Principal causes of mortality.
Vaccination and re-vaccination.
General health and physique of
the men.
81
NORTHERN DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
43 entered in the register during October were Burda Chokey men, who returned to head-
-quarters greatly debilitated by malaria. In several of these cases diagnosed as ague, scor--
butic symptoms were apparent. There were 11 admissions in October and 9 in November,
and 3 in December, of scurvy, chiefly from the Burda Chokey Detachment. The ipecacuanh
treatment proved successful in every case of dysentery. As the medical officer in charge of
the regiment for the greater portion of the year has not as yet supplied me with a report of
the hospital-work carried. on during his tenure of office, I cannot enter fully or to my satis--
faction into the history, &c., of the diseases treated by him. Twenty-four men were invalided
during the year, principally on account of old age and length of service; 1 w a s d i s c h a r g e d
with a gratuity, and I was dismissed by court-martial.
14. The chief causes of ague are exposure to wet, damps and malaria, which is suppos
-
ed to exist especially at the end of the rainy season. Ague at
Burda Chokey is said to be brought on by drinking well-waters,
which, during and immediately after the rains, contain a peculiar brownish oily liquid. The
cause of lung diseases and bowel complaints may be traced to the constant and sudden
changes of temperature. Colic is frequently produced by the consumption of half-baked
wheat and bájri cakes. The want of a sufficient supply of fresh meat and vegetables at
Burda Chokey has helped to increase the number of scurvy cases.
Principal causes of sickness.
15. One death from compound fracture of the vault of the
skull without depression, caused accidentally by a fall into a
deep well.
16. There were 19 successful cases of vaccination. No
cases were re-vaccinated during the year.
17. General health and physique of the men, No. 8 Com
-pany excepted, are good.
18. The Burda Chokey Detachment (No. 8 Company) consisting of 86 men, suffered
severely during their stay at that very unhealthy station from
fever and scurvy. Very few of these have regained their
former stamina and fitness for work, their constitutions having been completely undermined
by malaria and scurvy.
REMARKS BY DEPUTY SURGEON-GENERAL D. WYLLIE, M.D.
The sick were materially in excess of average, ague and scorbutus figuring unduly
mostly referrible to detachment duty at the very malarious post of Burda Chokey—a locality
from which troops have now happily been withdrawn. Otherwise, the medical history was
ordinary enough, and its chief incidents were a solitary admission from cholera, with only 1
casualty for the year, and that the result of accident. The huts are smaller than average,
and are of the ordinary defective construction; but they have not been insanitary. Other
conditions generally favourable to health with comparatively light duties. The sick have
suitable accommodation, and there was sufficient room throughout; equipment and service
all satisfactory, saving occasional delay in the daily visit of the conservancy cart. I saw
at hospital a number of men debilitated and broken in health by the effects of ague and
scurvy contracted at Burda Chokey, who were on the eve of leaving for Tanna to join the
other wing in view to benefiting by change, the necessity for which in their case I fully
realized.
H. M.'s 28th Regiment N. I.
RA'JKOT.—In medical charge of Surgeon-Major H. R. McDOUGALL, M.D.;—strength, 508.
Special observations.
Location and movements of
corps.
1. With the exception of a detachment, 83 strength, at
Dwárka, the whole regiment has been stationed at Rájkot
during the year.
2 . A d e t a c h m e n t , s t r e n g t h 8 3 , w a s s e n t t o D w á r k a o n 1 5 t h J a n u a r y 1 8 7 6 ; a n o t h e r
detachment, strength 85, was stationed at Burda Chokey from
1st January to 9th March 1876.
3 . T h e l i n e s a p p e a r i n e x c e l l e n t o r d e r ; t h e h u t s a r e c l e a n , l o f t y , a n d w e l l v e n t i l a t e d .
Each of the eight rows of huts consist of four blocks, each of
which contains 22 houses, 11 on each side; the space between
the rows is ample; each side of these streets is planted with trees, to the roots of which waste
B 196—21
Detachments.
Lines.