Exercises.
Vaccination.
Duty and
exercises.
Drill.
Epidemic
diseases.
Ventilation
of the
hospital.
70
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
Duty and exercises. —The ordinary station and regimental duties. Average number of
nights in bed throughout the year 61/4.
Drill.—Drill daily from 6 to 7 A.M. and from 5 to 6 P.M. four times a week. No unfavorable
effect noticed, and consequently no recommendations on the subject.
Exercises. —A gymnasium and cricket club were kept up during the year in a manner
conducive to health ; no advice was therefore considered necessary.
Vaccination. —There were 15 men vaccinated during the year with 13 failures, and 6 cases of
re-vaccinated, of which 3 proved unsuccessful. There was no case of small-pox during the year.
Epidemic diseases —There was no regular epicdemicd u r i n g t h e y e a r ; e i g h t c a s e so
f c h o l e r a
were spread over the months of May, June, September, and October ; of five sepoys attacked four
succumbed, and of three cases among the followers two proved fatal.
Ventilation of the hospital.—The hospital is ventilated by means of 16 doors, 12 windows,
and 16 special ventilators, sufficient for all requirements. There was no overcrowding to call for
remark during the year. The general ward can accommodate 25 men at the regulation allotment.
Hospital
drainage and
latrines.
Hospital
water-supply.
General
conclusions.
Lines.
Sanitary
condition of
all buildings.
Hospital drainage and latrines. —There are no artificial drains for the hospital. The latrine
was kept clean, the dry-earth system well carried out, and coal-tar freely used during the year.
Hospital water-supply.— Water of good quality and in sufficient quantity.
General conclusions .—The total admissions for the year amounted to 282, the average daily
sick was 17.37, and the total deaths 12, viz., cholera 4, remittent fever, pneumonia, splenitis, croton-
oil poisoning, heart disease, and ague .1 each, and causes unknown 2 ; the latter 4 cases occurred
out of hospital. There were 10 men sent on sick leave and 14 pensioned during the year
.
Deputy Surgeon-General P. G. FitzGerald, M.D., inspected this corps on the
4th December 1878 and reports as follows :—
Lines. —The natural drainage is aided by channels simply formed in the soil. The private
washing places attached to the huts are drained into those channels, and during the dry
weather, that is, for nine months in the year, it is disposed of by evaporation and soakage
into the soil. The lines and huts are on the standard plan as to arrangement and dimensions.
There is no ventilation except through the door and a little perhaps through the roof ; some
of the men have made holes in the walls of their huts, but these are irregular both in size and
position.
Sanitary condition of all buildings .—A regimental latrine has been completed since last
inspection. In my last report I criticised the plan, which I believed would be found in
practice to be unsuited for Natives. It was the standard plan, containing a double slope each
side of which was to receive the solid and fluid excreta respectively. Some modification of
the original plan has been made, and in the place of the hinder slope or inclined plane for
the solid excreta a rectangular wooden trough containing dry earth is fitted in between the
steps. But the main objection to this plan of latrine still applies. The steps for standing on
are about 4 feet long, while the trough over which the sepoy should place himself occupies but
a fourth of that length, and the consequence is that, if he be in a hurry, or careless, or in the
dark, he will not take the trouble to look for the receptacle, but will place himself anywhere
most convenient to himself. and the result will be a nuisance.
Water-supply.
Water-supply .—The well water is said to be good, and is not filtered.
Conservancy.
Conservancy. —The conservancy of the lines and their neighbourhood is attended to by the
Municipality, who remove the excreta from the private latrines and the sweepings from the
streets ; the officers' houses and compounds are also served by the municipal carts and sweepers.
27th Regiment Hatibe Infantry.
STATION—BELLARY.
Arrived from Moulmein 8th March 1873.
Average strength
..
..
..
..
..
..
.. 680
Do.
do.
present ..
..
..
..
..
..
.. 642
Admissions
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
.. 855
Daily sick...
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
34
Deaths in hospital
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
16
Do. out of hospital
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
Pensioned. ..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
13
Sick leave. ..
..
..
..
..
..
..
.
8
The following return shows the rates of sickness, deaths, and invaliding, as
contrasted with previous years :—