior ?—I think you can trace the origin of most of the cases to the seaport towns. 219. And not to the natives in the interior, among whom it is very bad?—I think it originally came from the seaport towns. If you want to make a permanent impression you ought to have Part I of the Act in force in seaport towns, otherwise look’ at the tremendous number of men who would become infected by professional prostitutes, and who would afterwards bring the disease inland. 220. Has not the Act been repealed in India without any bad consequences ; what special reason is there for retaining it in South Africa ?—I do not think it follows - that because they have done a bad thing in India we should do the same here. I think that every officer commanding troops in India, or the Director-General of the Naval Medical Department are opposed to the repeal, so are all the medical men and medical journals. I do not know why it was done; I suppose it was a wave of sentiment, or something of the sort. 921. The. Secretary of State for War, Mr. etal Bannerman, does not agree with you; he says: “The very best advice that I can obtain goes to show that the disease was not materially diminished in India when extreme restrictive measures and regulations were enforced, and since those extremely rigorous regulations heave been COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. 30 removed, no material increase of the disease has manifested itself” ?—The medical journals report quite differently. Dek Is Clarke. j Only the other day the Commander-in-Chief in India, Sir?" 4 189. - George White, was interviewed in London by a corres- pondent of Black and White, and he said he had a message to the English peopie; he put it in that form, and he begged them to re-introduce the Act. Mr. Campbell Bannerman has always been against the Act; he is like Mr. Stansfield. 222. No, not quite. He said, ‘I approach the subject from a very neutral position, because I was never what may be called a fanatic in opposition to the Contagious Diseases Act”? ?—I think I have shown that it has worked well as regards the navy. So far as I am concerned, I have done my best. 223. Mr. De Villiers.| Have there been any cases within your knowledge where false charges have been laid against females ?—No, not one of any importance. 224. I thought you said that at the beginning charges were made, but when you knew the women were respec- table you did not investigate them ?—It is quite possible that a prostitute may make a charge against some other woman to whom she owes a grudge. There. may have been a few cases like that, but: they were not virtuous women who were accused. 225. You have not investigated any such cases, have you, where the charge was found to be groundless ?—No, I have never heard of a case where a woman was subjected ‘improperly to examination. 226. Mr. Van Rhyn.| Dr. Dixon stated yesterday that there had been a very large increase in the number of prostitutes last year in Cape Town; do not you consider that Part I of ‘the Act isa regular trap to entice poor - young girls into temptation ?—I do not think so. I have - hever seen it at Simon’s Town. I think it acts as a : deterrent rather, they are afraid of being run in under the Act. A _ 227. Are not the prostitutes well cared for by the Government and well looked after ?—They are not treated 80 very well, not pampered I mean. 228. Are they not provided with a doctor and every- thing. There must be a cause for such a large increase in g g 5 D sak Dr. Clirke. July 4, 1895. 36 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT the number ?—Perhaps the reason is that the authorities have been a little more active in looking up the prostitutes. They must have been all professional prostitutes, or they would never have come under the Act. 229. Do not you think it advisable to have Part I of the Act repealed, Part II remaining in foree throughout the whole Colony ?—If you repeal Part I you would never be able to get hold of the professional prostitutes under Part II, you would have no periodical examination at all. 230. If you repeal Part I, do you not stop the tempta- tion to other poor young girls ?—I do not see that there is any temptation. 231. Are not certificates given ?—I never give any certificate at Simon’s Town. In Cape Town only a form is given to the effect that the woman has been examined ; that is necessary in the case of having to look them up. 232. Have you ever heard of so many cases under Part II as under Part I of the Act throughout the whole Colony ? —Part 1 is only in force where there are prostitutes. I have already mentioned one reason why these women should be subject to periodical examination, namely, to save them from the results of the disease; it is a most important point to bear in mind, that a woman does not always know when she has venereal disease. 233. Do you keep a register of all the prostitutes ?—Yes. 234. And the names and ages?— ‘he names, not the ages. I have a rougii register where I put down the ages, but they do not appear in the Government register. 235. Can you tell the ages of the oldest and youngest prostitutes ?—The oldest/would be over 50. We have no very young girls at all. The girls we get are chiefly those getting on in years; they are brought by other women ~ from Cape Town. ‘The youngest would be about 25. 236. Mr. De Villiers.| Are there many prostitutes in Simon’s Town who escape the attention of the police or the inspector ?—I do not think so in Simon’s Town; there ee f be in Cape Town. 237. Mr. Neethling.| You spoke of professional prosti- tutes at Simon’s Town; do they do anything besides practising prostitution ?—No; most of them say they take in washing, but they do very little in that way. Most of — them are knocking about the brothels. ! Reiki “ COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. 37 238. The majority of them do no work?—No. I might Pr. add that the Lock hospital at Simon’s Town was built Oy. es uly 4, 1895. the military authorities at a cost of over £2,000. Wednesday, 10th July, 1895. PRESENT : 2 His Honour the Cuter Justice (Chairman), Mr. De Villiers, Mr. Wienand, », Herholdt, 5, Neethling, 5, Wan Rhyn, » Hugo. Dr. Smuts examined. 239. Chairman.| You are a medical practitioner at Dr. Stellenbosch ?—Yes. ae 240. Are you district surgeon there ?—Yes. July 10, 1895. 241. How long have you practised ?—Fifty years. 242. Do you find venereal diseases of different kinds very prevalent at Stellenbosch ?—There are very few cases there. 243. Has that always been the case ?—Always. 244. Can you say whether there are any prostitutes at Stellenbosch ?—I do not think there are any professional prostitutes. There are no bad houses. 245. Have you given any consideration to the Con- _tagious Diseases Act of 1885 ?—Yes. 246. You are aware that there are two parts; Part I deals with the inspection of women and Part II deals _ generally with contagious diseases throughout the country ? —Yes. 247. Do you approve of both parts of the Act ?—Yes. 248. On what ground do you approve of Part I ?—It is more to prevent any spreading of contagious disease, and there is no hardship in the way in which it is carried out. It is also for the benefit of the women themselves. 249. But do you not think if the Act is to be effective Dr. Smuts. July lu, 1895. 38 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT at all, it ought to be generally applied to all prostitutes throughout the country ?—Yes, certainly ; to all prosti- tutes. 