CO885-6 — Page 37

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

FELIC.O. 882

6

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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There is plenty of disease amongst men? Plenty.

Dr. Simon-You have spoken about brothels in Sago Street, Malay Street, Sago Lane, and Bugis Street; do you know anything about the brothels in China Street, Hongkong Street, Smith Street, and those places?

No, they are exclusively for the Chinese.

Then those Mrs. McBreen treats are prostitutes for all nationalities?

Yes.

Dr. Middleton-What class of men come to you for treatment-residents or people

passing through?

Principally seafaring men.

Where do they contract the disease, berc or elsewhere?

As a rule, here.

The Chairman-Is the disease had amongst them?

As a rule it is gonorrhea or soft chancre.

You think these cases are increasing?

Decidedly. I get far more cases than I did two years ago.

In fact you think there is nothing to stop it from increasing.

No, except regular examination of the girls.

Do you think the women would object to that?

I don't think so.

Would they go to hospital?

I think so.

If they knew that things would be made comfortable for them, I don't think they would raise any objection. Of course a great many of them are afraid of hospitals at first, but a few being induced to go, they would very soon sec that it was better to go there.

You think if they had a woman to attend on them it would influence them to go

there!

Yes, of course it would.

Dr. Middleton-Do you mean a lady doctor or a woman of their own nationality? I mean a woman of their own nationality.

Mr. Evans-Do you think they would prefer a European lady doctor?

No, I do not. I don't think women generally admire female doctors; they don't place the same confidence in them. Lady doctors have been found failures at home.

Dr. Simon-Do you think they care whether they are examined by a man or a

woman?

What can a woman of that type care?

Do think if these women knew there was a hospital for them they would go

you

to be treated?

Yes, I think they would be only too glad to be treated.

Do you think they would come regularly to be treated?

Yes, if things were properly explained to them. These diseases are not comfort-

able, and it is no pleasure to a girl to be sick.

How is it now they do not go to hospital?

I think a great many of them do not know of it. There are always fresh girls coming, and possibly the keepers have an objection to their going.

You think they take their cue from other women?

Quite so, and once they had tried the hospital they would recommend it to others. They certainly cannot be as comfortable in the brothels as they would be in a properly. regulated hospital.

They hardly ever get well where they are?

They have no chance of getting well.

Colonel Pennefather-You think that women who are discased go on plying their trade?

I do, certainly.

Mr. Evans-Do you think they go on with their business for their own pleasure

or because they are compelled to?

Because they are compelled to; they must make money.

The Chairman-Suppose there is a brothel with about half a dozen women in it

all diseased, what is the keeper going to do?

She should wait until they are well again.

Do you think she is likely to wait?

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No; but if the law compelled her she would have to wait. It would be her mis- fortune that her house was closed. There is no existing law, and that is where the difficulty comes in. You cannot compel the girls to go to hospital. The sooner the law compels them to go the better. As long as there are half a dozen diseased women in the place they are sufficient to spread it all over the town.

You think that compulsion should be brought to bear on the keeper? Certainly, the keeper should have no voice in the matter at all. "If a girl is sick, into hospital she should go.

At present the brothel-keeper has got everything to do with it?

Mr.

Yes, she can have a doctor to attend to them or not, just as she pleases. Wispauer, the witness who was examined before me, attends most of the Japanese girls, but they are very free from disease. There is little disease amongst the Japanese.

Dr. Simon-You think they are more careful?

They are such cleanly girls.

Mr. Gentle-Have you ever had any opportunities in going to these houses to ob- serve what proportion of the money paid goes to the girl?

Not a cent goes to the girl; they simply get their food and clothing, and the girl

has to stay there until the money she was bought for has been paid back.

Mr. Gentle-So that the brothel-keeper has the strongest possible inducement to compel the girl to receive visitors even when she is diseased?

She must; she has no say in the matter; she is the brothel-keeper's property practically.

What do they pay for these women?

I do not know. I hear the price varies from $100 to $200, $300 or even $400 for

an exceptionally pretty girl. It is a shameful thing to allow these girls to be bought

in this way; in a great many instances they do not know what they are going to do. It is one thing where a girl likes to go wrong herself and another thing to be compelled to do so.

Mr. Evans-Do you treat many soldiers? Yes, sometimes.

Mr. Evans-What do you treat them for?

I have had some cases of secondary syphilis, but principally soft chancre and

gonorrhea.

The Chairman-Do you treat many?

Yes, I treat a fair amount.

Do you treat any of the men of this regiment?

Yes, I have done.

Dr. Middleton-Has the number of soldiers you treat increased since you came to Singapore?

Increased decidedly.

Dr. Middleton-Have you come across many cases of gonorrheal ophthalmia? I have never had a case.

At this stage the Committee adjourned until Thursday, May 5th, 1898, at 11 a.m.

D.

SECOND DAY.

Present:-Brigade Surgeon Lieutenant-Colonel Stokes (Chairman), Dr. Simon,

Dr. Middleton, Colonel Pennefather, and Messrs. Evans and Gentle.

Dr. MUGLISTON, Colonial Surgeon, was the next witness called.

The Chairman-I understand you attend a good number of prostitutes? Yes.

What nationalities do you specially attend?

All nationalities.

But most of which?

There are more Chinese in Singapore, therefore I attend more. You attend more Chinese prostitutes than any other nationality? Numerically, yes, but not more in proportion perhaps.