A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
REMARKS BY DEPUTY SURGEON-GENERAL D. WYLLIE, M.D.
This regiment was stationed at Neemuch up to 9th November, when it marched for
Delhi. I had thus no opportunity of seeing it. Health satisfactorily maintained throughout,
the percentage of hospital admissions to strength 121.15 to 114.24 in previous year, the
return shewing decrease in rheumatism, scorbutus, and other zymotic heads, with increase
under dysentery, conjunctivitis, and injury, the latter large. Only 1 death as in 1875, and
the lapses by invaliding and discharge, in close approximation for both years, were only 11 as
against 13. The defective state of the lines, as adverted to in the report, has its counterpart
at every other station. The very inconvenient distance of the permanent latrines is also a
source of common complaint in the Mhow Division. It is to be hoped, however, that when the
Artillery move to their new barracks, this matter may have remedy, in so far as it is more
pressingly required at Neemuch than elsewhere, trench latrines being inadmissible by
reason of rocky ground.
(In this report no mention of the numbers of the treated, died, &c., of the Detachment
stationed at Neemuch for November and December last, is made.)
H. M.'s 24th Regiment B. N. I.
NEEMUCH.—In medical charge of Surgeon J. C. LUCAS; strength, 648.
1 . T h e r e g i m e n t w a s s t a t i o n e d a t N e e m u c h , w h e n c e o n 1 0 t h N o v e m b e r i t m a r c h e d o n
Delhi, arriving on 16th December 1876 to take part in the
Imperial Assemblage.
2. Concerning these I have to state that they are bad in every respect The quarters for
private and non-commissioned officers are small, ill-ventilated,
dark—in short, I may express them as inferior in sanitary as
well as in architectural points. The bazaar is small, and there is no village in its immediate
neighbourhood. On the subject of drainage especially here I cannot also speak very favourably.
112
Location and movements of
corps.
Lines.
Conservancy and sanitary ar-
-rangements.
3. These are the same as described in the last report. They
are situated at about quarter of a mile or more from the lines.
The water used for drinking and washing purposes for the sepoys and their families is
derived from wells in the lines and a few in their vicinity.
Its supply as derived from those sources is ample and the
quality good, judging from the ordinary physical characters.
4. Though food at Neemuch is tolerably cheap, vegetables by no means scarce still
native soldiers, especially those of Hindoo castes, seem to me to
be here, as everywhere else, ill nourished; and the causa vera
of this is the small pay they get, from which there are so many cuttings that it leaves very
little for maintaining themselves and families in anything like a proper manner.
5 . T h e b o o t s w o r n b y t h e s e p o y s a r e b y n o m e a n s g o o d ; t h e y a r e w r e t c h e d , u n s i g h t l y ,
and ill-fitting, shoe-bite being in consequence a frequent
cause of admission into hospital.
Water-supply.
Food.
Clothing.
Duties and their effect on health.
6. The duties are the ordinary routine of infantry.
7. The soldiers, as a rule, seldom take to much in the way of exercise except gymnastics,
but occasionally they are induced to take part in the gymkhana
sports and rifle matches; and some sepoys, to augment their
scanty income, take to different occupations, as carpenter, &c.
8 . T h e a c c o m m o d a t i o n i n t h e h o s p i t a l i s g o o d , c o n s i s t i n g o f a l o n g b u i l d i n g w h i c h
formerly was barrack quarters for British troops. There is
another separate building, a portion of which is in use as the
Native Infantry boys' school, and the rest I used, when required, as wards for women and
children and obstetric cases. There is, however, no provision for the admission of cases of
contagious affections, nor is there any kitchen or dead-house.
The ventilation in the hospital buildings is good; the average cubic space even in the
rains, when there is the largest number of admissions, is adequate
. But I regret these remarks cannot be applied in regard to the
ventilation in the regimental huts: the apertures for the entrance and exit of air are indeed
very small, and these are not unfrequently and through ignorance stuffed up by straw and
grass, and the breathing atmosphere is not only rendered impure from this cause but also
from the smoke and gases of cooking. To this I beg to invite attention.
Exercise, amusement, and oc-
-cupation.
Hospital and its surroundings.
Ventilation.
During the time I have been in medical charge of the Native Infantry hospital at
Neemuch there has never been anything approaching to over - c r o w d i n g .
Overcrowding.