NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
38
EXECUTIVE MEDICAL OFFICERS (MILITARY.)
[SECT. II.
92. COTS TO BE REGULARLY PLACED.—The cots for the use of the European
and Native sick are to be regularly arranged in the wards, and kept at such
distances from each other as will ensure to each bed the amount of superfi-
cial space laid down by regulation.
93.
SWEEPERS.—The sweepers are to be always in attendance at the
Hospital, and are required to remove any kind of filth that may be accidentally
thrown upon the floor, or elsewhere.
94. BED HEAD DOCKETS.—A docket is to be suspended on the wall over
the head of each patient's cot, on which shall be written his name, number,
company, date of admission, and disease. In the cases of European sick, the
diet ordered for the patient is to be entered on the docket.
95. QUIETNESS IN HOSPITALS.—As quietness is indispensable in Hospitals,
every duty should be performed with the least possible noise, more especially
at night. Every patient must be in bed by eight o'clock ; and no conversation
must be permitted after that time.
96. HOSPITAL SENTRIES.—The duties of the hospital sentries in all Hos-
pitals are not to admit any person, except the Medical Officer, the Inspector
or Deputy Inspector General of Hospitals, the Chaplain, the Officers of the
Regiment, the persons employed in the Hospital, and visitors at the fixed
visiting hours, who must be provided with a pass from the Medical Officer.
The sentry must prevent liquor or any other article being carried into the
Hospital without the Surgeon's permission, and he must not allow any patient
to go beyond the prescribed boundaries.
97. The Rules from the 87th to the 96th paragraph, inclusive, are to be
written in English for European troops, and in Hindustani, Tamil or
Telugu for Native Troops, and to be pasted on a board, which is to be kept
suspended in each Hospital ; and the European and Native Commissioned
Officers, who shall daily visit each Hospital, will see that the Rules are strictly
observed, and report accordingly.
98. Diet of the sick.—Medical Officers are to be guided by the sanc-
tioned Diet Tables, as to the kind and quantity of food for the sick. (See Sec-
tion XII. " HOSPITAL SUPPLIES." Medical Officers should frequently inspect
the diets immediately after the issue thereof. A fair copy of the Diet Table
is to be pasted on a board, and hung up in a conspicuous place in every ward
of the Hospital.
99.
E X T R A D I E T S . — T h e i s s u e o f a r t i c l e s o f e x t r a d i e t , a n d o f m a l t l i q u o r ,
wines, spirits, and aërated drinks is to be restricted to cases, which, in the
judgment of the Medical Officer, absolutely need them.
100. MEDICAL COMFORTS FOR EMERGENT USE.—In all Regimental Hospitals
a proportion of beef juice, or extract of meat, wine, spirits, arrowroot, sago,
SECT. II.]
EXECUTIVE MEDICAL OFFICERS (MILITARY):
39.
sugar, and tea, shall be kept on hand, and placed in charge of the Apothecary
for emergencies, the same to be given on the order of the prescribing Medical
Officer, and accounted for to the Purveyor or Commissariat agent, to whom the
signature of the prescribing Officer shall be a sufficient voucher.
101. ARTICLES OF DIET TO BE WEIGHED IN PRESENCE OF PATIENTS.—In order
that the patients may be satisfied that justice is done to them, one from each
ward may be present at the weighing of the articles of ordinary diet before they
are cooked.
102.RATIONS, WITH HOSPITAL DIET, NOT ALLOWED.—Rations or their equi-
valent, and Hospital diet cannot be issued to the European Soldier when in
hospital : on the day of admission rations are issued to him, and on the day of
discharge Hospital diet. This rule is not to prohibit the issue of medical
comforts on the day of admission, to such cases as may need them.
103. Hospital Stoppages .—For the purpose of checking the stoppages,
a list of the names, and numbers, and regiments of the menwho have been treated
in Hospital during the month, with the dates of their admission and discharge,
will be made out by the Hospital Writer, certified by the Medical Officer, and
forwarded, through the Deputy Inspector General's office, to the Commis-
sariat officer.
