8
A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
enlargement, and some in chronic diarrhœa, for which cases change of air was absolutely
required. The cases of remittent fever, 21 in number, were of the ordinary nature met with
in Gujarát ; the 3 fatal cases were rapid in their course and termination. The usual treatment was
adopted in these cases. The most troublesome case I have had to treat were those of dysen-
tery and chronic diarrhœa. Dysentery frequently terminated in chronic diarrhœa, and the latter
disease was a very frequent complication of ague. These cases, for the most part, required length-
ened treatment. The plan on which these cases were treated was change of medicine, attention
to diet, occasional counterirritants, and when these failed, change of air. The great difficulty
in these cases is the diet. Very often the appetite is good, the patients will not attend to diet,
and all treatment is useless. I have invariably, when I found a man getting weak, ordered him
milk and arrack to be taken together, and advised them to eat rice and milk ; but in most cases
my advice was not followed, and the result of treatment was in consequence unsatisfactory.
However, notwithstanding the prevalance and obstinacy of these complaints, I am happy to
say, there were no deaths. Of the admissions from other causes I need say but little. The chest
affections for the most part were not of a severe nature, and the rheumatic and ulcer cases
were such as are usually met with.
Thirty men were invalided—7 from rheumatism, 1 from
ucler, 22 old age, and debility ; 28 were discharged on pension,
and 2 on gratuity.
14. The principal causes of sickness have been those of a local and endemic nature, with
I n v a l i d i n g .
Principal causes of sickness.
the exception of cholera, which occurred in an epidemic form,
the duties in Surat being remarkably light.
15. Exclusive of cholera there have been 9 deaths in hospital, 3 of these being from
remittent fever, the fever of Gujarát. There have been no extra-
ordinary causes of death ; at the same time I am under the im-
pression that, since the regiment has been in Surat, there has been an increased consumption
of spirituous drink. Toddy is plentiful and cheap, and drinking is now-a-days the rule, not as
it used to be the exception, in the Native Army. I cannot conceive a worse liquor than bad
toddy ; and, as a natural consequence, a man who drinks cannot, out of his small pay, find
himself in sufficient food. That this state of thing exists I am convinced, and it is one over
which there is no control. When the regiment first arrived at Surat there was a good deal
of diarrhœa amongst the men, caused, I believe, by the change of water ; but having been.
cautioned not to drink the water much impregnated with saline matter, this soon subsided.
Principal causes of mortality.
Mortality according to race.
16. The following table shows the mortality for the year.
its ratio to strength according to caste as compared to last year ;
Christians.
Hindus. Mussalmans. Jews.
Total.
Europeans.
N a t i v e s .
St rengt h.
R a t i o o f d e a t h s t o s t r e n g t h p e r c e n t .
S t r e n g t h .
R a t i o o f d e a t h s t o s t r e n g t h p e r c e n t .
S t r e n g t h .
R a t i o o f d e a t h s t o s t r e n g t h p e r c e n t .
St r engt h.
R a t i o o f d e a t h s t o s t r e n g t h p e r c e n t .
S t r e n g t h .
R a t i o o f d e a t h s t o s t r e n g t h p e r c e n t .
S t r e n g t h .
R a t i o o f d e a t h s t o s t r e n g t h . y e r c e n t .
1875 . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
7
...
1 0
...
627 1 . 1 32
. . .
4
. . .
680 0
.
4
1876 ...
...
...
. . . 6
. . .
6
. . .
595 3
.
1 32
3
.
1
6
. . .
645 2
.
3
17. The total rainfall for the year was 41 . 61, about an average fall ; there was nothing
Influence of rainfall.
more than usual to notice as to its influence on disease, but a
flood of the river took place in September, which probably con-
tributed to swell the admissions from fever.
18. Cholera, which had been raging in the city of Surat in, I believe, a very virulent from
Epidemic.
at last on the 4th April made its appearance in an epidemic
form in the lines of the 17th Regiment N. I. It commenced on
the 4th and ended on the 28th of April ; during this period 25 cases were admitted for treat-
ment—9 men, 11 women, 5 children. Of these 5 men, 2 women, and 1 child died. The
disease first appeared in the right wing ; this wing was immediately moved into tents, their