Hospital
water-supply.
General
conclusions.
Lines.
Sanitary
condition of
all buildings.
water-
supply.
Conservancy
of the neigh- b o u r h o o d .
64
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
Hospital water-supply.—The supply at Madras was good.
General conclusions.—I have, in conclusion, to express regret that my answers to the foregoing
questions are so brief and imperfect, but, under the circumstances, it was impossible for me to
give fuller details. There have been no less than six Medical Officers in charge of the regiment
at different times during the past year, and my connection with it dates only from the 25th
December 1878. On the second day after my taking charge the regiment left Madras for Banga-
lore, and I had therefore no opportunity of learning anything regarding the quarters and interior
economy, I have availed myself, as far as possible, of what has been left on record by my
predecessors, but that too is short and unsatisfactory as an aid to answering the above questions ;
and under any circumstances it would be impossible to give a full account of the sanitary condition
influencing the health of a regiment that, for the two first months of the year, was broken up into
four detachments, then, after a voyage to Madras, was encamped for some months there before lines
were available, ending the year's movements and changes by arriving in a new station on the 28th
December 1878.
Deputy Surgeon-General P. G. FitzGerald, M.D., inspected this corps on the
6th March 1879 and reports as follows :—
Lines.—The 15th Regiment N.I. has only been in this command since the 28th December
1878. They occupy the west hutting lines vacated by the 36th N.I.
Sanitary condition of all buildings.— Their present condition is good. The latrines are kept
clean and the excreta are removed daily and buried beyond the limits of the cantonment. Dry
earth and coal-tar are used in them.
Water-supply.—Water is obtained from Miller's Tank, quite close to the lines, and also
from wells sunk in the lines themselves ; it is said to be of good quality and is not filtered.
Conservancy of the neighbourhood.— This has already been described in the Inspection
Report on the 36th N. I. in November last.
Hospital.
Principal
diseases.
Hospital.—The hospital is quite unenclosed, and the Medical Officer having complained of
the inconvenience arising therefrom and from its vicinity to the public road, it has been
proposed to surround it with a wall.
The latrine is perfectly clean, and is, in my opinion, a model one for a Native hospital.
Dry earth and coal-tar are freely used. It is on the double-chatty system.
Principal diseases.—The principal diseases were, Sub-division A. 183, diseases of digestive
organs 74, cutaneous diseases 51, Sub-division B 40, accidents 31, diseases of urinary organs 27,
of respiratory system 24. The deaths were caused by bronchitis 2, anæmia 1, peritonitis 1,
diarrhœa 1, and psoriasis 1. There were 42 cases of dysentery, all of which recovered ; of the
64 men pensioned and discharged, 61 were on account of general debility.
There were only 11 cases of primary and 7 of secondary syphilis treated within the period
in question. Next to ague, of which there were 179 cases, dysentery was the most frequent
disease among them.
2 8 t h R e g i m e n t A a t i b e I n f a n t r y .
STATION—MERCARA.
Arrived from Vellore 17th February 1874.
Average strength ..
.. .. .. .. .. .. ..
684
Do.
do. present..
.. .. .. .. .. ..
628
Admissions
.. .. .. .. .. .. ..
802
Daily sick
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
26
Deaths in hospital
.. .. .. .. .. .. ..
20
Do. out of hospital
.. .. .. .. .. .. ..
5
Pensioned.
..
.. .. .. .. .. .. ..
5
Sick leave.
..
.. .. .. .. .. .. ..
78
The following return shows the rates of sickness, deaths, and invaliding, as
contrasted with previous years :—