Location and movements of
corps.
Detachments.
Water-supply.
Food.
Hospital water-supply.
Sickness,mortality,and invaliding.
88
A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
H. M.’s 18th Regiment N. I.
DEESA.—In medical charge of Surgeon-Major A. N. E. RIDDELL ;—strength, 627.
This corps has been stationed in Deesa the whole year.
2. A detachment of 57 of all ranks arrived here fro
Sadra on January 25th.
A detachment of 42 of all ranks went to Mount Abu, December 1st, where it now is.
3. These are old, ruinous, and past repair. Have been
annually condemned for several years.
4. In the dryweather the trench latrine system is in vogue, the latrines being situated
in the sandy bed of the river. In the rains the latrines are
on the river-bank. The sandy soil seems suited to this form
of latrine. The usual staff of sweepers keep the lines clean
and remove dirt.
Lines.
Conservancy and sanitary
ar-rangements.
5. Sufficient; drawn from six wells in the lines and one in
the hospital compound.
6. Is abundant and tolerably cheap, and good vegetables
are procurable, but not abundant.
7. The usual clothing is in use. It is the same in the hot as the cold weather, in the
dry as in the rains. In a climate like that of Deesa a lighter
style of clothing for the hot weather would, I think, be a real
boon to the sepoy. There is no question but that they suffer very much on parade in the
hot weather from their unsuitable dress.
8. The ordinary garrison duties and escort parties. There were 37 escort parties during
the year, and 252 men were employed on them. I do not find
any bad effects from these duties on the health of the men.
Clothing.
Duties.
Exercise, amusement, and occu--
pation.
9. The various drills, parade, and working parties give
the men sufficient exercise.
There is no gymnasium. Occasional sports take place on some of the native holidays.
Some of the men follow occupations they have been brought up to, such as carpenter, black--
smith, &c. There are not, however, many of them.
10. Are the same as have been already reported on. A latrine or urinal in the vicinity
of the cells would be an improvement. Prisoners in the cells
have to be marched to the hospital latrine, distant nearly 300
yards.
11. Excellent in every way. It is the best native hospital I have yet seen in India, and
might serve as a standard model for other hospitals. The site
is well chosen, and there is sufficient clear surrounding space.
Lock-up rooms and cells.
Hospital and its surroundings.
Over-crowding.
There has been no over-crowding.
The hospital latrines are built of masonry ; disinfectants are freely used, and I have not
been able to detect any bad smell from the building. The
excreta are removed by the sweepers into receptacles which are
taken away every night in the filth carts.
Conservancy.
There is one well in the hospital compound. There has
been no deficiency in the supply. The quality is fairly good.
12. The health of the corps has been good during the year.
The average strength of the regiment was 627.
Total of admissions into hospital ... ... ...
...
508
Total treated ...
...
...
... ... ...
...
531
Deaths during the year
...
...
...
...
...
3
3
Invalided
...
...
...
... ... ...
46
Dismissed by court-martial ...
...
... ... ...
3
Treated to strength ...
...
...
... ... ...
85.1
Deaths to strength ...
... ... ... ...
0.4
Deaths to treated ...
...
...
...
... ...
0.5