104. SCALE OF HOSPITAL STOPPAGES—Patients in the several Military
Hospitals (Garrison and Regimental) under this Presidency, supplied with,
diet by the Commissariat, are subject to stoppages at the following rates :—
Rate per diem.
Commissioned Officers and superior grades of War
rant Officers, Ordnance and Medical... ... ...
RS. A. P.
1 0 0
Non-Commissioned Officers, Corporals, Bombardiers,
Trumpeters, Drummers, and Fifers, Carnatic Ord
nance Artificers, &c. ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 3 0
Privates and Farriers ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 2 0
Boys and half pay Buglers ... ... ... ... ... 0 1 0
European and Country born women (wives of
Soldiers)
0 1
0
105. Exemption from Stoppages.—Stoppages will be made from the
pay of all European Soldiers in Hospital, with the exception of those under
treatment for wounds received in action, or on service, or for any fracture,
dislocation of bone, dangerous contusion of the head, severe bite or kick from
a horse, or any other severe personal injury received while at exercise, or in the
performance of stable duties, or whilst actually engaged in any other act of
public duty. No stoppage shall be made for the day on which men enter
Hospital, but it shall be made for that on which they may be discharged from it.
N. B.—The hospital stoppages from European invalids and pensioners and
their wives are to be the same as directed for European troops.
106. Every European Soldier, who may be sent to Hospital, is to be fur-
40
EXECUTIVE MEDICAL OFFICERS (MILITARY.)
[SECT. II.
nished with a certificate signed by the Officer in command of the Troop or Com-
pany to which he may belong, describing his name and rank, troop or com-
pany and corps, with date annexed ; and in cases of men exempted from Hos-
pital stoppages, under the circumstances described in paragraph 105, the same
will be notified in the certificates for admission into the Hospital, by the addi-
tional words "Exempted from Stoppages," or the letters " E. S. ;" but these
words or letters are merely to be considered as a notice to the Medical Officer,
that the injury has been received under some of the circumstances mentioned,
and that it is left to the Surgeon or Assistant Surgeon to decide whether the
injury be of the description required to bring it within the rule of exemption.
107. Whenever European Soldiers may be discharged from Hospital, each
individual is in like manner to be furnished with a certificate by the Medical
Officer in charge, specifying name, rank, troop or company and corps, with
date of discharge, and in case of exemption from stoppages as above, the letters
" E. S." are to be written on the back of every such discharge.
108. In all Hospitals, whether Regimental, Detachment, Garrison, or
General Field Hospitals, regular register rolls are to be kept, specifying names,
rank, troop or company,and corps, with dates of admission, discharge, and casual-
ties, of all patients who may be in Hospital during each month, together with
columns shewing the amount of Hospital stoppages accruing monthly on account
of the sick in Hospital, from which correct rolls in the following form will be
prepared, and forwarded by the Medical Officers in charge of the sick of corps
or Hospitals respectively, on the 1st of each month, to the Deputy Inspector
General of their Divisions, for the purpose of their being transmitted without
delay to the Comptroller Military Accounts.
FORM.
Roll of the Sick in Hospital of the
Regiment of
for the Month, of
18
Station and Date.
Troop or Company.
G e n e r a l N o .
N a m e s .
Rank.
R e m a i n i n g i n H o s p i t a l f r o m l a s t m o n t h .
A d m i t t e d .
D i s c h a r g e d . Ab s c o n d e d .
D i e d .
N o o f d a y s i n H o s p i t a l .
R e m a r k s .
1st or
Captain A. A B s
'
Company.
... C. F. Private ... 1 ... ... ... 11 11
... G. H. Serjeant ... 0 10 20 ... ... 10
... J. K. Drummer ... 0 15 30 ... ... 15
... L. M. Woman ... 0 11 27 ... ... 16
2nd or Captain
C. D.'s Company.
... N. O. Private ... 1 ... 12 ... ... 12
... P. Q. Corporal ... 0 12 24 ... ... 12 E. S.
SECT. II.]
