114
A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
cinchonidine or the two drugs combined, in the proportion of from 3 to 5 of the former to
from 10 to 20 or 30 of the latter. In several cases of simple febricula cure was effected in a
few days by a little aperient medicine. The admissions and re-admissions from dysentery
numbered 20, being a percentage of 2.48 against 15, or 1.45 percentage last year. The
treatment adopted was what is now well established, viz., by large doses of ipecacuanha. I
am in the habit of prescribing in cases of genuine dysentery that drug in doses varying
from 15 to 50 grains of the powder either alone or combined with opium, and either by mouth,
or the former administered half an hour or thereabouts after an enema of the latter drug, not
only to prevent the ipecacuanha from being ejected but likewise to allay the pain, tormina,
tenesmus, and other distressing intestinal symptoms. Hepatitis gave 8 admissions, or per-
centage 0.99 against 5, or 0.48 per cent. of last year. The majority of admissions of inflamma-
tion of the liver were subacute or chronic. Rheumatic affections gave 27 admissions, or
percentage 3.35 against 27, or 2.61 per cent. of last year.
Syphilis, admissions 19, (inclusive of phimosis and bubo, which were symptoms), being a
percentage of 36 against 9 admissions, or 0.87 per cent. of last year. Of these cases there
were 14 of what may be designated primary infection and 5 secondary or constitutional
syphilis. Gonorrhœa, admissions 2, being a percentage of .25 against 3 admissions of last year ;
orchitis, 3 admissions. Among the diseases of the circulatory system I may here note
an interesting case of aneurism of the abdominal aorta. This man has been invalided. The
symptoms at first sight, in the absence of careful physical examination, were very obscure and,
I may state, puzzling. The differential diagnosis from gastric or neurotic disorders or
from a tumour situated over the aorta presented some difficulty. Scurvy gave admissions 7,
or 0.87 per cent., against 13 or 1.25 per cent. last year. The cause of such a large number of
admissions from this affection goes to demonstrate the deficiency of nitrogenous and saccha-
rine aliments, more especially of vegetables and meat in the diet of the men. Of the disease
of the respiratory system there were 90 admissions, or 11.18 per cent., against 66, or 6.38
per cent., of last year.
Diseases of the cutaneous system gave 43 admissions, or 5.38 per cent., against 56 or,
5.41 per cent. of last year.
Eight cases terminated fatally, 2 from remittent fever. One man was murdered by four
comrades with whom he indulged in alcohol. The circum-
stances of this murder, beyond the fact of death having been
caused by strangulation, was not clearly proven.
One morning at Delhi, when the temperature in the open was about 38°, a man who was
at the time on guard duty was brought to hospital in a dooly in a collapsed condition, with
all the outward visible aspect of a corpse, with the exception that circulation and respiration
were very feebly carried on. This was fortunately at the time of my visit, and being on the
spot, warm diffusible stimulants were repeatedly administered, warmth resorted to, the patient
being well covered with thick blankets, and first made to lie and afterwards to be held in the
erect posture before a large fire. The temperature of the body was very soon raised to the
normal standard by working the flexor and extensor muscles of the extremities, which like-
wise had its physiological beneficial effect on circulation and respiration. The man was com-
-pletely brought to in about half an hour or forty minutes.
10. Under this important heading I have to mention the diet of the sepoy, its quality and
quantity, which predispose him to disease, to which from want
of much stamina he so readily succumbs.
The next cause to which I beg to be permitted to invite attention is also with reference
to hygienic principles, namely, clothing ; and in addition to what I have stated in a previous
paragraph, I may here remark that in the cold weather the poor sepoy is, indeed, very little
protected from cold ; he cannot afford to provide himself with under-clothing or plain clothes,
and thus the affections—pulmonary, intestinal, &c., &c.,—arising from chill are accounted for.
I have no other or special remarks to offer here, with the exception of malingering, on which
subject I have to observe that it is resorted to from one or both motives—of shirking duty or
to obtain pension.
Mortality.
Principal causes of sickness.
Principal causes of mortality.
11. The principal causes of mortality is shown in the
subjoined table :—
Ague complicated with bronchitis
...
...
...
...
1
Ague, afterwards bad remmittent fever, and died of conges-
tion of the lungs ...
...
...
...
...
...
... 1
Bronchitis
... ...
...
...
...
...
. . .
1
Pneumonia ...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
1
Remittent fever
... ...
..
2
Tetanus
...
...
...
...
...
... . . .
1
Total... 7