Climate of
the station.
Diseases of
the district.
Diet.
Duty.
Epidemic.
Hospital
latrines.
Hospital
water-supply.
CEDED DISTRICTS.
Hospital ventilation.—The hospital is thoroughly ventilated.
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Hospital
ventilation.
Hospital
drainage and
latrines.
Hospital drainage and latrines.— Proper arrangements are made for the regular use of dry
earth in the hospital latrine, and careful attention given to the system being efficiently
carried out.
Hospital water-supply has been sufficient, and in all respects satisfactory.
Hospital
water-supp1y.
General conclusions.—Ague and dysentery the prevailing diseases during the year were
generally mild and amenable to the ordinary remedies. 3 cases of cholera occurred in the
early part of the year at a period when the disease was prevalent among the general population;
it quickly disappeared and no recurrence took place. 3 cases of small-pox occurred during
the early months of the year, 2 of which were of mild type and 1 severe. 9 men were
invalided for malarial disease, general debility, and cardiac affections. On the 6th June a wing
of the regiment was sent to garrison Kurnool, where the men seem to have suffered severely
from malarial fever complicated with enlargement of spleen and liver. 31 cases of this character
were transferred to head-quarters for further treatment. The general health and vigor of a large
proportion of the regiment was observed to have fallen below the normal standard in conse-
quence of the privations they suffered from during the famine. The high prices compelled many to
use the cheapest and less nourishing kinds of food, while also the ordinary vegetables were not
obtainable, and the tank-water which they would use in preference to good well-water had
come to be quite unfit for drinking. 11 cases were sent on sick leave for different complaints
10 deaths occurred. 6 in the early part of the year,—3 from pneumonia, 2 from cholera, and
1 from dysentery.
General
conclusions.
Deputy Surgeon-General P.G. FitzGerald, M.D., inspected this corps on the
11th January 1878 and reports as follows:—
Sanitary condition of lines, &c.— Each hut has a small court in front in which is the
domestic latrine as well as the bathing place. The wash from the latter passes through a tube
in the wall into the drain outside in which it is absorbed for the most part. Another opening
in the wall generally gives exit to the urine which is received into a chatty placed outside, and
removed daily by the scavenger. There has been no change in the lines since last inspection,
except that a regimental latrine on a good plan (similar to that for the 21st Native Infantry)
is being erected at some distance in front of the lines.
Sanitary condition of all buildings.— The quarter-guard room is in one end of one of the
place of arms; the floor is formed of large blocks of stone which, since last inspection, have been
cemented together with asphalte. The lock-up room is floored in the same manner, and a
sepoy may, I understand, be confined there for three months, with a change of seven days in each
month to the solitary cells, and have nothing between his body and the stone floor except a
thin carpet.
Sanitary
condition of
lines, &c.
Sanitary
condition of
all buildings
•
Conservancy.— The conservancy of the lines is maintained with the aid of 8 sweepers, 8
toties, and 2 carts. Phe excreta and refuse are removed by contract to a distance of a quarter of a
mile beyond the lines, and burned or buried daily. The lines and ground in the neighborhood
are kept clean, and I don't know that the conservancy can be improved until regimental
latrines come into more general use and supersede the present system of domestic latrines.
Climate of the station.—The climate has been invariably dry up to October, when heavy
rains fell which gave rise to malarial affections.
Diseases of the district.—Malarial affections are endemic, and during the past year cholera,
diarrhœa, and small-pox were exceedingly prevalent.
Diet.—Owing to the prevalence of famine, provisions have been unusually dear. Vegetables
have been, notwithstanding the great drought, pretty abundant.
Duty .—They have had no injurious effect on health. Number of nights in bed 41/8.
Conservancy.
Epidemic.—Prevailing diseases have been malarial fevers, diarrhœa, and dysentery.
Hospital latrines.—Dry earth has been used.
Hospital water-supply good and abundant.
General conclusions.— During the period under review malarial fever caused 236 admissions. General
2 deaths occurred—1 from remittent fever, and 1 from ague and general debility. On the conclusions.
whole the health of the detachment since its arrival at this station has not been satisfactory.
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