Sanitary con.
dition of all
buildings.
Water supply.
Conservancy.
96
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
General
conclusions.
Lines.
General conclusions.—The general health of the corps has not been so good as is shown by
the number of admissions for small-pox and fevers. The type of fevers was very mild and easily
amenable to simple treatment. The rate of admissions per 1,000 of strength for the year under
review, 1,439.44, when compared with the previous year, 2,111.18, shows a decrease of 671.74. This
decrease is chiefly due to intermittent fever, of which there have been 174 eases, 55 febricula,
2 enteric fever, and 2 remittent. Small-pox gave 104, cholera 3, conjunctivitis 28, dysentery
and diarrhœa 47, lung diseases 27, primary syphilis 1, rheumatism 40. Although the year has
not been a healthy one, the long hot season and deficient rainfall rendered the climate unhealthy,
As regards the water-supply and duties of the troops there is no reason why the rate of sickness
should continue so high, but until the regimental lines are removed to another site no permanent
improvement in the health return can be looked for. All those amongst the sepoys' families and
followers bore marks of successful vaccination.
Deputy Surgeon-General J. R. Theobalds inspected this corps on the 22nd
November 1878 and reports as follows :—
Lines.—I found the lines clean, the huts in a tolerable state of repair, and the surroundings
tidy, with the exception of the recruit and pension boys and pensioners' lines. The ventilation
of each hut is indifferent, rather worse than regimental native huts generally, as the roofs are
low, doors very small, and the huts dark inside. White-washing the walls inside would no doubt
improve the sanitary condition of the small dwellings. Drainage remains in the same unsatis-
factory state as it was in 1876 ; the only thing that I can recommend to be done is to deepen all
the main drains of the lines, so as to give a gentle fall into the main drain outside, which leads
into the Jumma Tank. The population of the lines is 1,467, spread over an area of 6 acres,
2 roods, 26 poles and 14 square yards. There are 446 huts in the lines, 446 occupied, which
gives a general average of 3.28 to each hut.
Sanitary condition of all buildings. —I found all the guard-rooms, cells, very clean, in good
repair, and well ventilated.
•
Water-supply.—Abundant supply of good drinking water from five wells near but outside
the lines. These wells were cleaned out during the hot season.
Conservancy. —The conservancy of the lines tolerably good, though I find that there is not
even one dust-bin.
Hospital.
Hospital.—I found the hospital wards, latrine, out-houses in good repair, very clean, and all
the surroundings tidy and in good order. The drainage is good from the natural configuration
of the ground. The hospital is built on a high platform, very well ventilated, with ample
accommodation ; well supplied with good drinking water from a well near, The latrine very
clean and well worked on the dry-earth system,
1 6 t h R e g i m e n t H a t i b e I n f a n t r y .
S T A T I O N — R A I P U R .
Arrived from Jubbulpore 26th December 1878.
Average strength ..
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. . 689
Do.
do. present . .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. . 675
Admissions
..
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .1,024
Daily sick ..
..
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. . 30
Deaths in hospital
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. . 11
Do. out of hospital
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
3
Pensioned ..
..
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. . 41
Sick leave ..
..
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
16
The following return shows the rates of sickness, deaths, and invaliding, as
contrasted with previous years :
—
Years.
Stations.
Rate per Cent. of
Average Strength Present.
Average Strength.
Admissions. Daily Sick. All Deaths. Pensioned. Sick Leave.
1875
..
. . Jubbulpore ..
..
91.43
2.64
.44
5.81
. .
1876
..
..
Do.
..
. .
58.28
1.99
.14
3.98
. .
1877
..
..
Do.
..
..
83.89
2.76
1.02
2.48
.14
Average ..
77.86
2.46
.53
4.09
.4
1878
..
.. Raipur
..
..
151.70
4.41
2.03
5.95
2.32