EXECUTIVE MEDICAL OFFICERS (MILITARY.)
41
109. Wives and Children of Soldiers .—The wives and children of
European Soldiers are to be attended by the Medical Officers of the Regiment
to which they belong; and when needful for the proper treatment of their
cases, they will be received into, and dieted in, the Regimental Hospital, at the
expense of Government. This rule applies also to the families of native soldiers,
but the latter are not usually admitted into Hospital, nor are they dieted.
110. RULES FOR THE ADMISSION OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.—The establish-
ment of Female Hospitals, for the treatment of sick
women and children, who are seriously ill, is a great boon,
as in case of severe sickness they can have nursing, attendance, and comforts in
Hospital, which they could seldom secure in their own quarters ; but, on the
other hand, when women with families are not so seriously ill as to necessitate
their being confined to bed, their removal to Hospital, when they can be treated
in their own quarters, is often a source of inconvenience to themselves and to
their young children, who may thus be left without protection, especially when
the father is on duty.
111. The considerations therefore to be observed in deciding on the ques
tion of admission of a Soldier's wife into Hospital (particu
larly if she have young children) are, whether her state of
health is such as to require confinement to bed, and whether she can without
risk to her own recovery continue under Medical treatment in her own quar-
ters. If she can do so without injury to herself or her family, it is not desirable
that she, or they, should be inconvenienced by requiring her to go to Hospital.
A Soldier's wife should never be required to go into Hospital except for her
own advantage and comfort. The cases in which it is really for her own
benefit that she should be admitted into Hospital, will of course be left to the
(discretion of her Medical attendant.
112. CONTAGIOUS DISORDERS ALWAYS TO BE TREATED IN HOSPITAL.—When
women or children belonging to European troops are labouring under contagi
ous diseases they should, as a matter of course, be inva
riably removed from the married quarters, and placed
under proper isolation in Hospital ; and, as a rule, all women should be ad-
mitted into Hospital for their confinement, unless they have comfortable quar-
ters, and can command good attendance, as may be the case with the wives of
some of the Non-Commissioned Staff.
113. In cases of trifling ailments of themselves or families, it is expected
that the women will attend at the usual hour at Hospi-
tal for advice and medicine.
114. DIET AND EXTRAS WHEN TREATED IN QUARTERS.—Women and chil-
dren treated. in their quarters are to be shown in the statistical returns as if
F
G. O. C. C. No. 105,
of 24th August 1865.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
42
EXECUTIVE MEDICAL OFFICERS (MILITARY.)
[SECT. II)
they had been treated in hospital, but they are under no circumstances to be
put on hospital diet. Neither is it allowable to issue to them any extra, except
wine or spirits, essence of beef, extractum carnis, tea, and arrowroot congee.
The issue of any of these is permitted in emergencies, but the sanction of the
Commanding officer should invariably be obtained in the first instance, and
the issue is not to be continued for a longer period than three days. If the
extras are required longer, the patient should be admitted into hospital. The
cases of women and children receiving extras in their quarters must be fully
entered in the Case-book.
115. Hospital Bedding.—Coir mattresses, bolsters, and pillows are to
be used for the sick in all European Hospitals.
116. TREATMENT OF CLOTHING USED FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES.—It is not
necessary to destroy either the cots, punkah-fringes, or ropes used in Small-
pox and Cholera Hospitals when they can be immediately
subjected to the prolonged action of boiling water before
being repainted ; furniture should be subjected to the action of hot caustic
lime-wash. It will only be expedient to burn wooden cots when they cannot
be purified in boilers like those used for destroying bugs in Soldiers' cots.
(a). Hospital bedding and clothing used by patients affected with cholera
and small-pox are to be purified by exposing them to the fumes of sulphur
ignited over a charcoal fire, after which the articles are to be boiled from half
an hour to one hour. They are then to be exposed to the air and sun for two
or three days when they should be packed away for subsequent use.
(b). Should, howeyer, the number of patients under treatment render the
instant purification of the clothing impracticable, it must be destroyed by fire
in the presence of a Medical Officer, who will be required to certify to the
necessity of the measure.
