Hospital a c c o m m o - d a t i o n .
Huts and
lines.
OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
11
Years.
Admis-
sions.
Daily
Sick. Deaths
Invalided for
Pension. Change
of air.
1875 ..
127
11
13
7
70
1876 ..
153
13
11
6
100
1877 ..
191
18
17
9
115
Average . . 157
14
14
7
95
1878 ..
180
16
13
6
129
27. Palleveram Depôt.—The marginal
statement contrasts the results of 1878
with the average of the preceding three
years. There was an increase in 1878
of admissions, daily sick, and number sent
on sick leave, but a decrease in deaths
and in men permanently invalided for
disease.
Pallaveram
Depôt.
28. Hospital accommodation.— The defects of the existing hospital arrangements
for Native troops as regards furniture, bedding, clothing, lighting, dieting, latrines,
&c., were fully pointed out in last annual report, and need not be repeated here.
29. Huts and Lines.— Strenuous efforts were maintained by both Military and
Medical authorities to improve the sanitation of lines and huts, but unless Govern-
ment can undertake to provide better dwellings, a plentiful water-supply, more
efficient domestic latrines and a regular system of sewage, little more can be effected
in this direction. The huts as they presently exist are of the most primitive
description, while domestic latrines and lavatories and the general drainage are
usually unsatisfactory both in construction and in working. A standard plan for
a hut latrine is at present under consideration, and if it could be generally
introduced would be of great value in improving the existing state of affairs. At
present, too, owing to the license accorded to the sepoy in the matter of harbouring
relatives in the regimental lines, the huts as a rule are greatly overcrowded. To
this may be attributed, to some extent, the prevalence of skin, eye and lung
complaints amongst the troops, while bad drainage and clamp floors come in as
additional factors and induce malarial fever and rheumatic affections. Remove these
sanitary evils, and the health of the Native Army of Madras would compare favor-
-ably with that of any body of troops in the world. If it were possible to restrict
marriage in the Native as in the European Army, or failing that, if families could be
limited to wives, children and parents, the Madras sepoy would physically be a
better man, and the State would have a more efficient soldier. Under the existing
order of things the young sepoy burdens himself with debt to get married, and, as
a benedict, has his hut filled with family relatives. He is thus throughout his
career heavily weighted, and but too often unable to secure a sufficiently nutritious
diet. Reform in this direction is urgently needed, and I have reason to believe
that, so far as the limitation of followers is concerned, the army generally would
not object to a change of this kind. It may be said that domestic arrangements
should be left to those concerned, but it is well known that custom in Native society
has all the force of an iron law, and that no man would have the courage to set it
at defiance on his own responsibility. If backed, however, by the authority of
Government, he would gladly undertake a welcome reform.
30. Food.—Incidental remarks have already been made as to the dearness of
food supplies and the influence of this on the diet and health of the troops. In
last year's report it was stated that considerable impairment of health and
physique had resulted from insufficient food in 1877, and that this would " find its
expression in future mortality and invaliding returns." So far, therefore, this
anticipation has proved correct. At present, too, a considerable portion of the
sepoy's food is diverted to followers. The remedy for this has been adverted tc
in the preceding paragraph and need not be repeated.
31. Clothing.— The dress now in use is unobjectionable as regards materials,
but of a pattern ill-suited for Native troops. The most objectionable parts of the
sepoy's costume are the trousers and boots, as in men unaccustomed to them they
impede free movements and chafe the legs and feet. Zouave trousers with brown
leather gaiters and chuppals would be much more appropriate. The great objec-
tion to boots is, that they are worn without socks and thus liable to cause blistered
feet. More attention also requires to be paid to the dress worn by the men when
off duty. When at drill or on guard the sepoy is buttoned up in regimentals