132
A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
5. The climate, on the whole, did not agree with the majority of the men, who are
natives of the plains of Hindoostan; they raised an outcry against, and blamed the water for
their different complaints, ands said they preferred the muddy water of the plains. Some
attributed attacks of dyspepsia accompanied with tympanitis from which they suffered to it,
and they were recommended to use boiled drinking water, and after a short time they
improved. The Beloochees,who are a hardy race, seem to thrive on the water remarkably well,
and, as far as its physical characters are concerned, it is clear, sparkling, cool and pleasant to
the taste. I could not analyse it for want of instruments and re-agents, but so far as the
production of soap lather would indicate, it seemed to me to be only slightly hard. What
natives really mean when they state the water does not agree with them, is that the climate
does not suit them. Severed complainer of lassitude, oppressed breathing, amounting to
dyspnæa on exertion, and weakness of the limbs, owing no doubt to diminished atmospheric
pressure, which at this elevation may be roughly stated to be from 1/6 to 1/4 l e s s t h a n o n t h e
plains ; but these sensations passed off after a short residence,.
6. Diarrhæa was the most prevalent .disease during our residence on the Khelat hills,
Effects of climate.
and was induced by the sudden and great variations of tem-
perature, and insufficient protection from cold at night,causing
congestion of internal organs and more especially inaction of the liver. It proved very
intractable, and. slowly but gradually undermined the constitutions of several men, who
ultimately died from exhaustion on our arrival on the plains of Cutchee. It was given out
when we left jacobabad that the troops would be hack in a couple of months; consequently
the men did not provide themselves with sufficient warm clothing; and. firewood being
an expensive commodity in the hills, they suffered much from cold at night, and could only
get their meals very imperfectly cooked on account of the scarcity and dearness of fuel. It
is not, therefore, surprising that they suffered so much from indigestion, irritation, and loose-
ness of the bowels.
7. The admissions during the year were 579, and 12 remained on 1st January 1876,
total treated 591, being a decrease of 133 as compared with the
Sickness and mortality.
admissions for 1875 ; but this only includes the sickness of the
whole regiment from 1st January to 4th April 1876, and from the latter date to 31st
December 1876 of the head-quarter wing only, a portion of the regiment having been
left behind at the depot at Jacobabad. The medical history of this detachment will no,
doubt be furnished by the officer in medical charge. Actual number of persons treated 275.
Of the total treated, 237 cases Were admitted for malarions fever next in order of frequency
were contusions of the lower extremity, diarrhæa, ulcers, dysentery, and cholera.
There were 20 deaths in hospitals and 3 out of hospital of the former 9 occurred from
cholera, 5 from pneumonia, 3 from diarrhæa, 1 from dysentery,
Causes of mortality.
1 fiom remittent fever, and 1from hemiplegia consequent upon
ague. Of these 18 were Mussu1mans and 2 Hindus ; and of those that died out of hospital 2
were Mahomedans and 1 Hindu, the latter having died' of sun-stroke in Cutchee in July
whilst escorting treasure to Khelat; the two former died while on leave. The sickness and
death-rate has been high in proportion to the strength. The causes were cholera and the ex-
posure, fatigue and privations to which the men were 'subjected' in marching and living in
tents for the last nine months. The average number of daily sick was 11 . 57, proportion of
daily sick to strength 4.47 per cent, admissions to strength 223 . 83 per cent, .deaths to
strength 7 . 73 per cent, deaths to treated 3.38, treated to strength 228.47. Average number
of days in hospital of actual number of persons treated, 7 .59. Average number of days in
hospital of total treated, 7.30.
8. On the 20th July we marched from Mustoong en route to Khelat, and proceeded by
the Sirinal Valley, which runs nearly north and south and is
Cholera
well watered, the Mungoocher and Khelat valleys sloping
towards and pouring their superfluous moisture into the open stream Which runs through it,
and which is thickly lined at several spots with tamarisk trees and bushes. This must have
been a populous valley at one time, as it is dotted with the ruins of villages and intersected
with " krazes " in all directions, some open and flowing freely, but the greater number have
been allowed to silt up and fall into disuse. A case of cholera occurred at " Burrinchinao"
as we marched on the Morning of the 26th July, and the man, a sowar named Rahmut Khan,
died at 3 A.M next day at " Gurani St ream, " where we hal t ed t i l l 12t h August . Our bazaar
butcher was seized here with cholera on the 1st August and died of the disease on the 2nd.
Both these men, it was stated, had gone into outlying villages on the march in search of forage
and sheep and goats respectively ; but this is all I could learn as the result of my endeavours
to trace the origin and source of the infection in these two casas.
9. Cholera followed in our track by the Bolan or rather preceded us in the path of the
kafilas, and spread rapidly through the different valleys from Kandahar to Khelat, travel-
ling as usual by the highways of human intercourse. Before ''our arrival at Mustoong a