250. At present it is simply a protection to soldiers and sailors, but what advantage does the community in general derive from Part I? The object of the Act is to diminish, and if possible to stamp out the disease throughout the country. Do you think Part I, as it is in operation now, has any practical effect ?—I dare say it has in those places where it is promulgated. 251. Are there cases of syphilis at Stellenbosch ?—Very few. For instance, I have only one case under treatment in the gaol hospital. 252. Did you discover where that case originated ? —No. 253. You are aware that in the up-country towns there is a good deal of venereal disease ?—So I am told. 254. Mr. Neethling.| By Part II of the Act it is pro- vided that the medical inspector or district surgeon should investigate where these diseases break out; are you aware whether there are any medical inspectors appointed throughout the Colony ?—Not that I know of. 255. So that as matters stand now, the duty devolves only on the district surgeons ?—Yes. 256. In what way do the district surgeons make sheet: selves informed when these diseases occur?—I get an order from the magistrate to go and see such and such a person who is reported to be syphilitic, which I do. 257. Does the magistrate receive his report through the police ?—It may be through the police. Sometimes farmers are afraid when they have reason to believe that some person on their place is suffering from syphilis, and I am often sent to people who have not the disease at all. 258. May it not happen that there are cases of venereal disease at Stellenbosch without your knowing it and with- out the magistrate knowing it ?—Certainly. 259. How are those cases dealt with, or are they just — left to themselves ?--—I suppose those who can afford it aad for a medical man. 260. And these who cannot ?--I am unable to say. 261. Are they allowed full scope to infect others again ? —Yes, I suppose so. COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. 39 262. Do not you think it a matter of such great impor- Dr tance that some other machinery ought to be established in i those villages which are not under Part I of the Act, inJuy 10 189. order to get hold of these people ?—I do not know about other places, but at Stellenbosch I do not think it would be necessary, as there are so few cases; one seldom hears of one. About a fortnight ago I was called upon to go out to Kerste River, to see a person who was said to be bad ’ with syphilis, but it was not syphilis at all 263. Have you read over the Act ?—Yes. 264. And have you made yourself familiar with it ?— Yes. 265. Do you think if Part II were made more stringent and Part I abolished or modified to some extent, specially the portion which has given offence to the general publie, it would be better ?—No. I think the Act is carried out as mildly as possible; from what I have seen you could not make it milder. There must be great presumption against a woman before she can be examined. - 266. Mr. De Villiers.| As you are in favour of the Act, what reason can there be for not making it apply to men __ as well as to women ?—My opinion is that men should be examined also, because there are more men than women affected with the disease. One woman may perhaps infect twenty men, and they go on infecting any aumber of other women. I should certainly be in favour of having no distinction ; where men are suspected and are in the habit of frequenting bad houses they should be submitted to inspection also. 267. From my own personal knowledge, the disease exists in certain places inland, and it is spreading; how can you possibly stamp it out by having the Act in force in only four or five places ?— Where the disease is prevalent I would enforee the Act. It all depends upon where it is necessary. 268. The only object of the Act is to provide for the seaport towns, and where there is a military station, is it not ?—I do not read it in that way ; I thought that at _ any time the Government could proclaim the Act at other places also. 269. Do not you think if the Act were promulgated in the inland towns it would give rise to popular feeling against Dr. Smuts. July 10, 1895. Surgeon Lieut.-Col. ¢. B. Dwyer. 40 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT it?-—There are so many things that popular feeling is against. 270. What is the moral effect of the Act in wots opinion : does it not act badly on these unfortunate women. themselves ?—No, on the contrary. 5 271. From what I have heard, these women seem to lose all shame, and come up willingly for examination, making a display of themselves, and thus sinking lower and lower in the moral scale ?—I do not think that is so. I have heard of cases where women have rather boasted of their prolong . 272. Van Rhyn.| You are aware that the first part | of the G1 D. Act applies solely to common prostitutes who — are registered. The cases treated by you, were they under Part I or Part 11 ?—Under Part II. 278. And I understand that the disease has diminished — at Stellenbosch ?—Yes, but there were never many cases. 274. Would you be in favour of abolishing the first part. of the Act, and letting the second part remain ?—No, I should say ‘keep the first part. 275. Why ?—Because it represses the disease more or less. Itis the only effective way. You are more likely — to find the disease among professed prostitutes than among others. Surgeon Lieut.-Colonel C. E. Dwyer examined. 276. Chairman.|\ I believe you are Principal Medical Officer stationed at Cape Town ?—I am Acting Principal. Medical Officer. 277. How long have,you been bere ?—Eleven months. I came here on the 9th of August last. 278. Have you had any opportunity during that time of forming any opinion as to the operation of our Contagious Diseases Act of 1885 ?—Yes; with regard to a number of private soldiers generally who come into hospital. j 279. Has there been any diminution of the disease since’ you have been here ?—No; on the contrary, there has” been a small increase. | 280. To what do you ascribe that increase 2iTo. the unregistered prostitutes. 281. I gather that really unless eyery woman slo COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. 41 carries on illicit intercourse can be reached, the Act cannot , S27, have much effect, can it ?—I consider, and statistics ¢. #. Dwyer. have proved, that the Act in its present state is beneficial. July 10, 1895. 282. Have you prepared any statistics relating to the disease ?—I have here a return of the admissions into hospital, commencing in 1884 up to the present date (handed in). It shows the average for the several years. 283. According to that return there has been a decided increase within the first five months of 1895, has there not ?—A small increase compared with the previous years. 284. But then there were always, before 1898, unregistered prostitutes. Why do you ascribe the present increase to the larger number of unregistered prostitutes ? —My evidence is based on the examination of every private soldier. I ask him where he has been, and with what woman he has gone. 285. Haye you had any practical experience of the ‘working of the Act here; have you been to the Lock Hospital ?—I have only ettended to my own military work. 286. Have you been to India at all?—Yes. I was for many years in India. 287. What did you think of the operation of the Act there while it was in force ?