Climate of the
station.
Medical
topography
and diseases of the district.
Ventilation
and drainage
of the men's
barrack
-rooms, huts,
&c.
Nuisance.
Water
-supply.
Sanitary
arrangements
Diet.
Clothing.
Foot sore
-ness.
Duty.
Vaccination.
Epidemic.
Hospital
ventilation.
Hospital
drainage.
Hospital
water
-supply.
General
conclusions.
18
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
Surgeon W. Price, M.D., was in medical charge during the year and reports
as follows:—
Climate of the station. —The rainfall during the year was much below the average,
consequently, during the latter months, food has been very dear and the water-supply
insufficient and not good.
Medical topography and diseases of the district. —A mill is being built to the north of the
west lines: when finished it will probably render the sanitation of the place still more difficult
and imperfect. The principal endemic diseases appear to be rheumatism, intermittent fever
and itch, with occasional outbreaks of cholera and small-pox.
Ventilation and drainage of the men's barrack-rooms, huts, &c. —Both ventilation and
drainage of barrack and guard-rooms are good. Owing to the construction of the huts, their
ventilation is very defective. The lines are drained by brick and tile drains, one on each side
of each street, opening into a main drain. The small drains are open; the main drains (one
for each wing) are covered. The small drains are trapped where they join the main drain, but
the traps are incapable of preventing a reflux of foul air from the main drain. The sewage
from the east wing is pumped away for use on the sewage farm; that from the west wing collects
in a river (?)—generally a stagnant pool—about three minutes' walk west of the huts. All the
drains are flushed twice daily, and at the same time the small drains are swept out; the main
drains are opened and cleaned out twice yearly. I think it would be much better to have the
main drains opened and cleaned daily as the smaller are, and that a good coating of tar, say
once a week, over all the drains would be a great improvement.
Nuisance. —There has been no nuisance during the year from latrines, urinals, &c.
Water-supply. —In the first half of the year the water supply from the Red Hills was good
and abundant; since then it has become scarce and not so good.
Sanitary arrangements. —The sanitary arrangements of the huts have been properly
attended to. There are no local causes of disease within regimental limits requiring removal.
Diet. —During the latter half of the year provisions have been very dear; vegetables have
been scarce; the men received compensation each month. Where they have large families their
diet cannot be sufficiently nutritive or varied to preserve health. Some of the men who came to
hospital told me that it was want of sufficient food that had rendered them unfit to perform
t h e i r d u t i e s .
Clothing. —The clothing has been as much adapted to the climate as the present uniform can
be for native soldiers.
Foot soreness. —There has not been much foot soreness during the past year.
Duty.
—The duty has consisted of the usual guards and parades. It has not appeared to
me to have had any injurious effect on the health of the men.
Vaccination is carefully kept up in the regiment, all recruits and children requiring
it being vaccinated as soon as possible.
Epidemic. —There has been no epidemic among the men during the year. Two cases of
malignant cholera were admitted at a time when there was a slight outbreak of cholera among
the followers and weakly children in the lines.
Hospital ventilation. —The ventilation is very good: there has been no overcrowding.
Hospital drainage. —The drainage is, from the natural conformation of the ground, good.
The latrine is kept very clean, well tarred, and the dry-earth system is most efficiently carried
out.
Hospital water-supply. —There is a tap supplied with Red Hill tank water in the hospital
compound.
General conclusions. —Arrived in Madras from Tonghoo in January and March 1875. During
the year 1876
The average strength has been
660·58
Do. do. present do.
632·25
Admissions
378
Daily sick
12·50
Deaths in hospital
8
Do. out of do.
3
Pensioned (includes 4 native officers)
26
Sick leave (includes 1 native officer)
12