5
13. Health of regiments.—The following statement embodies the more promi-
nent numerical facts elucidating the actual and comparative health state of the
Native Army for 1876. In the first column the regiments are arranged. in the
order of their ratios of "daily sick," and by comparing these ratios with those
designated "admitted" and "died," the precise position of every regiment, as
regards its health state, may be ascertained both actually and comparatively. The
results for 1876 can also be contrasted with those of the preceding triennium.
Judged by the ratio of daily sick, the 14th Regiment at Vellore occupies the first
place as regards health in 1876 as it did in 1875, whilst the 41st Regiment at
Cuttack and Vizianagram occupies the last place. As a general rule warm and dry
stations, such as Vellore, suit best the constitution of the native soldier, whilst
cold stations, wet stations, and stations like Mercara, which are cold, wet and windy,
manifestly disagree with his constitution. The health state of a regiment, however,
may be indifferent, not in consequence of climatic influences of the locality in which
it is quartered, but from the climatic influences of a former station; and even in a
healthy station the ratio of sickness may be high in consequence of purely local
influences, such as the construction and position of the lines, their exposure to
prevalent winds, the overcrowding of the huts, the cheapness or dearness of
provisions, and the incidence of military duty. Two regiments may be placed side
by side in the same cantonment, like the 36th and 23rd Regiments at Bangalore,
and yet the one may stand high and the other low in the health scale. Climatic and
local conditions in all their comprehensiveness must be considered when unravelling
the causes which determine the health state of a regiment. The table shows that the
"daily sick" and mortality ratios do not run in parallel lines. Mortality is but one
of several factors which determine the health state of a corps, and of these factors it
is not always the most important. Omitting the cavalry corps, which are generally
cantoned at healthy stations and are weak in strength, the highest rates of mortality
are found in the 28th Regiment at Mercara (2.97 per cent.), in the 40th Regiment
at Secunderabad (2.96 per cent.), and in the 19th Regiment at Trichinopoly (2.60).
The ratios of "admitted" to average present strength vary from 27.21 in the 36th
Regiment at Bangalore to 202.57 in the 20th Regiment at Banda. Three regiments
of the Madras Army escaped without a casualty, namely, the 1st Regiment L.C. at
Secunderabad, the 2nd Regiment L.C. at Kamptee, and the 34th Native Infantry
at Mangalore. The circumstances of the cavalry corps are peculiarly favorable
to low rates of mortality. In consequence of the suspension of enlistment for many
years, which suspension has only recently been removed, the corps largely consist of
old soldiers, the tough and healthy residue of the corps of former days.
Health of
regiments.
Regiments.
From 1873 to 1875.
Regiments.
For 1876.
Rate per Cent. of
Rate per Cent. of
Average Strength
Present.
Average
Strength.
Average Strength
Present.
Average
Strength.
S e r i a l N u m b e r .
D a i l y S i c k .
S e r i a l N u m b e r .
A d m i t t e d .
S e r i a l N u m b e r .
D i e d .
S e r i a l N u m b e r .
D a i l y S i c k .
S e r i a l N u m b e r .
A d m i t t e d .
S e r i a l N u m b e r .
D i e d .
9th Regiment N.I.
1 1.25 1
28.10 9 .64 14th Regiment N.I.
1 1.16 2
30.91 12
.72
30th do do
2 1.37 14
61.49 16 .84 36th do. do.
2 1.37 1
27.21 10
.61
33rd do.
do.
3 1.41 2
31.82 21
.97 1st do. L.C.
3 1.38 13
57.60 1 ...
26th do.
do.
4 1.52 3
39.23 18 .89 9th do. N.I.
4 1.43 3
38.70 7 .54
34th do.
do.
5 1.72 4
45.90 4 .58 35th do.
do.
5 1.49 11
54.57 27 1.31
4th do. L.C.
6 1.72 7
54.03 1
.23 33rd do.
do.
6 1.56 4
39.18 13
.74
1st do. do.
7 1.72 9
57.45 13
.77 34th do. do.
7 1.60 6
43.10 2 ...
Rd. Qrs., Sap. & Miners
8 1.73 21
71.11 12 .75 11th do.
do.
8 1.65 40
99.54 16 .85
25th Regiment N.I.
... 9 1.82 5
47.26 3 .44 37th do.
do.
9 1'72 7
50.35 34 1.63
11th do do.
10 1.89 11
59.01 7 .62 30th do.
do.
10 1.75 10
53.02 24 1.06
38th do. do.
11 1.90 20
70.92 30 1.12 32nd do.
do.
11 1.79 16
60.62 32 1.45
31st do. do.
12 2.00 27
81.45 29 1.10 10th do.
do.
12 1.89 15
59.81 33 1.60
14th do. do.
13 2.04 6
47.36 44 1.63 5th do. do.
13 1.92 33
85.48 26 1.28
1st do. do.
14 2.05 10
58.26 28 1.08 38th do. do.
14 1.96 8
51.51 20 .90
32nd do.
do.
15 2.21 28
83.66 38 1.31 16th do.
do.
15 1.99 14
58.28 4 .14
4th do. do.
16 2.23 12
59.37 5 .58 24th do. do.
16 1.99 9
51.58 35 1.68
16th do. do.
17 2.24 17
69.84 2 .43 4th do. L.C.
17
2 . 0 6
23
71.07 25 1.10
2