Vaccination.
Epidemic.
80
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
Climate of
the station.
Natural fea
- t u r e s o f t h e
district.
Surgeons P. R. Martin, M.D., and H. P. Esmonde-White were in medical
charge of this corps during the year, and the latter reports as follows :—
Climate of the station .—The rainfall was deficient in the south-west monsoon season, and
the north-east monsoon entirely failed, the entire quantity for the year being as low as 7.21
inches ; the average annual rainfall is 16 inches. No direct influence on health was observed
as regards actual climatic effects. Scarcity and dearness of food however might be said to have
had a certain degree of deteriorating effect on the general health of the men and families.
Famine too having become almost general among the civil population, and these having been
massed together on relief works, cholera was developed amongst them and introduced into the
lines of the regiment by secret inter-communication with its inhabitants.
Natural features of the district .—The aspect of the country round the station is a boundless
plain, save towards the west and south-west, where the view is limited by a low chain of rocky hills
about six miles distant. The surface undulations are slight, but a few isolated hills serve to vary
the monotonous level, the landscape being also devoid of jungle and presenting a brown arid
appearance is very uninteresting. The cantonment is situated round a rock composed of
granitoid gneiss, of which there are two varieties, the second containing flesh-colored felspar,
which prevails in the low plains. The range of hills above alluded to is composed of chloritic
slate, jaspary clay, iron, and quartz. The highest (copper mountains) contain copper carbonate.
Two very different varieties of soil occur. The black cotton is from one to twelve feet deep
and is composed of silica, alumnia, iron, vegetable and animal debris, and is considered to be
a sedimentary deposit from stagnant water. The red soil is the detritus of the flesh-colored
gneiss rock. A large river (the Huggry) runs through the district. A large tank (Alipore),
about three miles in circumference, exists about three miles from the station, being the result of
the drainage from contiguous hills. The flat nature of the country and the paucity of rain
prevent the formation of tanks or swamps. Vegetation is hardly discernible except during the
rain. Trees are few except in the cantonment and town, where they have been planted and
have to be carefully attended to until they grow strong; the small leaved and more hardy kinds
apparently only thrive best. The most useful, such as the mango, plantain, cocoanut, &c., do
not exist. Vegetables are scarce, on account, partly, of the difficulty of obtaining water free
from salts, and the cultivation of garden flowers is, for a similar reason, most difficult. Dry
cultivation in the district is almost the only practicable method in consequence of the absence
of tanks ; cholum is the principal cultivation ; the black soil produces cotton in great abundance.
Sheep, goats and cows are numerous. The jackal and fox are the only wild animals to be
found in this vicinity.
Medical topo-
graphy and
diseases of
the district.
Medical topography and diseases of the district .—The station is situated in latitude 15°l
ongitude 75°, is almost equidistant from the eastern and western coasts of the peninsula, so
that, though it does not receive the full force of either monsoon, it benefits by both, and this
combination of circumstances, albeit yielding a too small rainfall, contributes to the healthiness
of the climate, being dry and uniform, and the country free from swamps, exuberant vegetation,
or the imperfect soil drainage which may result from wet cultivation. A westerly wind blows
continually during the south-west monsoon months, which is always cool, coming as it does from
regions where rain prevails, and the same advantage is enjoyed when it veers to the east.
Intermittent fever, generally of a mild type, is prevalent all through the year, particularly at the
outbreak of the south-west and north-east monsoons. Ophthalmia (country sore-eyes) is
liable to attack children. It is attributed to the dryness of the atmosphere and excessive glare
reflected from the masses of rock and the surface of the ground being studded with sparkling
crystals of mica and quartz. Dysentery prevails in a moderate degree in the rains ; guinea
-worm and fungus foot are common in the cotton soil districts. Leprosy and elephantiasis are
rarely met with ; other skin diseases are not particularly common.
Ventilation of
the men's
huts, &c.
Ventilation of the men's huts, &c .—The means of ventilation which the huts enjoy is quite
inadequate to the maintenance of pure air.
Water-supply.
Water-supply has been sufficient.
Diet.
Diet .—On account of the failure of rain famine has become general in the district,
provisions are extremely dear, but the men have received compensation for dearness of rice ;
the dieting of the troops has been probably insufficient.
Hospital
ventilation.
Vaccination .—There were 125 cases vaccinated during the year.
Epidemic .—Cholera appeared in the lines. Its causation might be in the first place
attributed to the massing together of large bodies of people employed on famine relief works in
the neighbourhood and communication with them by the inhabitants of the lines. Every
means was employed regimentally to exclude all strangers and to prevent the men and families
from communicating with other people. These precautions have proved successful. No other
disease prevailed in an epidemic form.
Hospital ventilation .—The hospital is thoroughly ventilated. No overcrowding.