111
BRITISH BURMAH DIVISION.
the men. A few months ago I directed the Medical Officer to examine every man carefully
with a view to ascertain this fact, and Surgeon Lee reported that out of 433 men at Port Blair,
the area of the spleen exceeded 20 square inches in 8, 10 per cent. it was above 15 and under 20
square inches in 47 per cent. and under 15 square inches in 29 . 4 per cent. This prevalence of
spleen enlargement will have an important bearing on the efficiency of the regiment for some time
to come, and it would seem a wise economy not to keep a regiment more than one year at
Port Blair ; for although it is possible malarious fever may be reduced in the course of time by
sanitary measures, still it will likely always prove a feverish and unhealthy station and seriously
damage the health of any regiment occupying it. The health state of the other Regiments
serving in the Province does not appear to call for any special remark. The 17th Regiment
M.N.I. at Toughoo has sent away sick 13 less than in the previous year ; the 6th Regiment
1 less, and the 4th Regiment M.N.I. 7 more. Altogether there is a difference of 20 against 1877
owing to the sickness in the 24th Regiment. Mainly details are shown in the following table :—
Corps.
1876.
1877.
—
39th Regiment M.N.I. ...
11
...
From Tonghoo.
4th do. do. ...
31
38
„ Rangoon, Moulmein, and Tonghoo
6th do. do. ...
19
18
„ Thayetmyo.
15th do. do. ...
17
11
„ Moulmein and Andamans.
17th do. do.
56
43
„ Tonghoo.
24th. do. do. ...
...
41
„ Rangoon.
Sappers and Miners ...
3
6
,, Do.
Total ... 137
157
It appears to me however that one great cause of sickness amongst the sepoys in Burma
h
is their food ; excepting the Andamans none of the stations can be said to be unhealthy. Other
natives of India appear to enjoy excellent health, but the yearn high wages and live well.
A sepoy's daily ration consists of rice 2 lb., dholl 3 oz., ghee 2 oz., tobacco 1 oz., salt 12 drs.,
turmeric 2 drs., and he is supposed to supplement this from his private means, but it is doubtful
if he does so to any extent ; on the contrary he is generally supposed to save a portion of his
ration and sell it. The quantity of rice allowed him daily is probably more than is necessary,
and some of it might be beneficially replaced by other articles of diet. Officers with whom
I
have spoken on the subject likewise attribute much of the sickness the sepoy suffers from to
improperly and insufficiently-cooked food. The sepoy is not accustomed to cook his own food
in India and does not understand how to do so for some time after his arrival at all events.
Moreover he has not the time to do so. The duties at some of the stations are heavy, Rangoon
especially, and the sepoy is often, I am assured, too much exhausted and fatigued to set about
cooking, satisfying himself with a few plantains or something of the kind and laying down to
rest.
I think it is well deserving the attention of Government to consider if the ration could not be
re-arranged and issued as cooked rations instead of raw. It cannot be doubted that a man's
health would be greatly preserved, and that he would be less liable to attacks of disease if
he
found a good meal ready for him when he came off duty than if he went for hours on an empty
stomach. There should be no difficulty in telling off a couple of cooks from each company to
cook for the company strictly according to caste. Cooked rations are not objected to in hospital,
and I cannot see why they should be for the regiment generally. The men would be prevented
selling their food, and the system would be attended, I submit, with manifest advantages.
Movements of troops.— The 24th Regiment arrived from India on the 20th March 1877 ;
the 39th Regiment came down from Tonghoo in March and embarked for Madras ; and the
4th Regiment moved from Rangoon, one wing to Tonghoo and one to Moulmein. These move
-
ments were effected without any casualty.
Barracks and hospital accommodation. —This has been sufficient except at Rangoon where
the hospital is too small. It has accommodation for 24 men only, but the number of sick always
exceeds this. A new hospital on the model of those at Toughoo and Thayetmyo is much
required for Rangoon. A contagious disease pavilion was sanctioned during the year for
Rangoon, but nothing has been done yet towards its erection.
Latrines.—Two new barrack latrines have been erected for the 24th Regiment M.N.I.,
but not yet handed over. The design is an inconvenient one. New latrines have also been
erected for the 4th and 15th Regiments at Moulmein. The latrines, as a rule, are kept tolerably
clean ; the dry-earth system is imperfectly carried out.
Movements
of troops.
Barracks and
hospital
accommoda-
tion.
Latrines.