Chapter III.] MEDICAL HISTORY OF REGIMENTS AT DIFFERENT PERIODS OF SERVICE. 55
We expect to find in the statistics of the same body of men after 12 months' residence
The death-statistics of the same in India, a considerable decrease in the diseases which show
body in the second year of Indian themselves in an exaggerated form in the first hot season.
s e r v i c e . T h e s e a r e t h e s e v e r e r c l a s s o f f e v e r s , h e a t a p o p l e x y a n d b o w e l
complaints ; and the death-rates for these diseases may be expected to show a corresponding
diminution.
- This expectation is borne out in the figures which follow. Among the admission-rates,
enteric fever goes down from 13 in the first year to 5 in the second ; remittent and continued
fevers from 315 to 150 ; heat apoplexy from 5 to 1.7 ; and bowel complaints from 156 to 112.
Excluding cholera and violent deaths, the death-rate per 1,000 diminishes from 19 . 3 4 t o
1 1
. 5 5 , - a r a t i o l o w e r t h a n t h a t o f t h e A r m y a s a b o d y . T h e e n t e r i c f e v e r r a t i o o f 6
. 2 6 i n t h e
first year, becomes 1-93 in the second ; and fevers as a class give in the second year a ratio of
2.88, which contrasts with 7 .96, t he rat i o of t he fi rst year. The mort al i t y from heat apopl exy
is diminished by one-half, the ratio of the first year being 2/42, and of the second F12 ; and
dysentery shows a death-rate of 1.20 against 1.83, which was the death-ratio of the first
year. As a whole, the death-ratio of the second year is diminished by 7 .79 per 1, 000 ; and out
of this, the three causes of mortality special to the young and unacelimatised contribute 7.01.
These results agree with the statistics of the Army of 1858-70, studied in my first report on.
length of service (pages 38-40).
New Regiments of 1871-75, showing in contrast the Admission-rates and Death-rates in the first
and Second Years of Indian Service.
ADMISSION-RATE PER 1,000.
DEATH- RATE PER 1, 000.
First year, Second year,
First year,
Second year,
1871-75. 1872-76.
1871-75.
1872-76.
Cholera.
.
3.5
5.2 Cholera .
. 2.74
3.22
Enteric Fever ..
13.5
5.5 Small-pox . .
. .36
.08
Ague.
175.8 292.2, Enteric Fever
6.26 7.96
1..93) 2.88
Remittent and Continued
. .
Fevers. 314.8 150.3
Remittent and Conti-
Hued Fevers . . 1.70
.95
Heat Apoplexy ..
. 5.0 1:7 Heat Apoplexy . . 2.42
1.12
Delirium Tremens ..
2.8
2.6 Delirium Tremens . -09
. . . . . .
Dysentery.
52.9 47.2 Dysentery
. .
1 : 8 3
1.20
Diarrhoea.
103 . 1 61.5 Hepatitis . .
. 1.92
2.02
Hepatitis.
35.2 53.0 Respiratory Diseases . .78
.17
Respiratory diseases . .
85.4 64. 1 Heart Diseases . . 1.00
-86
Phthisis.
10 . 1 10.7 Phthisis Pulmonalis 1.46
1.25
Rheumatism.
. 52.4 53.3 All other Diseases
. .
1 . 5 2
1-67
Venereal Diseases . ,
190.5 199.4 Accidental Deaths . 1.3
.95
Abscess and Ulcer . .
111.3 92 . 1 Suicidal Deaths
. 23
.43
Injuries
91.9 83.7
.
All other Causes.
258.3 239.2 All Causes . .
. 23.68
-
16.15
1509.5 1361.7 Excluding Cholera and
Violent Deaths . 19. 3 1
11:55
In constructing the following table, I have taken the loss by death of new regiments in
the first two years of residence in India. It is intended to
The constitution of the death-rate show the ratios afforded by the special diseases which become
in new regiments in the first and developed in early service, and how these are manifested in.
second years, and its composition in relation to the age of the men who suffer. It has reference to
relation to the age of the men who
die. a total of 894 deaths, of which 518 occurred in the first year,
and 376 in the second year, of Indian service. The ratios are for
a biennial, and not for an annual period.
Up to 34, I do not find that the mortality-rate of new regiments progresses much with age.
Dividing all men below 34 into three classes-below 24, 25 to 29, and 30 to 34, the ratios
stand thus, excluding cholera-25.91, 36.36 and. 31. 8 1 p e r 1 , 0 0 0 . T h e m i d d l e c l a s s s e e m s t o
suffer as much in proportion as the younger from enteric fever, while the. liability to die from
dysentery, hepatitis, and heart disease is very . m u c h i n c r e a s e d i n r e l a t i o n t o a g e . B e t w e e n 3 0 a n d
34, ent eri c fever nearl y di sappears, for out of 181 deat hs, 5 onl y were of t hi s age, and 1 above
it ; but apoplexy, heart disease, and the phthisis of degeneration maintain the balance and
keep t he r at i o up t o 32. Above 35, t he mor t al i t y r i ses t o 9 . 1 , a n d e x c l u d i n g c h o l e r a t o S O 1 ) ( 2 ' -
1 , 0 0 0 . T h i s r a t i o m a y b e r e g a r d e d a s a p p r o x i m a t e o n l y , b u t i s a c e r t a i n . i n d e x o f t h e g r e a t
risk to life among those whose systems refuse to become adapted to an Indian climate.