—It reduced venereal disease tremendously while it was in force. ; 288. I have here a memorandum by the Army Sanitary Commission, which states, among other things, that ‘“ the re-introduction of the system on sanitary grounds could not be recommended.” That was in 1895. Of whom would that Army Sanitary Commission consist of ?—Of a certain _ number of men selected by the War Office. 259. I suppose they would be men of experience who would go fully into the whole question, would they not ? _ —They would be men who would collect evidence and form their opinion on it. 290. Then they go on to quote statistics in the United _ Kingdom where the Contagious Diseases Acts were in _ foree, and they end thus: ‘‘ These figures suffice to show _ how very little influence the Acts could have had in _ diminishing venereal disease under conditions more favour- able to their operation than those which exist in India.” I take it that you do not agree with that ?—My experience in India ended in 1892. 291. Have you had any experience in England ? —No. Surgeon Lieut.-Col. C. E. Dwyer. July 10, 1895. 42 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT I have had no personal experience of the working of the Act in England, but in Ireland I have. I have had experience of venereal cases admitted into my hospital. 292. There has been no increase of the disease in England, has there, since the Acts were repealed ?—I should say considerable increase. The Acts were only applied to certain stations: it was not universal, and in those stations there has been a great increase. 293. Is not that contradicted by the statisties ?—I have here a sanitary book by Dr. Parkes, Professor of Military — Hygiene at Netley, dated 1891, and he says: “ After the passing of these Acts there was a most decided decrease in the number of primary venereal sores at all the military stations under the Acts, compared with non-protected stations.” 294. The writer does not say what the result was after the repeal of the Acts, which is what we should like to find out. Do you ascertain from the men generally where they contracted the disease ?—-I always ask them the question, but I have experienced considerable difficulty in getting a soldier to state definitely who the woman was with whom he had had intercourse, the common reply being that ‘‘ he did not know,”’ but the locality in which he met her, and the fact that she did not take him to one of the recognised brothels, was strong evidence that she was not a registered prostitute. 295. Therefore the Acts cannot really. be effectual in their operation unless every woman who carries on illicit intercourse is reached ?—They are partly effectual under the present conditions, not wholly. 296. I gather from what you have said that you would be opposed to the repeal of Part I of the Act of 1855 ?— I believe that it would be followed by a great increase of venereal cases among the military here. 297. Do not you think the effect would be the same here as in other parts, that ultimately the disease would be diminished ?—I cannot say, but the immediate result would be a large increase. 298. In England and India the Contagious Diseases Acts have been abolished, have they not ?—Yes. 299. What justification is there for retaining them here — if they have keen abolished in England and India, seeing : COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. 43 that they were introduced here really for the benefit of the ,Suxseon troops at the request of the Imperial Government ?—That c. x. Dyer. is, of course, a question I have nothing to do with. July 10, 1895. 300. Mr. Neethling.| You just now stated that the soldiers contracted the disease mostly from unregistered women: what would the effect be if the regular prostitutes were unregistered ?—It would increase the , disease. 301. Chairman.| Where were you stationed before you came to the Cape ?—In Ireland. 302. There was no Contagious Diseases Act in operation _ there, was there ?—No. 3 303. Was there less disease or more disease there than _ here *—I should say there was more disease among the troops. 304. You have no statistics, have you No, but from memory I should say there was more. Thursday, 11th July, 1895. PRESENT : His Honour the Curer Justice (Chairman), Mr. Van Rhyn, Mr. Herholdt, .. Wienand, 5, Neethling, Spi tLUgo, » De. Villiers, Dr. Waterston examined. - 805. Chairman.| I believe you are a medical practi- Dr. tioner in Cape Town ?—I am. ee 306. How long have you been such ?—I think it isduly 11, 1896. about ten years, but it may be longer, [ am not quite certain. 307. Did you begin practice before the Act which is _ under consideration came. into operation ?—That is where — I am not quite certain, because I first began practice in - _ Central Africa and up country, I do not know how long the Act has been in operation in town. 308. In the course of your practice have you had many ee Ca 44 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT Farriim, ©28e8 of the disease which is under consideration ?—In — gaol practice [ have hada good many, I was House of July 11, 1895. Correction doctor here for a couple of years. 309. Have you found any gradual increase or decrease of the disease in the course of your gaol practice since you have been here ?—During the two years I was at the gaol I came in contact with all the prisoners who were sent in from the Lock Hospital. They were sent in under this Act, and thére seemed to me to be a very large number sent in under this Act. 310. Were you in the gaol hospital before the Act came into operation ?—I was not, it was after the Act was passed that I was at the House of Correction. 311. Have you given any consideration to the provi- sions of the Act ?—I have, very careful consideration. 312. You are aware that there are two parts, Part I and Part II, and there isa considerable objection, especially © on the part of respectable females in the community, to Part I of the Act. What is your own opinion on the matter ?—The first part of the Act I can only say is exceedingly bad, I hold the opinion which is held by most respectable women in the Colony that it does harm and not good. 313. Do you think that it has any tendency to check the disease; which is admitted to be very dangerous to the community ?—None; the disease is not only very dangerous but very virulent. I may say that I went into the House of Correction unbiassed to a certain extent,, because as a doctor my judgment was kept in abeyance ; as a woman, I hated the Act from the first ; but as a doctor I kept my judgment in abeyance till I came into contact with the working of the Act, and it was seeing the work- ing of the Act and the effects of it, and the little good that it did in checking the disease, that made me take up the very strong attitude I have done for two or three years past against it. I have never signed a single petition before, but I would sign a petition now. I refused to sign any petition against the Act formerly, before I went into the House of Uorrection. ; 314. Could you state generally what has induced you~ to take up this hostile attitude against the Act ?—For the following reasons: First of all, as a doctor, I do not see COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. 