CO129-279 - Public Offices - 1897 — Page 192

P.S.

I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 19th March and note its contents.

NAVY LEAGUE, Hong Kong Branch.

C

Sir,

#7791 Rec? Red 16 NUC 37

18, Bank Buildings, 13th May, 1897.

188

The Committee of the Hong Kong branch of the Navy League, of which I am the Secretary, is desirous, in view of the discussion which is now being raised at home with reference to the diseased condition of the British Army in India, to raise the question as to the re-enactment of those portions of the Contagious Diseases laws, formerly in force in this Colony, which related to the medical examination of women.

On the 1st of September, 1887, the compulsory medical examination of women in this Colony was abolished by an Order of the Home Government, but a certain number of women still continued, notwithstanding that Order, to submit themselves voluntarily for inspection until the 1st of June 1894, after which date any examination of women, however voluntary, was discontinued in consequence of a further Order received from the Home Government which absolutely prohibited any examination whatever.

In consequence of the last-mentioned Order, the Lock Hospital here was closed and a female venereal ward was established in the Government Civil Hospital.

The enclosed printed copy of Appendix B of the Acting Colonial Surgeon's Report for the year 1895 (which is the latest Report issued) will show that the abolition of the compulsory examination of women was attended with a deplorable increase in contagious disease amongst the men in the garrison. (The Naval returns unfortunately had not been sent to the Colonial Medical Department since the year 1890, and are, therefore, ...)