8
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT
i4
O Officers regarding their duties in the field. To meet the rigors of the northern
winter, warm clothing was provided for the men generally, and also for the sick in
hospital and followers. The medical stores were issued in light panniers, capable
of being carried in sets of four by mules or pack-bullocks, or failing these means of
transport by coolies. The contents of the panniers were carefully selected, the
object being to make the equipment as light as possible and to restrict the supplies
to articles absolutely necessary in actual warfare. The medical equipment of the
Madras regiments was on the regimental system, but was so arranged, both as
regards Medical Staff and Stores, that base hospitals could be organized, if found
necessary, when in contact with the enemy. A good deal of correspondence ensued
regarding medical store supplies, warm clothing, water-proof sheets, camp equipage,
&c., but everything was satisfactorily arranged and the troops took the field
provided with every necessary.
14. Health of divisions.—The marginal table shows the relative health state
of the troops serving in divisions as
regards daily sick, admissions and deaths.
Taking into account all these factors
Malabar and Canara was again, as in
1877, the healthiest of all the commands,
while Mysore was the most unhealthy.
Next to Malabar and Canara the Presi-
dency Division had the lowest sick rate
and mortality. The highest percentage
of deaths occurred in the Ceded Districts
and the lowest in the Presidency
Division. A reference to the serial num-
bers in the table will show the relative
position of the other commands, as
regards the health of the Native Troops
in 1878.
A brief account will now be given of the chief causes of sickness in each
division of the force.
Military Commands.
S e r i a l N u m b e r .
D a i l y S i c k p e r c e n t . o f S t r e n g t h .
s e r i a l N u m b e r .
A d m i s s i o n s p e r c e n t . o f S t r e n g t h .
S e r i a l N u m b e r . D e a t h s p e r c e n t . o f S t r e n g t h .
Malabar and. Canara. 1 1 . 73
1 41.07 2 1.01
Presidency Division. 2 2 . 09
3 62.69 1
.47
Punjab
..
.. 3 2 . 35
6 81 . 34 6 1.28
Bengal
..
.. 4 2 . 39
4 65 . 46 7 1.48
Southern District .. 5 2 .42
2 56 . 60 5 1.24
Hyderabad Subsidi-
ary Force.
6 2 . 93
7 87 . 12 9 1.75
Saugor Circle
.. 7 3 . 00 10 100 . 79 3 1.01
Northern District .. 8 3 . 26
5 80 . 85 4 1.23
British
Burmah 9 3.37
8 93.28 10 1.78
Division.
Nagpore Force .. 10 3 . 60 11 129 . 06 8 1.70
Ceded Districts .. 11 4 . 23
9 100.30 12 2.25
Mysore Division .. 12 4 .43 12 131 . 92 11 2.13
divisions.
Diseases.
Admis-
sions. Deaths
Percentage of
Strength.
Admis-
sions.
Deaths
in
Hos-
pital.
Eruptive fevers
3
..
. 2 2 ..
Continued do.
...
..
. .
. .
. .
Malarial do.
...
135
1
10.17
.07
Rheumatic affections ..
35
..
2.63
..
Diseases of the eye ..
12
..
. 9 0
Diseases of the lungs ..
18
1 1.35
.07
Diarrhœa
..
..
15
..
1.13
..
Dysentery
..
..
37
1 2.78
.07
Skin diseases . . ..
110
. .
8.28
..
Diseases.
Admis-
sions. Deaths
Percentage of
Strength.
Admis-
sions.
Deaths
in
Hos-
pital.
Eruptive fevers
..
14
..
.49
..
Continued do...
..
1.81
. .
Malarial do.
..
509
..
18.08
. .
Rheumatic affections..
106
..
3.76
..
Diseases of the eye ..
67
.
2.38
. .
Diseases of the lungs..
60
3 .
2.13
. 1 0
Diarrhœa
..
..
58
1
2.06
. 0 3
Dysentery..,
89
1
3.16
. 0 3
Skin diseases ..
..
224
..
7.95
..
15. Malabar and Canara.—The
most prevalent diseases were malarial
fevers, skin diseases, rheumatic affec-
tions, dysentery and lung diseases. The
deaths appear under the head of
malarial fevers, lung diseases and
dysentery.
16. Presidency Division.—In this
circle malarious fevers, skin diseases and
rheumatism were more common in 1878
than in the preceding year. The other
most prevalent complaints were dysen-
tery, eye diseases, lung diseases and
diarrhoea. The deaths resulted from
diseases of the lungs, diarrhœa and
dysentery.
Malabar and
C anara.
Presidency
Division.