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even to walk to hospital up to the end of a fortnight"; but I think in the Army
it is very necessary that the first indication of the disease should be detected, The
ordinary inspections held weekly by a medical officer of the troops in each station
are not and cannot be sufficiently searching to discover latent disease, and only
such men who are so manifestly ill as to attract attention are sent to hospital,
whilst at the time of inspection many men are absent on guard, fatigue duty, &c.
I think therefore it is extremely desirable that a special weekly inspection
should be made of all young soldiers for the first year of residence in the
country, and that all such should attend hospital on a given day and be carefully
examined, so that any of them about whose state of health the medical officer
entertains the slightest doubt could have their temperatures taken, &c., and, if
necessary, be detained for observation. This seems to be more especially import-
ant, as since the establishment of the station hospital system the medical offi-
cers have not the same opportunity as when the regimental system was in force
of knowing the habits and constitution of each individual man in the corps, and
are therefore unable to keep the same watchful supervision over any particular
man as formerly. Indeed in my opinion it would be well always to attach a
medical officer to each corps (though the men would still be treated in the station
hospital), as by so doing he would be in a much better position for watching over
the health of the men and the sanitary condition of the lines and barracks. At
the ordinary weekly examination of corps I would suggest that the especial
attention of medical officers be invited to the condition of the men's gums to see
whether there was any scorbutic taint.
I also think that it should be a standing order that all men suffering from
even slight diarrhoea should invariably attend hospital,
The enteric fever patient from the moment he is admitted into hospital
requires incessant nursing. At present he is attended by orderlies who may or
may not be attentive to his wants ; but it is much to be wished that the services
of trained nurses were available in this country and that there was a staff of
such attached to each Station Hospital. The incalculable benefit of good nursing
is seen in the J. J. Hospital, where the Sisters from All Saints' Home attend so
zealously the native sick, and, if our soldiers, when in hospital, could have
similar nursing, it would add not only immensely to their well being, but would
prove of inestimable assistance to the Medical Officer, who would then be sure
that his directions regarding food, medicine, &c., were carried out.
Improvement is likewise required in the cooking in hospitals. It is at
present very rough, but a higher scale of pay must be allowed before better cooks
would serve in hospitals.
Government in its Resolution, Military Department, No. 760, dated 9th
February 1881, says :—
"Another point deserving of consideration and which Government desire to bring
under the notice of His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief is the necessity for proper steps
being taken to make men change their under-clothing after being dismissed from parade, such
as making them parade in their rooms a few minutes later after having changed it. The im-
prudence of young soldiers in this respect is notorious, and the desirability of steps being
taken to teach them better is obvious."
I would also suggest that at evening roll-call the men parade in dry flannel
vests. I am sure that the cause of much illness is often to be ascribed to men
getting heated by probably doubling back to their barracks to be in time for roll-
call and lying down with the skin in an active state of perspiration. They cool
down in bed and get a chill. All men are now ordered to wear flannel shirts,
but on visiting some barracks the number of men wearing cotton ones attracts
attention. Some men wear a flannel vest under the shirt, but many do not. In most
cases the flannel shirt is left open in front. I think the body dress of the blue
jackets in the Royal Navy is admirably adapted for work in a hot climate, though
I suppose it is too loose for military approval; but the more the dress of soldiers
can be assimilated to it the better for health, as it leaves the neck free and also
affords a good protection to the chest and abdomen. At some stations during
the monsoon a knitted Cardigan jacket which might have calico sleeves would
B 357—43—