Sanitary
arrangements.
Diet.
No Clothing.
Foot-soreness.
Hospital.
Drainage.
Hospital
water-supply.
General
conclusions.
Conservancy
of the neigh-
bourhood.
Hospital.
117
BRITISH BURMAH DIVISION.
Sanitary arrangements.— Sanitary arrangements in barracks have been properly attended
to, and there has been no local cause of disease requiring removal.
Diet.—Provisions have been cheap and plentiful, the price of rice only which rose in 1877
kept high. The troops being rationed by Government, prices did not affect them. Vegetables are
plentiful.
Clothing.— The clothing of the men has been sufficient and adapted to the climate.
changes were found necessary.
Fool-soreness.—There have been no cases of foot-soreness admitted in hospital.
Vaccination.—There were two cases of primary vaccination in the children of drummers
successful ; 49 men who had indifferent marks of vaccination or of small-pox were re-vaccinated
with 10 successful cases, and amongst them there were no cases of small-pox during the year.
Epidemic diseases.— No cases of cholera occurred amongst the troops. Ague has been a little
more prevalent than in former years, and was due to the diminished rainfall. The typo of ague
generally prevalent is the quotidian, some of which subsequently become tertian or irregular.
In many of the ague cases the fever on admission resembled continued fever for about three days,
intermitting after that time. There has been no overcrowding, nor defects of ventilation and
drainage.
Vaccination.
Epidemic
diseases.
Hospital.—The ventilation of the hospital has been good. There was no overcrowding in
hospital.
Drainage.—The drainage about the hospital has been efficient. The latrine is in good order,
but the dry-earth system is not efficiently carried out from the natives using water to cleanse
themselves. Excreta are removed daily to a distance and deposited in the jungle.
Hospital water-supply.—The water-supply is good and derived from a well in the vicinity of
the hospital.
General conclusions.—Taking into consideration the previously unhealthy condition in which
the regiment furnishing the detachment at Shoaygheen is said to have been, and the increased
prevalence of malarious fever common to the station during the past year, the health of the men
has been on the whole fair. Fourteen men, chiefly suffering from ague, were sent to Rangoon for
further treatment or change of climate to India.
Deputy Surgeon-General H. R. Oswald, M.D., inspected the Detachment on the
10th December 1878 and reports as follows :—
Barracks.—The barracks, three in number and similar to each other, were clean but not very
tidy. Each barrack contains 2,800 superficial square feet and 47,600 cubic feet. The average
number of men sleeping in each barrack has been 36, so that each man has had an average of
77 square feet and 1,322 cubic feet. The site, a laterite hill, is highly favorable to drainage,
which is further assisted by artificial earth drains round the buildings.
Sanitary condition of all buildings.— The latrine is badly constructed, and it is impossible to
keep it either very clean or to use the dry-earth system. There is a bucket in each compartment,
of which there are nine, for the reception of solids and fluids, but there was no offensive odour at
the time of my visit. Excreta, are said to be removed to a distance and buried. Coal-tar seems
sparingly used. There were no cess-pools or foul drains, but the tub for the reception of the foul
water after washing, which is sunk in the ground, is leaky and in bad order. The Commanding
Officer, who accompanied me in my inspection, said a new one had been applied for.
Conservancy of the neighbourhood.—The conservancy of the neighbourhood of the barrack.
is good ; that of the station is under the Deputy Commissioner, and is effected by two carts and
twelve men. There is no Municipality.
Hospital.—The hospital was clean and in good order. The latrine was clean and in order,
but it, like the barrack latrines, is constructed on wrong principles. The dry-earth system cannot
be efficiently carried out, though it is said to be in force. The drainage is excellent, being the
same as for the barracks.
Barracks.
Sanitary
condition of
all buildings.
SAUGOR CIRCLE.
Average strength
.. .. .. .. .. ..
1 , 7 7 5
Do. do. present
.. .. .. .. .. ..
1,633
Total admissions
..
.. .. .. .. .. ..
1,646
D a i l y s i c k .
.. .. .. .. .. ..
49
Deaths in hospital
.. .. ..
..
..
.. ..
14
Do.out of hospital
.. .. .. .. .. ..
4
Pensioned
.. .. .. .. .. ..
..
72
Sick leave
.. .. .. .. .. .. ..
17
The following return shows the rates of sickness, deaths, and. invaliding, as
contrasted with previous years:—
30