45 how the Act can do .any good. The girls passed | Dr through my hends who were either sent in for not appear- ing before the Magistrate, or were sent in for mutiny ati 11, 1896. the Lock Hospital. Now, if any of these girls were affected with the disease, in order to make them perfectly safe, they would need to be kept for a considerable time in the Lock Hospital and thoroughly cured before beitig sent out. Keeping them for short periods only in the Lock Hospital is not much use. Of course, all the evident signs of the disease disappear, but the disease is not eradi- cated in these girls. And then, another thing is that you cannot promise any cure to such girls unless they remain without drink and are perfectly chaste and under treatment for at least a period of two years. Iam personally aware that the first thing these girls do when they are sent out is to get drunk, and they go back to the bad houses, therefore I am not surprised that they very soon become diseased again. I had an instance in the gaol where a prisoner who had formerly been very much affected was under my charge for a period of two years. It took all that I could do in the way of steady treatment and gaol discipline and orderly habits to get her better. She was not quite cured when I last saw her, though she was much ‘better. She was under treatment for two years, and led the quiet, temperate life of the gaol. Another thing is, that the working of the Act is so brutal generally— there is no other expression for it. Ihave had to appeal to.the then Attorney-General more than once if I, asa doctor, was to sanction that girls close to their confine- ment should be brought into the House of Correction. Under this Act these girls had mutinied, and they stated that they had done so to get out of the Lock Hospital before their confinement. I went to the Attorney-General about the case, and I may say that after ascertaining that they had friends in town, they were set free. Neither of these girls were much affected when I saw them. They were known prostitutes, but they must have been leading better lives to what they had formerly. I carefully examined them at the time, and they were each of them within a month of their confinement, and they were both in the Lock Hospital. In another case a woman was sent up sentenced from the Magistrate’s Court. I wish to say 46 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT viet, nothing against the magistrate. He cannot see ofter ee the condition that these women are in when they are — July 11, 1895-brought before him. She was sentenced for not coming : up for examination, and she was so close to her confine- ment that when the pardon was got we hurried her out. She lived with one man, but she was not diseased. She was a quiet, decent woman. Who had laid the informa- tion against her I do not know, but she was close to her — confinement. 315. Of course, that shows that such an Act is capable of abuse, but it does not necessarily show that such an Act is unnecessary, does it?—But the trouble is, that if the Act is necessary you would almost require angels to carry it out, for it is an Act that it is almost impossible to carry out without abuse. 316. The main object of our enquiry is to ascertain whether it has any appreciable effect in diminishing this loathsome disease, and upon that point, I take it, you hold a decided opinion that it does not ?—I hold that it does not. I have noticed lately that it is cropping up again. — 317. Supposing the Committee were to recommend the repeal of Part I of the Act, would that be a reason for making Part Il somewhat more stringent ?—It would. 318. For instance, under Part II of the Act it is com- - petent for a district surgeon, if he has ground to believe that any person in the district is infected, to report it to the magistrate, and the magistrate then makes an enquiry. Would you have any objection to that where a person is actually affected, man or woman ?—It would depend. The trouble is that that enquiry would not affect equally man or woman. I will give you a case in point. Say itisa young woman. I have known of a case where such a person has been innocently contaminated. I may say that I have seen such a case, where she has become contami- nated through using something that another has used. An enquiry into her case by a magistrate would take away her character. There comes in the difficulty of the case ; it does not fall equally. 319. But it does fall equally. The 38th section of the Act refers to anyone in the community who is not under proper medical treatment ?—Then I agree. 320. Then I understand you have no objection to that — —_————— = eer COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. AT remaining in force, that the district surgeon shall report , Dr to the magistrate, and the magistrate have power to — compel such a person to attend for the purpose of being?¥y 1! 18% medically attended; that is to apply only to cases not under proper treatment ?—Is this what I understand : that if a district surgeon has any reason to suppose that anyone is infected, he can report it to the magistrate and the - Imagistrate can compel him to be medically attended, man or woman ? 321. Yes.—I agree to that. 322. Dr. Gregory, in some of his annual reports, has suggested further that there should be power in such a ease to keep a man or woman so affected in the Lock Hospital until cured ?—Provided that it is to extend to men and women I agree, because I may state that I know of one case where the contamination had evidently come first from the man, and a woman and child were affected. 323. What would you think of a provision that any man or woman who is the means of communicating the disease should be punishable ?—-That would need to be carefully guarded, because it is sometimes innocently done. 324. I mean knowingly ?—Knowingly I agree. I have known of a case where it was knowingly done from envy or spite. It was intentional. I was acquainted with the case, and I was very nearly summoned before the magis- trate asa witness. I said I was willing to go, as my books would prove that I was right. 325. Is there anything else you would like to state to the Committee on this question ?—I should like to remark that of course any apparent increase of disease in a town like this may not occur from want of the Act; it may occur from more outside sources of infection being present at one time than at another. I think that statistics in that way might be often misleading, because a great many outside sources of infection may be present, as you can. easily imagine, and this would tend to give an erroneous idea immediately after the Act was repealed say. 326. The immediate effect you think might be bad, but the ultimate effect would be good ?—Yes. If you notice the military returns in connection with the Cape you will find that they are not favourable to this Act, the disease has rather increased than diminished. I have studied them Dr. Waterston: July 11, 1895. ~ gt 48 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT carefully, and taking a certain term of years since the Act” was promulgated, the disease has rather increased than diminished. 327. Have youseen a pamphlet published by Dr. J. B.» Nevens on the subject ?—No, I have not. iH 328. He supports what you say, and he goes very fully into statistics ?—What I fear is that an erroneous im-' pression might be given at first if a part of the Act were repealed. There might be an apparent increase of disease for a time, but I think that there should be some limit drawn between what is real and what is only apparent. 329. You think that statistics are somewhat fallacious on that account ?