4
A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
Exercise, amusement, &c.
5. Cricket and gymnastic exercise are to a very limited
extent indulged in.
6. The total number of cases treated in hospital was 299, or 82 less than in the preced-
Sickness, mortality, and inva-
liding .
ing year. Of the total number treated 16 remained on the 31st
December 1875 and 283 were fresh cases received during the
year. Of the total treated 257 were discharged to duty ; 22 sent
for change of air, chiefly for debility following serious illness ; 6 were invalided from the hos
pital ; 3
2 less than in the previous year ; and 10 remain under treatment on the 31st
December 1876. These figures compare very favourably with the last or preceding year.
The following table shows that the sanitary state of the regiment (luring the year contrasts
very favourably with its condition during the five previous years, and the reduction of the daily
number of non-effectives is very noticeable :—
1871.
1872.
1873.
1874.
1875.
1876.
Average strength of regiment
...
. . .
. . .
575
563
588
564
586
568.5
Number of admissions to hospital ...
...
...
451
474
458
373
371
283
Daily average number of sick
...
. . .
. . .
20
19
20
21
17.4
12.5
Percentage of treated to strength ...
...
...
80.8
89.1
80.4
69.8
65.0
52.6
Number of deaths
...
...
...
...
...
8
3
3
7
5
3
Percentage of deaths to strength ...
. . .
...
1.4
0.5
0 . 5
1.2
0.8 0.5
Percentage of deaths to treated
...
...
. . .
1.7
0.6
0.6
1.8
1.3
1.0
Three deaths occurred in the hospital during the year—2 from phthisis pulmonalis
(consumption) admitted in the last stage of the disease, and 1 from low remittent fever with
typhoid symptoms and complicated with double pneumonia.
The following table shows that while 283 cases were admitted during the year, only 217,
or 38.2 per cent. of the regiment, came under treatment, the difference being made up by re-ad-
missions of the same individuals for recurrent sickness or other causes :—
2 admitted four times
...
8
13
do.
thrice
...
...
39
34
do.
twice
...
68
168
do.
once
...
...
168
Total 217
Total admissions 283
Twenty-one men were invalided during the year—6 from the hospital, and 15 from the
regiment. The period of service at which these men were invalided is shown below :—
10
months.
10
years.
16
years.
17
years.
18
years.
19
years.
21
years.
22
years.
23
years.
Total.
1
1
1
2
2
8
2
2
2
21
The principal causes of sickness have been, as usual, fevers, to which ague contributes
Principal causes of sickness.
44 admissions,—a considerable reduction, as compared with the
preceding year, when the admissions were 88; hut remittent
fever; of a low and not unfrequently of a typhoid type, are, I regret to say, largely on the.
increase, and are due, I believe, first of all, to the inferior quality of meat and fish with which
the men are in the habit of supplementing their rice diets, and, secondly, to the closeness to
the lines of the Sonapore outlet drain, which becomes most offensive as soon as the northerly
and wes t er l y wi nds begi n t o s et i n ; and as l ong as t he wi nd cont i nues t o bl ow f r om t he nor t h
of west and east, which brings the lines to the leeward of the drain, these fevers are
observed. to be most prevalent. Next in order of frequency come rheumatic and. syphilitic