Small-pox.
Malarial
fevers.
Huts and
lines.
Hospital.
Alleged
causes of
sickness and
mortality.
26
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
Invaliding
and sick
leave.
Cholera.
Invaliding and sick leave. —The number pensioned has been 106, and sent on sick leave
64, against 80 and 73, the corresponding figures of the previous year. The 41st Regiment,
when about to proceed on foreign service, required to be weeded of all inefficient men, and
that corps specially furnished the elements of increase.
Table III.
Invalided. Sent on Sick Leave.
R i g h t W i n g , 2 n d R e g i m e n t N . I .
8
6
Left Wing 2nd do. do.
1 9
1
7th Regiment N.I.
1 3
5
12th do. do.
4
1 8
41st do. do.
5 8
3 2
Garrison, Vizagapatam
4
2
1 0 6
6 4
Cholera appeared in the Right Wing of the 2nd Regiment N.I. at Berhampore, the 7th
Regiment N.I. at Waltair, the 41st Regiment N.I. at Vizianagram, and the garrison of
Vizagapatam; but there were only 25 cases and 8 deaths in a force of 2,876.
Small-pox occurred in only one regiment, the 12th Regiment N.I., at Cuttack, where among
26 cases there was not a single death casualty.
Malarial fevers have fallen in frequency from 1,042 in 1876 to 867 in 1877, and the deaths
from 5 to 3.
Table IV.
Corps.
Cholera.
Small-pox. Malarial Fevers.
A. D.
A.
D.
A.
D.
Right Wing, 2nd Regiment N.I.
6
2 ...
...
5 5
...
Left Wing, 2nd do. do.
... ... ...
...
9 1
1
7th Regiment N.I.
2 ... ...
...
5 3
...
12t h do. do.
... ...
2 6 ...
1 2 7
...
41st do. do.
8
5 ...
...
5 4 0
2
Garrison, Vizagapatam
1
1 ...
...
1
...
T o t a l
1 7
8
2 6 ...
8 6 7
3
Movements
of troops.
Movements of troops. —These have been the following:
—
(1.) The detachment of 7th Regiment N.I., which proceeded to Cocanada in December 1876, left
that station for head-quarters on the 21st June 1877.
(2.) A detachment of the 41st Regiment N.I. was on command at Rajahmundry from 1st
January to 30th July 1877.
(3.) On 21st June 1877 three detachments of 7th Regiment N.I. left on command to Rajah
-mundry, Ellore, and Juggiapettah, as it was expected that there would be famine riots in
the Godavery District. They returned to head-quarters in November and December
1877.
Huts and lines.—These are what they were, except that the improvements in drainage of
the lines in Vizianagram have been completed; otherwise the defects of 1876 are those of
1877.
Hospital. —The repairs of the Vizagapatam Garrison Hospital have been finished, and so
also has the new latrine at Berhampore. The accommodation at Cuttack has not been increased,
and the tanks in close proximity are still existent.
Alleged causes of sickness and mortality. —The physical health and strength of the men of
the 41st Regiment N.I. are represented as having suffered from the scarcity in all cases in
which the pay of the men was not sufficient to provide the food-supply of dependent relatives as
well as their immediate families, and my own observations confirm the representation. At the
same time I am at a loss to suggest an efficient remedy. Rationing has been suggested, but
what is there to prevent division and sub-division of rations, unless the troops are made to eat
their meals all together and apart from their families—an innovation which would militate so
much against caste and usage as to lead to a mutiny.
Foot soreness.
Foot soreness owing to ill-fitting boots is mentioned in several medical reports.
The new and much needed latrine at Berhampore has been completed.