Water-supply.
Conservancy.
30
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
Hospital
water-supply.
Hospital water-supply. —The water is conveyed from wells by a puckally. It is sufficient
in quantity and of good character.
General
conclusions.
General conclusions. —The general health of the wing has improved during the past year.
The admissions are nearly the same in number as last year, but much less than the first three
years of this wing's residence here; the number of ague cases is less than in any year; 42·6
per cent. of admissions in 1877 are due to this. The disease of the district, catarrhal ophthalmia,
has been somewhat prevalent this year.
Deputy Surgeon-General J. R. Theobalds inspected the wing of this corps on
the 7th January 1878 and reports as follows:—
Sanitary con
-dition of lines.
Sanitary con
-dition of all
buildings.
Sanitary condition of lines.—I found the lines clean; huts in tolerable repair; ventilation of
the lines generally, is somewhat obstructed on the eastern boundary by the quarter-guard,
cells, hospital, and out-houses built on the top of the hill, on the slope of which the lines for the
regiment have been erected. The ventilation of each hut indifferent, chiefly through the tile
spaces, and where the poles supporting the roof rest on the mud walls and the door. The
drainage is good from the natural configuration of the ground on which the lines stand. The
reservoirs that were built at the bottom of each street drain have been filled in, and the drainage
is now carried to a main drain that is being dug at the bottom of the hill, beyond the western
boundary of the lines, and so into a main drain that empties itself into the river.
Sanitary condition of all buildings. —No public latrines have yet been put up in these lines.
I would again recommend that inexpensive public latrines be erected, worked on the dry-
earth system, and in this way very much of the evil resulting from the soakage of urine and
latrine washing water into the ground in front of each sepoy's hut, where the private latrines
are situated. will be avoided. No cess-pools in the lines.
Water supply.
—Abundant supply of drinking water from four wells in the lines; the best well
is reserved for drinking water.
Conservancy of the lines and neighborhood is tolerably good. Dust-bins have been built
during the year; rubbish is carted away and burnt.
Hospital.
Hospital.
—For a full description of hospital see my last Annual Inspection Report, dated
8th January 1877. I found all the buildings, wards, latrines, and out-houses very clean, in good
repair; all the surroundings very tidy and in good order. Drainage very good from the natural
configuration of the ground on which the hospital is built; well ventilated; an abundant supply
of good drinking water from a well near the hospital.
7th Regiment Native Infantry.
STATION—VIZAGAPATAM.
Arrived from Madras, 14th February 1873.
Average strenght
687
D o . d o . p r e s e n t 687
Admissions
291
Daily sick
17
Deaths in hopital
3
Do. out of do.
5
Pensioned
13
Sick leave
5
The following return shows the rates of sickness, deaths, and invaliding, as
contrasted with previous years:—
Years.
Stations.
Rate per Cent. of
Average Strength Present.
Average Strength.
Admissions. Daily Sick. All Deaths. Pensioned. Sick Leave.
1874
V i z a g a p a t a m
85·72
10·50
1·42
3·13
3·70
1 8 7 5
Do.
67·21
3·74
·57
1·69
3·53
1876
Do.
98·68
4·07
1·38
2·55
2·34
A v e r a g e
83·87
6·10
1·12
2·45
3·19
1877
Vizagapatam
42·50
2·47
1·16
1·89
·72