Climate of
the station.
If regiment
has been on
the march.
Lines.
Duty.
Drill.
Exercises .—None.
Exercises.
Epidemics .—None .
Epidemics.
Phthisis
pulmonalis.
Ventilation
of hospital.
Water
-supply.
General
conclusions.
Lines.
Sanitary
condition of
all buildings.
Water
- s u p p l y .
Conservancy.
Hospital.
23
CENTRE OR PRESIDENCY DISTRICT.
Climate of the station .—The weather was hotter last year than the year previous.
If regiment has been on the march .—The regiment marched on the 26th December from
Pallavaram to Madras.
Lines .—The ground on which the lines are built is rather low and damp.
Clothing .—The clothing of the troops has been sufficient and adapted to the climate.
Clothing.
Foot-soreness.
Foot-soreness .—There is a good deal of foot-soreness among the men from badly fitting boots.
The Commandant has tried to remedy this by getting socks for the men, and getting good boots
made by contract.
Duty .—The usual garrison duties. Not prejudicial to the health of the men.
Drill.—During the cold weather the men are drilled every day for an hour and a half,
Sundays and Thursdays excepted; during the hot weather for an hour in the mornings twice or
thrice in the week. The drills have not acted prejudicially on the health of the men.
Vaccination .—Forty cases were vaccinated during the year; out of this number 36 were
successful, 4 unsuccessful.
Vaccination.
Phthisis pulmonalis .—Two cases of phthisis pulmonalis in men of strumous constitution.
Ventilation of hospital .—Has been perfect. No overcrowding. Hospital drainage is in good
condition. Dry-earth system of conservancy is efficiently carried out. No representations were
necessary.
Water-supply .—The water-supply is obtained from wells; was good and plentiful.
General conclusions .—During the year under review there were 343 admissions into hospital,
and including 13 remaining, gives a total of 356 treated. There were 4 deaths during the year,
two from phthisis pulmonalis, one from acute mania, and one from diarrhœa. The principal
diseases were ague, general debility, chronic rheumatism, ulcers, wounds, and boils and itch. The
regiment on the whole has enjoyed very good health. The cantonment of Pallavaram is very
healthy. It is open all round and there is no overcrowding. The regiment was removed on the
26th of December 1878 to Madras.
Deputy Surgeon-General Colvin Smith, inspected this corps on the 19th
June 1879 and reports as follows :—
Lines .—In the Vepery lines, which are as bad as ever, and very little attempt even to keep
them in decent repair is made. Two companies returned from Rumpa hors de combat with fever,
and the other two companies are now on their way back from service in Rumpa in the same
condition from fever also. There are 696 thatched mud huts, many of them out of repair. The
average dimensions of compound with hut 30 x 12, average number of occupants 2.9, maximum
in any one hut 8, minimum in any one hut 1.
Sanitary condition of all buildings .—The barracks for arms is in fair order and pretty clean,
the cells were very dirty, they not having been used for some time. The school-house is pretty
clean, but the latrine attached to it is simply filthy. No tar and little or no dry earth used, it
was disgusting at my visit. The regimental latrine, situated to north-west of the lines, and in
Left Wing lines was filthy and badly kept; for a little outlay it might be made a good latrine,
on the same principle as those at the Lying-in Hospital, to be cleaned from without. It is on
the trench system and disgusting in the extreme. The Municipality are supposed to keep it
clean and remove excreta to a distance.
Water-supply.—The chief water-supply is from "Red Hills water."
Conservancy .—The conservancy in the neighborhood is fair, but more attention should be
paid by the regimental authorities to the huts and lines so long as they are inhabited, and the
latrine should be kept in order and kept clean, and not in the sickening condition they were this
morning.
Hospital .—Barring a door between the ward and surgery being opened out there has been
no change since last report. The Commanding Officer got it done by the proprietor, Mr. Cunniah
Chetty. I fear some mishap may result. The hospital is clean, drainage not very good. The
ventilation seems sufficient, but I understand that the Commanding Officer is anxious to have
ridge ventilators, which is in the surgery. There is a tap of Red Hills water close to the hospital.
The latrine is on the old style and far from good, although it has been improved lately and the
filthy drain from it shut up.