(c). Coir mattresses should never be used for patients suffering under
contagious maladies. Palliasses stuffed with clean straw are more easily
cleaned and if they have to be destroyed they can be replaced at a compara-
tively slight expense.
117. Hospital Serjeant.—An Hospital Serjeant is appointed to each
European Regiment of Cavalry and Infantry, and Brigade of Artillery, and to
each principal Garrison Hospital.
118. DUTIES OF HOSPITAL SERJEANT.—Th.e Hospital Serjeant shall
take charge of the Hospital and its inmates, superintend the cleaning
of the wards early every morning, and oftener when necessary, taking care
that every nuisance is removed as soon as possible. He shall go every morning
and evening round. the wards, call the roll, and report to the attending Medi-
cal Officer whether good order has been preserved. He is in charge of the
G O. C. C., 162 of
1865.
SECT. II
EXECUTIVE MEDICAL OFFICERS (MILITARY.)
43
personal cleanliness of the patients, of the cleanliness of the beds, bedding,
utensils, clothing, wards, &c. of the administration of food, and is to see that
meals are regularly served. He is to see that those patients who are able
render assistance to their sick comrades when the attending Medical
Officer may think fit. He is to accompany the Surgeon on his visits, and
receive and obey his orders. He is to supervise the Orderlies and servants
and to report them in case of disobedience.
119. HOS P I T AL HAVI L DAR . —I n Na t i v e c o r p s mo s t o f t h e d u t i e s d e t a i l e d
for the Serjeant, are performed by the Hospital Havildar. He will in addi-
tion report to the Adjutant every morning, the number of admissions and
discharges. All casualties are to be reported to the Adjutant and orderly
Havildar or Nainue of the Company.
120.
Hospital Writers.—A Non-Commissioned officer or soldier may
be appointed Hospital writer to each European Corps, to
the Head-quarters of each Brigade of Artillery, and to
the Depôts at Poonamallee and Wellington, on a staff salary of Rupees (10)
ten per mensem, in addition to pay, &c. When no qualified European non-
commissioned officer or soldier is available for the duties, a writer, not in the
Military service, may be employed on the pay of Rupees thirty-five per mensem
in Garrison, and Rupees 17-8-0 per mensem additional, when marching or on
actual field service. These writers will not be entitled to pension or gratuity,
except when wounded or disabled on service, or in extraordinary cases ; each
case being separately decided upon by 'Government. Hospital writers are to
be employed and drawn for at Head-quarters of Regiments and Brigades.
Writers are not allowed for wings or other detachments of Europeans, the
subordinate medical staff being required to perform the duties without any
additional allowance.
121. BATTERIES OF ARTILLERY.—A non-effective Hospital serjeant, at 7½
Rupees per mensem, is allowed to all Batteries of Royal
Artillery in India, for the purpose of making out the
medical returns of the Battery and keeping up the medical records.
122. CLERICAL DUTIES, NATIVE HOSPITALS.—The clerical duties of Native
regimental hospitals are to be performed by the medical subordinates, or
by medical officers themselves.
123. Soldiers' Wills.—Medical Officers in charge of Military Hospi-
tals should be present, whenever practicable, at the
execution of the wills of soldiers in hospital, and they
are to affix a declaration to such wills, stating whether
the parties were in a fit state of mind to execute the same.
G. O. G. No. 123
of 27th March 1866.
G. O., No. 241 of
1868, M. D.
Madras Army Re-
gulations.
Para. 630.
44
EXECUTIVE MEDICAL OFFICERS (MILITARY.)
[SECT. II.
124. DETACHMENT HOSPITALS.—When regiments or battalions are divid
ed, and detachment hospitals necessarily opened, a due
proportion of the permanent establishment of Medical
subordinates and servants is to be attached thereto,
according to the strength of the detachments, and the probable average num-
ber of sick.
