78
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
—
J a n u a r y .
F e b r u a r y .
M a r c h .
A p r i l .
M a y .
J u n e .
J u l y .
A u g u s t .
S e p t e m b e r .
O c t o b e r .
N o v e r m b e r .
D e c e m b e r .
T o t a l .
A . D . A .
D . A . D . A . D . A . D . A . D . A . D . A . D . A . D . A . D . A . D . A . D . A . D .
1st Regiment M.L.C. ..
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
. .
.. 1 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 1
1st do.
M.N.I. ..
. .
. .
.. 1 ..
2 . .
.. .. 6 2 ..
. . . .
.. 1 1 ..
. .
.. .. .. .. .. .. 10 3
3rd
do.
P.L.I.
..
. .
. .
. . 1
. . . . . . . .
. . 1 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . 2
1
29th do.
M.N.I. ..
.. .. ..
. .
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . 2 2 . . . . . . . . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . 2
2
40th do.
M.N.I...
.. .. .. ..
. . . . . .
.. .. 1 1 .. .. 4 2 1 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6 4
Sappers and Miners ..
.. 2 2 ..
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.. 1 1 .. .. 3 3
Total .. 2 2 .. ..
2
.. .. .. 8 4 .. ..
6
4 2 2 1 1 .. .. 1 1 .. .. 24 14
The disease attained its greatest severity in the month of May.
The most noticeable feature concerning cholera among the Native troops is that the origin
of the disease can be traced in most instances to a distance, and the disease does not appear to
have arisen or to be due to defective sanitation connected with the lines of any corps.
Every medical officer ascribes the origin of the disease to the weekly tour of duty as
Resident's escort at Chudderghat.
About 200 men are changed weekly on this duty, and as Chudderghat and the vicinity of
Hyderabad are places in which cholera is very prevalent, if the disease exists anywhere, it
constantly occurs that the sepoys are either attacked while on this duty or very shortly after their
return to cantonment. The Medical Officer, 1st Regiment Native Infantry, reports all the cases
distinctly traceable to Chudderghat, and the one fatal case in the 3rd Regiment P.L.I. occurred
on the day the sepoy returned from detachment duty at the Residency. The Medical Officer of
" Queen's Own " Sappers and Miners reports each case due to the men having visited infected
localities. The fatal ease in November is thus reported by the Medical Officer :—
" One case of cholera proved fatal in a private of the Sappers on the 1st November. The man
had sent his family to the bazaar to live with his brother on account of the damp state of the lines,
and he visited them occasionally. Cholera at the time existed in the neighbourhood, and the brother
was attacked with the disease many hours before this Sapper ; but the disease ran a more rapid
course in the Sapper and he succumbed some hours before his brother. No other case happened
in the lines, nor did diarrhoea prevail. The disease in this case was contracted in the bazaar,
and did not, although the man returned to the lines, take any footing." As an additional proof
that the disease has been due to importation from infected localities, its prevalence among the
families and followers is important as shown by this table :—
Attacks. Deaths.
Troops
..
. .
. .
. .
..
. .
2
14
Families
Women
. .
. .
..
. .
12
4
Children
..
. .
. .
. .
3
1
Camp-followers
. .
..
. .
. .
. .
6
1
Small-pox.
Vaccination,
regimental.
By public
vaccinators.
Lock hospital.
It is well known that when cholera occurs in Native regimental lines, it falls with greatest
severity on the families and followers, carrying off the weakly, the young and the old, while the
sepoy, who is in the vigour of manhood, has more power to withstand an attack, and the number
of men attacked is in much less ratio than their families. Here the case is reversed, and
considering that cholera has raged with more or less intensity nearly all the year, the attacks and
deaths are remarkably small, and I think may reasonably be set down, and indeed could be traced
in many instances, to the relatives of the men who returned and suffered from the Chudderghat
duty.
Small-pox .—One case only occurred among the troops, and the disease has not prevailed
either in town or cantonment during the year.
Vaccination regimental.—The number of vaccinations by Medical Subordinates as given in
the returns is 877, of which 732 were successful, giving a ratio of 83.46 per cent.
By public vaccinators .—The number of operations performed by the public vaccinators was
2,539, of which 2,213 were successful, giving a ratio of 87 . 16 per cent. Vaccination has not been
carried on as extensively as in previous years.
There has been a larger number of admissions from venereal diseases among British troops
than last year, and the strength of the force has been less. Vide table.