—The immediate statistics are; you must take them over a term of years to get at the truth. We might have an apparent increase for one year after’ the Act was repealed, but I am certain of one thing, that the repeal of the Act would be in favour of what is right, a and in favour of morality. 7 330. Do you think that the tendency of the Actisto increase immorality ?—Yes, it is. I do not know whether any of those present have ever seen what takes place out- side the hospital one day in the week when these women are assembled there. Iam sure that not one would say — that it was for the good of morality. I myself once drew ’ attention to the fact of what was occurring outside the walls. There were policemen stationed there to preserve order. ‘There are a lot of young people up there, and a good many decent houses in the neighbourhood, but the language used by these women was horrible. There was an assemblage of the most abandoned women in the town, and the men were rather worse. Formerly there was a small cottage, and there was quite a procession of cabs went up, and they stood there waiting. Several persons made an appeal, in the interests of public morality, that some of these things should be done away with, and it was done. 331. Do you think the periodical examination has any deterrent effect on the women, tending to keep them away from such a life?—No. Instead of doing that it seems to make them worse. I may say that, to my horror, inthe House of Correction, I have met with decent servants whom I had once known ; when once they get within the _ COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. 49 radius of this Act, so to speak, they never seem to get out; there is great difficulty in reclaiming them when once the have been thoroughly “‘ Lock” girls ; they lose all sense of modesty ; everything goes, and the result on the girls is debasing and bad. The old hands seem to spoil the girls who are not quite so bad, when they get hold of them, and then the women who keep the bad houses in town often wait for the girls outside on the day that they come out, and take them back again. It is a most complicated system, and it has led to many other evils I fear. The girls are certainly the most hopeless that I have ever had to do with. 332. That is when once they have come under the _ operation of the Act ?—Yes. 333. Some doctors seem to be of opinion that in the case of girls in whom there is some sense of modesty, the fact of their having to undergo this process deters them from entering this kind of life ?—They never think of it; that is the fact ; they do not understand what it is till they come within its clutches. That is one point I am pretty certain about. The Act has not that deterrent effect which people think it has. Girls do not do wrong things in cold blood, I think, as a rule. 334. There seems to be a very marked increase lately in the number of loose women in Cape Town; to whiat would you ascribe that?—It may be partly due to the kind of population we have here, and there are a lot of young servants who come in from the country; many of them get swept into the vortex. They get into the bad houses and drink is given them, and one girl brings another. Some- times a girl will meet another at the train and take her to a bad house, and she is soon done for. 335. Do you think the Act has any effect in increasing or diminishing the number of prostitutes ?—It does not diminish the ‘umber I fear much, but rather tends to increase. 336. Why ?—It is very difficult to say why it tends to an increase, but the number has certainly not diminished since the working of the Act. The women seem to regard them- selves In a certain way as licensed to do wrong for one thing ; they regard it apparently as a legitimate institution. 337. Mr. De Villiers.]| Might not these periodical _ ©, 595. CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. E Dr. Waterston. July 11, 1895. Dr. Waterston. July 11, 1895. 50 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. examinations have something to do with the imcrease, as they think themselves safe ?—-That may be so portico } they may think themselves safer, but on the other hand, they do not think it is such an evil thing, as it is legalised ; that is the danger. 338. Mr. Neethling:| It is an easy life is it not ?—It is 3 too easy and well paid a life. There are dances at the bad — houses to which the girls go, and then they are done for. 339. Suppose the first part of the Act were repealed, do 3 you think the number of brothels would be diminished ?— I can hardly say. That is a point I would not like to answer. I[ do not think they would increase, but rather decrease, for this reason, that at present these women are — all sent to the Lock Hospital, and there is no doubt that — these bad places do thrive, but when it is known that the women do not go there, they will not probably be quite so much in demand. APPENDIX. [A.] BILL TO AMEND THE “CONTAGIOUS DISEASES PREVENTION ACT, 1885.” (As proposed to be amended by Select Committee, 11th July, 1895—the words proposed to be omitted being within brackets, those to be inserted in italics, and new clauses distinguished by a side line.) (Introduced into the Legislative Council by the Honourable P. B. van Ruyn.) Be it enacted by the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and House of Assembly thereof, as follows :— 1. From and after the taking effect of this Act the Act No. 39 of 1885, commonly called ‘The Contagious Diseases Prevention Act, 1885,” shall be read and con- strued as if sections three to thirty-seven inclusive, the first schedule, and forms A to H inclusive of the second schedule were omitted therefrom. 2. The said Act is hereby further amended as follows :— (a) All the words in the thirty-eighth section thereof shall be omitted and the following words inserted in their stead: ‘‘If the district surgeon of any district shall have good ground to believe that any person, whether male or female, within such district, is affected by contagious disease to such an extent as to render the spread of such disease probable, it shall be the duty of such district surgeon, in case such person is not under medical treatment by some duly qualified medical prac- titioner, to report that fact to the Resident Magistrate, [who shall thereupon make inquiry into the circumstances, and if upon such inquiry E2 li APPENDIX. such Resident Magistrate shall deem fit so to do, it shall and may be lawful for him] and it shall be lawful for such Magistrate, after due enquiry, either to order the detention of the affected person in a hospital until he or she shall be duly discharged therefrom, or to authorise the said district surgeon to require the person so affected to place himself or herself under medical treatment by the said district surgeon, or some other duly qualified medical practitioner to be selected by such affected person, and to attend for that purpose at the time and place from time to time fixed by the said district surgeon or duly qualified practitioner until released from such attendance by the said district surgeon or duly qualified practitioner.” (6) The words ‘‘ Medical Inspector or ” wherever they appear in the thirty-ninth and forty-first sections and in forms I and J of the second schedule shall be omitted. (c) The words ‘‘inspector or inspectors” in the Bay, fourth section shall be omitted, and from and after the taking effect of this Act the dad Act shall be read and construed as so amended. 