125. MEDICAL OFFICERS' REPORTS.—Whenever Medical Officers deem
it necessary to make reports upon, or to offer suggestions
concerning matters affecting the health of troops, and
sanitary condition of the locality in which they are stationed, or to make
any report affecting discipline to the head of the Medical Department, they
are to furnish copies of the same to their immediate Commanding Officer.
Copies of all recommendations made to Commanding officers should, in like
manner, be furnished to the Administrative Medical officer of the circle.
126. Medical Officers of Native corps will communicate to their Com
mancling officers all instructions connected. with regi
mental duties which they may receive from Deputy
Inspectors General, or other authority. They will, if required, lay before
Commanding Officers, all official letters received, or to be despatched.
Madras Army Re-
gulations.
Para. 634.
Para. 636.
Ibid.
Para. 647.
Para. 647.
127. The Medical Officer of a Native corps cor-
responds direct with the Officer commanding.
128. Regimental and Military Staff Officers entitled to Medical
Attendance for their families .—Officers of the Army Medical Staff are
prohibited from demanding fees for attendance on the families of Regimental
Officers, or of Officers in Military Staff employ, or of Chaplains and Assistant
Chaplains, or of warrant Officers.
129. MEDICINES.—All Regimental officers, British and Indian, unem-
ployed officers and Warrant officers, are entitled to the gratuitous supply of
medicines for themselves, families and servants, when the Medical officer may
see fit to prescribe them, Officers in Military Staff employ are entitled also
to receive Medicines for themselves and families, except
at the Presidency, where they are required to provide
themselves.
Military officers in Civil employ are not generally entitled to the use of
Government medicines for themselves and families. Medicines are allowed
to be issued from Civil Dispensaries to all classes not entitled to receive them
gratuitously, at fixed. rates. (See Section III.)
130. CONSULTATIONS OR EMERGENT CALLS.—When the services of medical
officers are required on emergencies or in consultation, they are to be readily
rendered, without reference to any consideration but the welfare of the
G. O. G. No. 231 of
1868.
SECT. II.]
EXECUTIVE MEDICAL OFFICERS (MILITARY.)
45
patient, and the good of the service. It is not intended however, to impose
permanently on medical officers any duty foreign to that which their respec-
tive appointments, in the Civil or Military department specially imply.
131. Private Practice.—As a general rule, Medical Officers are enti-
tled to remuneration for professional attendance on the families of those
public servants whom they are bound to attend gratuitously. The exceptions
are noted in para. 128, but they do not include the families of Commissioned
Military Officers in Civil employment. The amount of remuneration for attend-
ance on the families of public servants shall be left in every case to private
adjustment, and the conduct of any Medical Officer who
makes a demand, which, under the circumstances of the
case, shall appear to the Government to be excessive, will be noticed as it
deserves.
132. All Executive Medical Officers, with a few exceptions, are permitted
to afford professional assistance to persons unconnected with the Government
service, so long as their own departmental duties are not thereby neglected.
G. O. G. G. No,
1,310 of 1857.
G. O. G. G. No. 370
of 1867.
133. The holders of the following appointments are
debarred from engaging in private practice :—
Principal Medical College.
Principal Medical Store-keeper.
Resident Medical Officer, General Hospital.
Secretary and Statistical Officer.
Examiner Medical Accounts.
Present incumbents, who may have received authoritative permission to
engage in such practice, are not affected by this rule.
134. Cases of Military Officers.—Medical Officers are to keep accu-
rate journals of the cases of Military commissioned officers whom they have
under treatment.
135. Fatal cases .—When the case of an Officer terminates fatally, an
immediate report is to be made direct to the head of the Department, and
a detailed Medical History is to be forwarded, with as little delay as possible,
through the Administrative Medical Officer of the circle. Post-mortem exami-
nations are to be made whenever practicable, and the pathological conditions are
to be fully noted in the detailed histories of the cases. When a post-mortem
examination is not made, the cause of the omission must be stated.
136. OFFICERS TO CONFINE THEMSELVES TO QUARTERS WHEN SICK.—Officers
on the sick list are to confine themselves to their quarters, and not to go beyond
them but for such air and exercise as may be prescribed by the Medical
Officer in attendance.