Section II.]
GENERAL DEDUCTIONS FROM THE STATISTICS OF THE PERIOD.
87
the typhus group, are developed and propagated. It need not be inferred that the original disease
affecting these men was the pneumonic typhus which we know as a specific disease; but to
many who have considered the subject, it has occurred to suggest, that the asthenic pneumonia
generated in such a case as this, and under such circumstances, may become contagious,
and may be propagated from man to man as a contagious disease which falls by preference on
the lungs.*
Deaths from Fever and Pneumonia.
ARMY OF PUNJAB.
FRONTIER FORCE.
EUROPEAN ARMY OF THE PUNJAB
DIED PER 1,000.
Fever. Pneumonia. Total.
Fever. Pneumonia. Total.
Fever. Pneumonia. Total.
1864
46
17 = 63
44
37 = 81
1.89
.95 = 2.84
1865
25
16 = 41
25
15 = 40
2.02
1.08 = 3.10
1866
18
8 = 26
15
15 = 30
1.74
1.21 = 2.95
1867
37
18 = 55
28
17 = 45
2.27
.89 = 3.16
1868
40
22 = 62
13
20 = 33
3.10
.80 = 3.90
1869
73
32 = 105
42
16 = 58
4.71
.79 = 5.50
1870
111
90 = 201
47
52 = 99
6.33
2.84 = 9. 17
1871
37
111 = 148
49
72 = 121
4.69
2.35 = 7.04
1872
32
50 = 82
43
55 = 98
4.95
1.40 = 6.35
1873
47
73 = 120
42
44 = 86
2.88
1.89 = 4.77
1874
34
55 = 89
17
62 = 79
2.67
.78 = 3.45
1875
50
83 = 133
31
111 = 141
4.63
1.68 = 6.31
1876
35
54 = 89
29
33 = 62
2.47
1.06 = 3.53
While it is possible that pneumonia of an asthenic type may become contagious, the
parallel development of pneumonia over the entire Northern
Punjab, and among Europeans although in a minor degree,
points to the effects of a general influence. The epidemic
fever of the later months of 1869, shown as under among our types over this area, left
in every case persistent evil effects behind it, which were continued into the cold season,
when chest diseases naturally prevail:—
Fever Admissions of the Punjab, 1869.
Strength. July. August. September. October. November. December. Total.
European Army
14,300 970
1,723 1,910 2,923 3,452 1,355 = 12,333
Native Army
14,400 748
2,260 2,878 4,923 4,073 1,253 = 16,135
Frontier Force.
9,500 347
1,658 2,972 3,956 3,468 1,213 = 13,614
Prisoners
12,500 323
1,101 1,352 2,453 1,521
515 = 7,265
The universality in all classes is here demonstrated, and, as usual, when epidemic malaria
is abroad, the prisoners are exhibited suffering in a much smaller ratio than the general
population. The Native Army shows the highest ratio, and we know that the debilitated
system of the under-fed Native soldier does not recruit like that of the European soldier, but
continues to develop the diseases of anæmia in many different forms.
With this tendency to debility and to succumb to the effects of epidemic malaria, it is
remarkable to find the cholera ratio so strongly contrasting
with that of the European soldier. I have elsewhere illus
-trated the phenomenon, taking the results of a long series of
years; and in the epidemic years of this period the contrast
was shown thus:—
Died from Cholera per 1,000 of Strength.
1867.
1869.
1872.
1875.
European Army of Bengal
13.84
16.46
7.25
3.32
Native Army
3.17
4.89
4.64
1.69
Out of 1,890 cholera deaths in the Native Army, 1,402 occurred on the North-Western
Frontier, on the Eastern Frontier, and in Bengal Proper, the areas foreign to the Native
soldier, leaving only 488 deaths distributed over all stations between Bhaugulpore and
Nowshera; and it is worthy of remark, with reference to the fact commented on in the last
section of this report, that in the latter station, not one cholera admission occurred in these
ten years, while Peshawar and Kohat immediately beyond, lost between them in the same years
650 men of the Native Army.
In the contrasted ratios the European appears at a disadvantage. In every year, 6,000
men of the Native Army are sent to their homes at the
beginning of the hot weather, either on furlough or sick
leave. Now, while in these ten years, 5,467 men died with
their regiments, among those who went to their homes 2,282
deaths occurred. The men who go home are still borne on
the strength of their regiments; and calculated on the full
regimental strength, the true death-ratio is 17.25 per 1,000, the equivalent of 7,749 deaths.
* An excellent report on the fever and pneumonia of this regiment is contained in the Report on the Native Army
for 1870.
Illustration of the effects of an
epidemic season on the health of the
Native Army in Northern India.
The cholera-ratio of Native Troops
in Hindostan Proper contrasted with
that of Eastern Bengal and the North-
Western Frontier.
The deaths of Native soldiers at their
homes must be taken into account in
the calculation of the death-ratio. Com
- p a r i s o n o f t h e a n n u a l d e a t h - r a t e s o f
the period.