BRITISH BURMAH DIVISION.
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General conclusions.— The general health of the regiment during the year has been good.
The families of the musicians and drummers have been particularly healthy, and no epidemic has
appeared in the cantonment.
Deputy Surgeon-General H. R. Oswald, inspected this corps on the 7th
March 1877, and reports as follows :—
Sanitary condition of barracks, &c .—The barracks are situated at the north-west corner of
the cantonment on a fine open piece of ground sloping away to the west. They are built of teak
in the usual way, one end of each barrack being only about two feet from the ground, while the
other is four or five, on account of the slope. They are all old buildings and have been
condemned. There are four long barracks for the left wing and eight smaller for the right
wing. They all require cleaning and whitewashing inside, but I am told there are no funds
available. No sweepers are allowed by Government; the men have to employ four and pay for
them. Ventilation is effected by four doors each 7'×4' and fifteen windows each 3'×3' in
each right wing barrack, and eight doors and twenty-four windows of similar dimensions in each
left wing barrack. There is also ridge ventilation. Lighting is effected by three oil lamps in
each of the larger barracks and one in each of the smaller. The left wing barracks are 140' x 20'
18'×12'/2=2,800 square feet and 42,000 c cubic feet, and the right wing are 70' x 20' x 18'x
12'/2= 1,400 square feet and 21,000 cubic feet. Each left wing barrack has two corner rooms each
20'x10' for native officers, and each right wing barrack has one such corner room.
Each man has enjoyed about 43 superficial square feet and 642 cubic feet of space during
the year on an average. The drainage is excellent both from the natural slope of the ground
and the masonry drains.
P.S.— Since the above was written, steps have been taken to have the barracks whitewashed
immediately.
Sanitary condition of latrines, &c .—There are two latrines—one, large, with 40 seats for
the men and one, small, for the drummers' families. They are faulty in construction and
absolute cleanliness is impossible. Dry earth does not appear to be used ; coal-tar is
abundantly applied. Excreta are removed to a distance in the jungle : there are no cess-pools
or foul drains.
Rations.— The rations are supplied by the Commissariat Department, and are of good
quality. Mutton is not to be had. Beef and fowl's and goat's flesh can be procured, but are
very dear. Vegetables are plentiful in the season for growing them.
Water-supply.— Sufficient and good.
General
conclusions.
Sanitary
condition of
barracks, &c.
Sanitary
condition of
latrines, &c.
Rations.
Water
-supply.
Conservancy .—The ground in the neighborhood of the barracks is kept very clean.
Conservancy.
Hospital.— The hospital is on the highest piece of ground in the station and is 60 feet above
the level of the water in the river when at full flood. It is built of wood on 8-feet piles, and
consists of two wards each 116' x 22' x 16', surrounded by a broad verandah and connected by a
surgery and five small rooms which project at one side. The small rooms on either side of the
surgery are each 12'×14'×16' and are used for special cases, the guard and the Hospital
Assistant. They have each a door on either side 7'×4'. The surgery is 21'×14'×16', and has
two doors 7'×4' on either side. The wards are clean and neat, the ceiling is painted white,
and the walls whitewashed which requires renewing, but there is no money. Ventilation is
effected by seven doors on each side of the ward opposite each other 7'×4' each. There is
likewise ridge ventilation. Each ward can accommodate twenty-six patients, and the average
space enjoyed by each patient was 127 square feet and 2,041 cubic feet. Underneath the wards
at each end are two bath-rooms and a latrine entered by a staircase leading from the end of the
verandahs. They are in excellent order and very clean. Excreta is removed daily and coal-tar
is freely used, and there are no cess-pools or foul drains. One bath-room is supplied with tubs
which require painting. The buildings in connection with the hospital are a good dead-house
well supplied with table, two cook-rooms, or rather one divided into two for separate castes.
Latrine for Hospital Assistant and several godowns for servants which are not required and not
used. There are no separate infectious wards or Hospital Assistant's quarters. There is an
excellent masonry drain round the hospital, and the whole is surrounded by neat wooden palings
enclosing a well-kept compound.
Hospital.
Principal diseases .—Intermittent fever, rheumatism, pulmonary diseases, diarrhœa,
dysentery, general dropsy, wounds, itch, and venereal diseases. Damp and cold and insufficient
food (nitrogenous) are the chief causes of disease.
Principal
diseases.
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