5. If any person being the owner or occupier of any house, room or place, or being a manager or assistant in he charge thereof, having reasonable cause to believe that any female is affected with Contagious Disease, shall permit her to resort to or’ be in such house, room or place for the purpose of illicit mtercourse, he shall be lable on conviction before the Resident Magistrate of the district to be imprisoned with or without hard labour for any period not exceeding three months, or to pay a fine not exceeding [£20], or to both such fine and imprisonment: Provided always that a conviction under this section shall not exempt the offender from any penal or other consequences to which he may be liable for keeping a disorderly house or a brothel, or for the nuisance thereby occasioned. 4, If any person, knowing that he or she is affected with Contagious Disease, shall by means of illicit intercourse, communicate such disease to another person, he or she shall be guilty of a contravention of this section, and shall be liable; on conviction before the Resident Magistrate of the APPENDIX. lil district, to the punishment provided in the last preceding section. 5. If any person who shall be detained in any hospital by order of a Resident Magistrate, in terms of the first ection of this Act, shall depart therefrom without the permission of the Resident Magistrate, or of the District urgeon, he shall be liable to the punishment provided for in the forty-first section of Act 39 of 1885. [3.] 6. This Act may be cited for all purposes as ‘‘ The Contagious Diseases Prevention Act Amendment Act, 1895.” [B.] Contagious Diseases Prevention Act No. 39 of 1885 (vide Acts of Parliament). [C.] Report of -Select Committee of House of Assembly on C. D. Act [vide A.B. 24—'94 }. [D. ] Evidence taken by the above Committee [ Returned to the House of Assembly. | — —_—_—_____ (EJ CIRCULAR ISSUED TO MEpICcAL PRACTITIONERS RESIDING IN DistTRIcTtSs WHERE Part I or Contacious DISEASES Act IS IN FORCE. Legislative Council, Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, 27th June, 1895. Srr,—I have been directed by the Chairman of the Select Committee appointed by the Legislative Council to report upon the Contagious Diseases Act Amendment Bill [C.B. 8—’95], introduced into the Council by the Hon. iv APPENDIX. P. B. van Rhyn, to request that you will be good enough to inform the Committee at your earliest convenience whether, in the course of your practice, you have had an opportunity of observing the operation of Part I of the Contagious Diseases Act (No. 39 of 1885), now in force in the Colony, and if so, whether it has had the effect of diminishing venereal disease among the population generally. -« I have, &c., J. A. FATIRBATRN, Clerk of the Council. [F.] Repiies TO CIRCULAR. Dr. Falkiner-Falkiner, Dr. Clifton, », C. L. Herman, », Considine, 44 , . MeG. Kitching, |"... Seaneies , J. F. Manikus, », Uppleby; 5, D. J. Wood, >» Vanes, », Claud Wright, , F. J. Parson. Bouquet-street, Cape Town, 3rd July, 1895. The Clerk of the Legislative Council, Cape Town. Srr,—I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Circular Memo. of the 27th ult., forwarded by the direction of the chairman of the Select Committee appointed to report upon the Contagious Diseases Act Amendment Bill [C.B. 8—’95 ]. As both a Government and private practitioner of long and varied experience in this Colony, I have had many opportunities of observing the operation of the existing Contagious Diseases Act, Part I (No. 39 of 1885), and can most emphatically state that it has had the effect of diminishing venereal disease among the population generally. APPENDIX. bs Since the adoption of this Act venereal disease has most undoubtedly decreased, judging from prior years ; and my experience now is that I seldom see a case either among the Government Railways staff or that of the Post Office, which establishments combined represent, as you are aware, a large mixed social class. In private practice I find very little indeed, and that little imported almost entirely from parts where the Act in question is either imperfectly carried out or non-existent. As Port Surgeon and Acting Medical Officer of Health of Cape Town at various periods, I have had my attention strongly drawn to the necessity of stringent measures in connection with venereal cases, and years of experience have only strengthened my opinion that a seaport of such magnitude cannot be too well protected from contagious and epidemic disease. Here in this large port we are constantly visited by vessels from all parts of the globe, whose crews frequently contract and carry with them disease from other lands less happily legislated for than ours. These men come on shore and propagate the evil, and unless our unfortunates were regularly examined and treated, the amount of injury to future generations can hardly be reckoned. When I look back a dozen years and call to memory the many venereal cases and their sequelae then brought to my own personal notice as a medical man, and the few itinerant patients of this class I see now, I cannot but express my deep regret at legislation aimed at the undoing of a safeguard which has most decidedly produced these most beneficial results. I have, &e., &e., J. FALKINER-FALKINER, F.R.C8., &e., &e., Surgeon to Cape Government Railways, and Acting Police and Casualty Surgeon, &e. 42, Burg Street, Cape Town, 10th July, 1895. Clerk of the Council. Str,—In reply to your circular of the 27th June with reference to the Contagious Diseases Act, I wish to say Pe Cie POE a a fa *~ & > pat - 4 ‘ v1 APPENDIX. that I have noticed the most marked and decided diminu- tion of venereal diseases since the enforcement of the above- named Act. There has been not only a diminution of the number of cases of venereal disease, but also especially a very great decrease in the occurrence of cases of syphilis. Nothing could be more marked than that. To such an extent has that occurred that though a larger number of patients have passed through my hands since the passing of the Act, a proportionately smaller number of cases of syphilis have occurred. Another thing which even the most casual observer must notice, is the improved condition of certain streets where at one time brothels abounded and _ prostitutes were allowed to walk about and openly solicit passers-by. For these reasons I regard the Contagious Diseases Act asa very great boon to the community, not only from a public health point of view, but from a moral standpoint ; and I hope that an endeavour will be made to improve as far as possible the method of its working in the direction of placing the working of the Act in the hands of specially trained detective officers, who are specially to be detailed for that work. I have, &e., &e., C. LAWRENCE HERMAN. 41, Burg Street, Cape Town, loth July, 1895. To Clerk of the Council. Sir,—In reply to your circular re the operation of Part I of the Contagious Diseases Act and my opinion thereon, For the past two or three years I have acted as medical officer to the Cape Town prison, and I have been astonished at the comparatively small number of cases of syphilis and gonorohcea that I have to treat. I am not prepared to give comparative figures, for I do not possess them ; but that the above is a fact I have not the least doubt, and also that the result is due largely to the Contagious Diseases Act at present in force is my strong opinion. APPENDIX. Vii My impression is very strong that if the Contagious Diseases Act ceased to be in force, I should immediately notice an increase in the contagious diseases (which it is intended to check) in the prisoners admitted into the prison, I have, &e., &e., C. McGOWAN KITCHING. 