Climate of
the station.
Diseases of
the district.
Water
-supply.
Sanitary
arrange
- m e n t s .
Diet.
Liquor.
Clothing.
Foot
soreness.
Duty.
Drill.
Exercises.
Vaccination.
Epidemic.
Hospital
ventilation.
Hospital
drainage and
latrines.
Hospital
water-supply.
Sanitary con
-
dition of lines.
Sanitary
condition of
all buildings.
Water
- s u p p l y .
Hospital.
DISTRICT OF MALABAR AND CANARA.
49
Surgeon-Major R. Dempster was in medical charge of this corps during the
year and reports as under :—
Climate of the station .—The temperature during the past year has been about the average ;
the rainfall was the average ; 131 inches fell ; the average is about 130.
Diseases of the district .—The luxuriant vegetation throughout the district is very condu
-
cive to fevers, particularly in those parts near the ghauts.
Water-supply .—Water good and abundant except about a month before the commencement
of the monsoon when it had to be procured some little distance from the lines.
Sanitary arrangements have been satisfactory ; no local causes of disease have required
removal.
Diet .—Provisions have been plentiful but dear owing to the general scarcity in Southern
India. Diet is on the whole sufficiently nutritious. Fish is cheap and plentiful, but mutton is
dear compared with the other coast. Fruits and vegetables are abundant and moderate in price.
Liquors .—Arrack and toddy are very cheap and too much resorted to.
Clothing is sufficient and adapted to the climate.
Foot soreness .—There have been many cases of light foot soreness unavoidable in men
wearing English boots without stockings. The men are about to be provided with socks.
Duty .—They furnish only the usual regimental guards. The duties have not unfavorably
influenced their health. Average number of nights in bed, 8½.
Drill .—With the exception of Sundays and Thursdays, parades generally take place daily
between 6 and 7 A.M. during the drill season ; there are also occasional parades in the evening
between 5 and 6 and during the musketry course of instruction. Two companies at a time
are struck off duty for that purpose.
Exercises .—The only recreation the men have is in the cultivation of their gardens
sufficient ground being provided for all who like to avail themselves of it.
Vaccination is carefully carried out in the regiment. All men and children have either
been vaccinated or have had small-pox, and very many of the women have either had small-pox
or are protected by inoculation or vaccination.
Epidemic .—Small-pox prevailed during January and February ; 9 men were admitted with
one exception. All were of a mild type. No deaths occurred. 20 followers were admitted
with 3 deaths. A temporary shed was erected near the hospital for their accommodation.
Hospital ventilation .—The hospital is a commodious building ; ventilation is good ; no
representations have been made. No overcrowding has taken place.
Hospital drainage and latrines .—State of drainage and latrines has been good. The dry
earth system is efficiently carried out.
Hospital water-supply, abundant and good.
General conclusions.— The sanitary condition of the regiment during the past year has been
on the whole satisfactory. 238 admissions into hospital took place against 269 the previous
year, but the average daily sick has been 11.42 against 9.92 ; this increase of daily sick can
only be accounted for from the men not being in very robust health owing to the dearness of
provisions. There has been a slight increase of admissions from intermittent fevers over
previous years. but the majority of cases were not of a severe form.
Sixteen men have been sent on sick leave.
The principal diseases have been ague, dysentery, diarrhœa, abscess and ulcers, syphilis,
rheumatism, and during January and February there were 9 admissions from small-pox among
the men and 20 among the followers. The admissions from zymotic diseases were 184.49
per cent to total admissions. 4 deaths took place in hospital.
Deputy Surgeon-General J. Wilson inspected this corps on the 25th January
1878 and reports as follows :—
Sanitary condition of lines .—The lines are clean and well built with tiled roofs and good
natural and artificial drainage.
Sanitary condition, of all buildings.— There are three latrines in the lines which are kept
clean. The dry-earth system carried out and coal-tar freely used ; the contents are buried about
two miles distant. There are no cess-pools or foul drains.
Water-supply is procured from eight wells in lines, is pure and abundant except for about
a month before the commencement of monsoon, when it is very scarce and has to be procure
d
from wells at a distance.
Hospital is an excellent one, clean, with good natural drainage and well ventilated by
doors, windows, and ridge ventilators ; it is not crowded, and has a good water-supply from the
lines.
General
conclusions.
13