PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
EPLIC.O. 882
9
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
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view. In 1895 there were 386 admissions for constitutional syphilis at Tan Tock Seng's Hospital, and of these 53 died. Next year, 1896, there were 396 cases of constitutional syphilis, and 47 died. Last year we had a few less cases (363) of constitutional syphilis, but the deaths were very much less. Just now we have over 100 cases in hospital, more than we have had for years, but these include a great many cases of primary syphilis. l'eople are coming in more for primary syphilis now.
Mr. Gentle-All the males admitted to Tan Tock Seng's Hospital are of the very poorest of the population?
They are all of the lower classes, but they are not paupers. They are artisans chiefly, gambier coolies, pepper coolies, boatmen, rikisha pullers, coolies in shops in town, and members of the working classes generally.
Most of them earn from 10 dollars to 15 dollars a month, I suppose?
Yes. Some time ago I did go into their earnings, and that was about it.
The Chairman---Do you not think that some of these prostitutes go to Chinese doctors?
Yes, I think they always do.
Do you think there are more go to them now than used to be the case?
Not so many as there were before I started attending them. Formerly they always went to Chinese doctors. Up to four or five years ago, when I instituted my system with the approval of Government, I don't think they had any proper medical attend- ance at all. But since then a great many come to me, and a great many go to other doctors, but still that is only for the worst forms. Like many uneducated Europeans, the Chinese do not understand the importance of the chancre.
Mr. Evans In the houses that you attend, Dr. Mugliston, you only see the cases brought to you?
I only see the cases that are brought to me or that I am asked to go to.
You don't see the other cases?
No.
Dr. Simon-Have you had any experience of the working of the C.D. Act? Yes, I was in charge for two or three years.
Did find
you any objection on the part of prostitutes to submit to periodical ex- amination?
None at all.
What, in your opinion, has been the effect of the repeal of the C.D. Act?
An enormous increase in suffering generally. Formerly the Medical Officer in- terposed when the girls were sick to prevent their being worked, now they have no pro- tection in that way. They are at the mercy of the brothel-keepers.
Do the brothel-keepers prevent the girls from coming up for treatment?
They don't prevent them, because they are not obliged to bring them. They simply don't bring them.
The brothel-keepers lose pecuniarily if the girls are sent to hospital?
Certainly that would act as a deterrent. That was what I meant by an increase
of suffering generally. The girls are not free agents.
They are at the mercy of the brothel-keepers?
Entirely. Mr. Evans can tell you what checks there are on that by the inspection
of the Protectorate officials, and so on.
Mr. Evans here explained that the Protectorate had practically no check on the keepers. He had a certain amount of power, like a magistrate had over a legal offence. If he got information of an offence he could look into it, but he had no power to go round and inspect the brothels. That was stopped at the end of 1894.
These brothel-keepers appear to be a great block in the way? There are good and bad, some are humane, some are not.
these things in the same light as we do.
Chinese do not look at
Dr. Simon-Any attempt to deal with these prostitutes individually is utterly futile?
Yes, they are not human beings; they are animals.
They are slaves to their keepers?
To my mind, they are practically slaves.
And any attempt to deal with them as human beings is hopeless?
Yes, partly from their being practically slaves, and partly from their utter lack of
education and absolute indifference. They are inferior animals.
Do you think these prostitutes know they have an hospital to go to?
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Oh, yes, that they know thoroughly. It has been repeatedly explained to them by the Protectorate, and in my own case it is always my endeavour to get them to go to hospital. The increased admissions to the Lock Hospital are almost entirely due to me. I have got them to go into it more than they did.
What is their objection to it?
The objection that exists in all countries to go to hospital partly. Europeans won't go to the General Hospital here without persuasion, unless they have been before. The Chinese of course are very timid. They live in their houses amid their own sur- roundings, and they are very timid about going out of them. It is chiefly timidity I think on the part of the girls, and ignorance on the part of their adopted mothers, which prevents the Lock Hospital from being more extensively used. Of the people admitted into Kandang Kerbau Hospital last year, Mr. Leceister tells me that more than half were sent in by me. During the last four or five years I have adopted this system, the numbers are gradually going up and the institution becoming more popular. Do you think, under the present system, any attempt to induce these women to go to hospital would be successful?
Never, when they have got primary syphilis.
No system you could suggest would have that effect?
I am sure they would never go in when they were suffering from a primary sqre, and a primary sore is the infecting stage.
Have you seen many deaths from venereal disease amongst the prostitutes? Yes, I gave you some deaths in the returns I quoted, and in private practice I also see a good many deaths, but they are contract patients, and I keep no record of con- tract patients.
How many prostitutes do you treat per month?
I could not tell you; I do not keep a record. It is a very large number per month. Some time ago I made out a return for the Secretary of State, and Dr. Simon may have
a copy of this in his office.
Dr. Simon-Do you see much sickness in private practice?
No, not a great deal; it is rare.
Dr. Middleton-Among males, do you see much sickness in private practice? No, not in private practice. There appears to be more sly immorality than there used to be.
Dr. Middleton-What is the cause of that?
I think men are afraid to go with public prostitutes; they know that they run a risk, and men now keep women, and so on.
You think there is a great number of sly women knocking about?
Yes, I know there are.
Are they not infected?
As a rule they keep themselves clean. They keep to one or two men, who may join in keeping a girl.
Dr. Simon--The Japanese women are not so much under the control of their, keepers?
No, not so much. When they first come down they probably have a heavy advance to work off for clothes, passage money, and so on, and they are under the control of their keeper for some time; but not so much as the Chinese. They are allowed to go out, though they are not free altogether.
The Chairman---Do many of these women have houses of their own, independently of the brothel-keepers?
I don't think so.
Dr. Simon-You mean single women?
Not unless they are kept by rich Chinese, Arabs, Malays, or Europeans. These may keep a Chinese woman, in fact, many of them do; but these women are not prosti- tutes in the same sense. They are kept women.
Dr. Middleton-Have you any experience of Javanese or Kling prostitutes? Yes. They don't come into hospital very much. I think the Klings probably are
all syphilitic in the same way as the Chinese.
Dr. Simon--They don't consult you much?
No, very seldom.
Colonel Pennefather-You don't know anything about the Malays or Javanese ? No, not a great deal.
What you have seen, are they as much contaminated with disease as other classes of prostitutes?
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