3rd July, 1895. The Clerk of the Legislative Council. Srr,—In reply to. your letter of 27th June, I beg to state that the Contagious Diseases Act (No. 39 of 1885) has done much to diminish venereal diseases amongst the population of this Colony. The repeal of this salutary Act would be felt through the whole country, ruin the health, endanger and shorten the lives of many who in their ignorance fancy themselves to be quite safe. T am, &e., 7 F. MANIKUS. Colonnade Chambers, Cape Town, Ist July, 1895. The Clerk to the Legislative Council. Dear Str,—I beg to acknowledge your letter of date June 27. In reply, I beg to state my firm conviction that Part I Contagious Diseases Act is highly beneficial, and, in a community like ours, urgently required. I am of opinion that we owe to the Act part of the comparative infrequence of the diseases. At the same time, there can be no doubt that our coloured races receive and hand on the diseases in a virulent form. The most important of the venereal diseases affects not only those first concerned, but also, and in an equally disastrous way, their innocent offspring, and is one of the C. 5—95. CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. Ex vili APPENDIX. most common causcs of blindness, insanity, disease of every organ in the body, and degeneration of the race as- a whole. -{ admit that the evil cannot be entirely checked by legislation, however stringent; but at the same time it can be to a large extent repressed, and this being so, any attempt to weaken or remove those laws which we possess is not merely undesirable, but positively criminal. I have, &c., &c., D. J. WOOD, M.B. Wynberg, 4th July, 1895. The Clerk of the Council, Houses of Parliament. Srr,—In reply to your letter of the 27th ultimo, enquir- ing what opportunity [ have had of observing the operation of Part I of the Contagious Diseases Prevention Act now in force, and the effect thereof, I have the honour to inform you that I have had ample opportunity for so deing. I consider the advantages to the population generally cannot be over-estimated. As Medical Inspector for this area, I had at times committe to hospital females ~ so virulently affected, and so regardless of the consequences, that I shudder to think of the grave consequences that would otherwise have befallen others, not only those who would be liable to contamination through their own indiscretion, but also possibly to the innocents, for it is not unusual for these females, in a large percentage of cases when affected with disease, to accept domestic service for a time, in the hope of obtaining their discharge from the register, and so evading compulsory detention in hospital. The benefit to the female to be cured of her complaint, and the escape others enjoy through non- hability to contagion, can only be estimated by those who are well acquainted with the ravages of the disease. The class of female who is subject to periodical inspection is such that it is no further degradation to her. She is drunken, dissolute, and devoid entirely of all shame, and detention in hospital, by bringing her into contact with the clergy and other religious workers, gives her, at all “fe , Re ee APPENDIX 1x events, a chance of social reclamation, and for the time keeps her from her immoral haunts.. With reference to a remark made by an honourable member in Parliament that men also should be examined, I might remark that the military are subject to periodical medical examination, and in this case the moral soldiers as well as the immoral ones, whereas in the. case of the females it is chiefly those who voluntarily submit themselves to the inspection. T have, &c., &e., H. CLAUD WRIGHT, District Surgeon, and Medical Inspector C.D.P. Act, Wynberg. Knysna, oth July, 1895. Operation of Part 1 C.D.P. Act of 1885. The Chairman, C.D. Act Amendment Committce. Str,—I have the honour, in reply to a circular received by me from the Clerk of the Legislative Council, to certify for your information that I have had special opportunities of observing the operation of Part No. 1 of the C.D.P. Act of 1885, and have formed the most favour- able opinion of its effects in diminishing venereal disease. In this district, beimg one wherein there being a port, Part 1 ought always to be in force conjointly with Part 2 ; its success has been most remarkable. I have been enabled to keep so firm a check on the introduction and spread of disease, that I can unhesitatingly say that were equal care, with similar powers, at work throughout the country, venereal disease might almost, or altogether cease to exist. I have, &c., &e., J. H. CLIFTON, M.D., District Surgeon and Medical Inspector. Port Elizabeth, 7th July, 1895. The Clerk of the Legislative Council, Cape Town. Srtr,—In reply to your letter of 27th June, 1895, I x APPENDIX. have had a very fair opportunity of observing the opera- tion of Part 1 of the Contagious Diseases Act (No. 39 of 1885) now in force in the Colony, and am compelled to believe that it has had no appreciable effect whatever, as venereal disease seems to be steadily on the increase. I have, &c., &e., P. C. CONSIDINE, M.D. ee Provincial Hospital, Port Elizabeth, 8th July, 1895. To the Secretary, Legislative Council, Cape of Good Hope. Sir,—In reply to your letter under date 27th June, I have to inform you that, having had considerable experi- ence and opportunity for noting the effect of Part I of the Contagious Diseases Act (No. 59 of 1885), I am of opinion that the enforcement of this Act decidedly tends to the lessening both of venereal disease and prostitution. I have, &c., &e., WALTER A. HARRIS, | ‘Resident Surgeon, Provincial Hospital. - Port Elizabeth, 4th July, 1895. The Clerk of the Council. - Sir,—I have the honour to acknowledge your communi- cation of 27th June, received to-day, requesting me to inform the Select Committee, appointed by the Legislative Council to report upon the Contagious Diseases Act Amendment Bill, whether in the course of my practice I have had an cpportunity of observing the operation of Part I of the Contagious Diseases Act, No. 39 of 1885, now in force in the Colony, and respectfully beg to state, IT am the Medical Inspector under that Aet for Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage. In my opinion the Act has had APPENDIX. — xi a most beneficial influence in diminishing venereal disease among the population. My report for last year shows that the daily number of women treated in the Lock Hospital, Port Elizabeth, has dropped to seven, and further, their length of stay in hospital has been reduced ; showing that what disease there is, does not exist in so aggravated a form. . I have, &e., F. G. UPPLEBY. House of Assembly, Cape Town, Ist July, 1895. J. A. Fairbairn, Esq., Clerk of the Legislative Council, Cape Town. Str,—In reply to yours of the 27th ult., I have kept no accurate statistics such as to allow me to give a definite answer to your question. 