Sanitary
arrange
- m e n t s .
Diet.
Duty.
Drill.
Vaccination.
Hospital
ventilation.
Hospital
drainage.
Water-supply.
Conservancy.
Climate of
the station.
Ventilation
and drainage
of the men's
huts, &c.
Sanitary
arrange
-ments.
Diet.
Clothing.
106
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
Clothing.
Sanitary arrangements .—The sanitary condition of the lines appear to me to have been
attended to as far as practicable.
Diet consists of beef, mutton, sometimes fish from the river which is near, wheat and
dholl; rice is scarce and dear, vegetables are easily procured; rice compensation was issued
during the year, Rupees 6.
Clothing at present appears to me sufficiently adapted to the climate.
Footsoreness.
Foot soreness.—Shoe-bites are reported to be very frequent owing to ankle boots being
used on all duties without stockings. No steps, I am told, have been taken to give the men
stockings.
Duty .—The usual parades, guards, and drills do not appear to exercise any unfavorable
influence on health. Average number of nights in bed, 5.
Drill.—I think the drills do a great deal of good.
Vaccination, kept up; 3 cases of small-pox occurred—1 a sepoy and 2 children.
Hospital ventilation good; no representations made; no overcrowding.
Hospital drainage .—The drainage, which is superficial, was found sufficient. Latrine in
good order.
Hospital
water-supply.
Hospital water-supply, good.
General
conclusions.
Sanitary
condition of
the lines.
General conclusions .—The general health of the wing has not improved as there has been
more sickness, chiefly fever of malarious origin which constitutes nearly three-fourths of all the
other diseases. This fever is frequently of a severe form and convalescence therefrom often
slow and protracted.
Deputy Surgeon-General J. R. Theobalds inspected the wing of this corps at
Kamptee on the 4th March 1878 and reports as follows:—
Sanitary condition of the lines .—The drainage has been somewhat improved during the
year, though from the natural configuration of the ground on which the lines are built, with a
small expenditure of coin, I think still greater improvement might be easily carried out so
as quickly to carry off the rainfall from the lines into the Adamgur nullah.
I would again urge the great necessity there is to improve the sanitary condition of these
old and overcrowded lines, by carrying out the plan I recommended last year of knocking
down every alternate row of huts and rebuilding them on the vacant ground to the west of
the lines.
Water-supply.—An abundant supply of good drinking water can be obtained from four
wells in the vicinity of the lines throughout the year.
Conservancy of the lines and neighborhood is tolerably good. Dust-bins have been built
during the year; rubbish is carted away about half a mile south-west of the lines.
Hospital.
Hospital .—The drainage is fair from the natural configuration of the ground, but I still think
it would be much improved by digging shallow saucer drains all round the hospital which
should empty themselves into the nullah near, so as to quickly carry off the rainfall and not
allow it to soak into the ground near the hospital verandah.
Climate of the station .—The climate of Kamptee during the past year has been unusually
favorable to health, the heat during the hot season having been very moderate, while the rains
which failed so lamentably in Southern India were above the average in this district.
Ventilation and drainage of the men's huts, &c.,— The ventilation of the men's huts is entirely
carried out by the doors and tile spaces as there are no windows. The drainage has been good,
and no nuisances exist in the vicinity of the lines.
Nuisance.
Nuisance .—There have been no nuisances during the year from latrines, urinals, ash-pits,
drains, cess-pits or nuisance heaps.
Water-supply
Water-supply .—The water is of good quality and abundant.
Sanitary arrangements have been properly attended to, and there has been no local cause
of disease requiring removal.
Diet .—Provisions have been plentiful and moderate in price for this part of India. Vege
-tables have been plentiful. Compensation has been given monthly to sepoys.
Clothing of the men has been sufficient and adapted to the climate and season of the year.
Foot soreness.
Foot soreness .—There has been some foot soreness among the men owing to their wearing
boots without stockings.
Duty.
Duty .—Duties do not appear to have any prejudicial effect on the health of the sepoys.
The average number of nights in bed has been 5.