46
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
Exercises.
Vaccination.
Epidemic.
Exercises.— There is a cricket club in the regiment, but only a few practice this game.
There is a native gymnasium in the lines for the recruits. A large number of the men employ
their leisure hours in gardening.
Vaccination has been regularly carried on during the year ; 152 cases were vaccinated,
134 successful and 18 unsuccessful. No necessity to revaccinate any of the men. There were
4 cases of small-pox in the lines, one proving fatal; the others (including a private) being
modified, recovered.
Epidemic.—There were 72 cases of ague, 21 of dysentery, and 15 of diarrhœa. The ague
was due to climatic causes, and the dysentery and diarrhœa to errors in diet and chills.
Hospital
ventilation.
Hospital
drainage and
latrines.
Hospital
water-supply.
General
conclusions.
Sanitary
condition of
lines.
Sanitary
condition of
all buildings.
Hospital.
Hospital ventilation is satisfactory; no overcrowding.
Hospital drainage and latrines.—The drainage good. The hospital latrine is on the dry-
earth principle, which is efficiently carried out.
Hospital water-supply is obtained from the lines ; is good.
General conclusions.— The health of the regiment during the year has not been satisfactory,
there being an increase of 69 admissions as compared with 1876. This was mainly due to
climatic causes, viz., a large rainfall in October and November, ague, rheumatism and dysentery
being rife during the last quarter of the year. The prevailing diseases were ague (72 admis-
sions), itch (32), boil (29), rheumatism (23), dysentery (21), diarrhœa (15), and abscess (15).
There were 4 deaths ; all out of hospital.
Deputy Surgeon-General J. Wilson inspected this corps on the 21st January
1878 and reports as follows :—
Sanitary condition of lines.— The lines are clean with good natural and artificial drainage ;
they are well built in double rows, back to back, and have tiled roofs.
Sanitary condition of all buildings.— There are no latrines, but the refuse from each hut
is removed daily by sweepers and carts and buried at a distance of three miles. There are no
cess-pools or foul drains, and the conservancy is good.
Hospital is well adapted for its purpose, being clean with good natural drainage, and
well ventilated by doors, windows, and ridge ventilators.
25th Regiment native Infantry.
STATION—CANNANORE .
Arrived from Moulmein, 14th February 1869.
Average strength
... ...
...
...
...
...
...
672
Do.
do.
present
...
...
...
...
...
...
637
Admissions
...
... ...
...
... ... ... ...
649
Daily sick
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
17
Deaths in hospital
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
1
Do. out of do.
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
2
Pensioned
... ...
...
...
...
...
...
...
4
Sick leave
...
...
...
...
... ... ...
...
9
The following return shows the rates of sickness, deaths, and invaliding as
contrasted with previous years :—
Years.
Stations.
R a t e p e r C e n t . o f
Average Strength Present.
Average Strength.
Admissions. Daily Sick. All Deaths.
Pensioned. Sick Leave.
1874
... Cannanore
...
...
42.81
1.81
. 8 6
3.45
1.87
1875
...
Do.
...
...
68.65
2.74
.44
7.46
3.58
1876
...
Do.
... ...
71.80
2.48
. 4 3
11.43
1.75
Average
...
61.08
2.34
. 5 7
7.44
2.40
1877
...
Cannanore
...
...
101.88
2.66
.44
.59
1.33