1 think, however, that the effects of the Act have been to materially diminish the spread of contagious diseases. I am quite at a loss to understand how it could be otherwise, as by the operation of No. 39, 1885, a certain number of diseased women are kept under restraint, and prevented from communicating to others the disease from which they are suffering. . Yours faithfully, ARTHUR B. VANES, M.D. Office of the Resident Surgeon, New Somerset Hospital, Cape Town, 3rd July, 1895. The Clerk to the Legislative Council. Sir,—In reply to your Circular Letter of the 27th June, requesting me to inform the Committee of the Legislative Council whether, in the course of my practice, 1 have had xii . APPENDIX. an opportunity for observing the operation of Part I of the Contagious Diseases Act, No. 39 of 1885, now in force in the Colony, and if so, whether it has had the effect of diminishing venereal disease among the population generally, I have the honour to state that, so far as the hospital practice extends, there is a diminution of rather more than 200 in the number of cases of venereal disease treated here since the introduction of the Contagious Diseases Act, reckoning for six years previous to and six years after its promulgation. Many of our cases are of secondary syphilis among sailors, the primary disease having been acquired else- where. I think that, on the whole, the effect of the Act has been decidedly beneficial, and might prove more so if more stringently enforced. I have, &c., &e., J. F. PARSON, Resident Surgeon. [Further replies have been received, some of them sub- sequent to the Report of the Committee. j APPENDIX. LG. ] Return of Females (a) examined under Part I of the Contagious Diseases Prevention Act 1885, (6) admitted to Hospital, and (c) discharged therefrom, during the year ending 31st May, 1895, in the Districts of Cape Town, Wynberg, and King William’s Town. | DISTRICT. | Cape Town Wynberg... King Wm.’s Town. | 258 29 24 Number detained in Hospital. 118 Number discharged from Hospital with Certificate of Cure. 110* REMARKS. “The Medical Officer reports that no actual Certificate of Cure is given to patients on dis- charge from hospital, but that they are simply served with a notice requiring them to renew their periodical atten- dance for examination. +No hospital at Wyn- berg. Diseased females are treated in Cape Town hospital. +The Medical Officer, King William’s Town, reports that he does not grant Certificates of free- dom from disease to dis- charged women, as such a course might encourage prostitution. Xiv APPENDIX. (H.] VENEREAL DISEASE. Occurrence amongst the Troops in Cape. Town from Ist of January, 1884, to 31st May, 1895. Average per 1,000. Strength ni Total. peo of Troops. Syphilis. 1884 575 332 190 922 |) 1885 849 485 253 738 | | 1886 997 329 172 494 |S 675 1887 522 572 222, 1888 834 549 279 Admissions per 1,000. Year. 1889 | 840 204 144 1890 | 726 196 105 1891 660 161 161 1892 | 715 201 208 18938 | 765 103 213 1894 | - 749 240 184 1895...) 741 240 119 5 months only. C. DWYER, Surgeon-Lieut.-Colonel, A.M.S. Cape Town, 2nd July, 1895. [J] Return showing the working of the Contagious Diseases Act, Part I, in the District of Cape Town, during the year 1894. Number of women remaining on the register on ; the 31st December, 1893 ... a fe: 159 APPENDIX. Number of women placed on the Peeante during the year Number ‘of women removed from the register during the year... viz. :—Relieved by order of R.M. Died (5 Hospital) Removed to some known address Disappeared or absconded Married ; ie Number of women examined during the year ee Europeans as 4 Coloured Voluntary submissions under Section 14 Compulsory submissions under Section 10 Number of separate periodical examinations made 5 Usual length of interval between examinations. Number of women found to be free from disease Number of women found to be diseased Number of admissions into Hospital Nature of the Disease : Syphilis —Primary if Secondary A Tertiary Gonorrhea Other (Chancroid, Ulcer) of Vulva Cerrex, ts 7~:. Average duration of stay on ‘admission into Hospital (in days) Average total detention per individual patient (in days) .. bie Number of prosecutions under § ‘LI of Act Number of prosecutions under § 17 of Act xv xvi APPENDIX. 3 [K.] VENEREAL DISEASE IN CAPE TOWN. For the past twelve years, 1883-1894. Ratio per 1,006. YEAR. Sapna sor Deathe. Invalids. 1885 338 0:0 81 1884 O22 0-0 5°2 1885 754 0:0 14-1 1886 496 1.0 2°0 1887 792 1-9 3°8 1888 820 2°4 14:4 1889 - 848 0:0 1-2 1890 301 0-0 OO * 1891 321 1°5 4°5 1892 409 0:0 5°6 1893 376 0:0 3°9 1894 424 | 0:0 27 [M.] VENEREAL DISEASE IN CAPE TOWN. For the six years 1883 to 1888. Average Average Aaa Annual ree PERIOD. Admissions Deaths for Taian for Venereal Venereal pd nan per 1,000. | per 1,000. | P® “© ™ 1883 to 1888 APPENDIX. Vil LN.] | VENEREAL DISEASE IN CAPE TOWN. For the six years 1889 to 1894. Average Average ; Annual Annual ae mae PERIOD. Admissions | Deaths from | 7, valida q for Venereal Venereal is 10 a per 1,000. per 1,000. ROK eM: 1889 to 1894 | 363 "25 3°9 (Inclusive) | ( | [0.1 VENEREAL DISEASE IN CAPE TOWN For the period 1883 to 1888 (being the six years immediately before the introduction of the Contagious Diseases Act), compared with the period 1889 to 1894 (being the six years immediately following the intro- duction). Average Annual Average Annual Average Annual Admissions for Venereal| Deaths from Venereal Invalided from per 1,000. per 1,000. Venereal per 1,000. 1883-8. 1889-94. 1883-8. 1889-94. 1883-8. | 1889-94. 617 363 "$8 ‘25 79 3°9 XVill APPENDIX. LP.) VENEREAL DISEAE IN CAPE TOWN. For the past 12 years (1883-1894), being six years before the introduction of the C.D. Act (November, 1888), and six years after. Satan ADMISSIONS PER 1,000. YEAR. Strength. Primary Syphilis, 3 including Ulcer Syph. See. |Gonerrhcea. of Penis. 1883 729 166 18 154 1884 575 287 AB. 190 1885 849 351 132 | 251 1886 997 222 101 Rare ves 1887 ; 522 373 197 | 229 1888 | 8384 331 210 | 279 1889 | 840 150 54 || “144 1890 | 726 146 50 | . 105 sor"! = "660 122 38 | 161 1892 |}. 716 141 60 208 1893 | 765 115 48 218 1894 | 749 163 77 184 | LQ. | MONTHLY SANITARY REPORT. Cape Town, 26th June, 1895. The Chief Staff Officer, South Africa. The general health of the troops in South Africa during the month of May has been good, and the sanitary condition of Barracks, &c., continued to be maintained in as satisfactory condition as practicable. APPENDIX. xx The percentage of average ae sick was :— Cape Colony ~ .-- « 6°49 Natal and Fubatee 5°69 Whole Command ..... an. BOF The chief causes of sickness were :— Cape Volony.—Venereal disease, digestive system, skin disease and local injuries. Natal and Zululand.—Enteric and other continued fever, venereal disease, digestive system, skin disease and local injuries. The percentage from venereal causes was :— Cape Colony oe ne Natal and Ratubnet s BS y 17 Whole Command _.... 51 Three cases of enteric fever were admittet ia P.M. Burg during the month, one of which terminated fatally. S. C. E. DWYER, Surgeon-Lieut.-Colonel A M.S., for P.M.O., South Africa, on leave. A. 5—’95. CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. EF : ne, , Pe “awok snotAoad wody 1 oyoodsuy way ‘ ; ; . 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LX] TABLE showing the Admissions and Constantly § for Venereal Affections in the United Kingdom di {Extract from Report on Sa Measures in India in 1892-93, vol as Vid jal Year. 1881 1582 18883 ~ 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 — 1891 1852 : er Book [C—7514}. Rates per 1,000. | 245-5 246-0 260-0 210-7 2764. 267°1 B52°9 224°5 212-1 212-4 197-4 etn are Admitte i cone —_ 16°67 |) Conta siana Diseases 16°86 J 18°54 20-14 19-34 19-29 19:10 18:19 16-96 17:07 16°34 16°46 Contagious Dis