9
Diseases.
Admis
-sions. Deaths
Percentage
of Strength.
Admis
-sions. Deaths
Eruptive fevers
6
22
Continued do.
63
232
Malarious do.
931
6
3431
22
Rheumatic affections
151
1
556
03
Diseases of the eye
64
235
Diseases of the lungs.
100
368
Diarrhœa
247
3
910
11
Dysentery
145
534
Skin diseases
478
1
1761
03
26. British Burmah Division. —The
prominent causes of admission in British
Burmah were malarial fevers, skin
diseases and diarrhœa, and of mortality
malarial fever and diarrhœa.
British
Burmah
Division.
The native soldier is placed under peculiar and somewhat unfavorable
circumstances in British Burmah as regards climate, food, and domestic relations.
The seasons are the cold, hot and wet. The cold season lasts from November to
February inclusive, and is marked by cold nights and mornings and hot days; the
hot season lasts from March to May inclusive; the wet season extends from June
to October inclusive. During the rains the climate is peculiarly depressing owing
to the absence of sunshine and excessive damp. Food is dear, and animal food
practically beyond the means of the sepoy. His remittances to his family in India
reduce considerably his pay, and are increased at times by selling a portion of his
ration, and new domestic relations too often permanently injure his constitution.
It takes some years before the effects of a tour of service in Burmah disappear from
the hospital returns of a regiment.
27. Palaveram Depôt. —From the return marginally cited it will be observed, Palaveram
Depôt.
Years.
Admis
-sions.
Daily
Sick. eaths.
Invalided for
Pension.
Change
of Air.
1873
197
16
21
133
1874
204
17
17
7
131
1875
127
11
13
7
70
Average
176
14
17
4
111
1876
153
13
11
6
100
that whilst the numbers pensioned were
in excess of the average of the preceding
three years, the admissions, daily sick,
sick leave men and deaths were fewer
than those of 1875. Most of the cases
are received from foreign service in
Burmah. Two deaths took place in
hospital, both from diarrhœa; nine deaths
occurred out of hospital, the causes being
ague, pneumonia, diarrhœa, diabetes,
dysentery, beri-beri, splenitis, and two
from general debility.
28.
Hospital accommodation. —A Native Infantry regiment, excluding
European officers, consists on the authority of the Army List of 802 persons. The
standard plan of a native regimental hospital provides for 50 patients. There
is one such hospital in the Presidency, built on the pattern of those in Bengal, but
its accommodation is shared by two regiments, the 21st and 27th Regiments
quartered at Bellary. In most cases, however, the hospital accommodation is
sufficient, except when epidemic disease is present, in which case the use of tents
may become necessary. In the case of the 4th Regiment L. C. at Bellary, there is
no regimental hospital, the sick being treated in a small hospital originally
intended for the reception of the followers of the corps. There is deficient hospital
accommodation on Ross Island, Andamans, also at Cuttack, Trichinopoly, Vepery,
and, as regards room for female patients, in the Garrison Hospital at Bangalore.
The general conservancy of hospitals, hospital lavatories and latrines, as well as
of the regimental lines, latrines and bazaars, is most carefully attended to by
administrative and executive medical officers. The regimental military authorities
give all the aid in their power.
29.
Huts and lines. —From year to year the pressing subject of sanitation is
engaging the attention of authorities, civil, military and medical. The progress
made may not be rapid, but it is satisfactory; the principles of the science are well
understood, and their value acknowledged; the principal want is that of funds. It
is a matter of difficulty to remedy the defects of old huts, of old lines and of
Hospital
accommoda
tion.
Huts and
lines.
3