NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
CHILDREN.
ADULTS.
Primary.
Secondary.
Successful..
Unsuccess-
ful.
Success-
ful.
Unsuc-
cessful.
Success-
ful.
Unsuc-
cessful.
35
1
None,
7
5
14.
Vaccination.
2
A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
6. Food has been abundant, but not cheap—viewed in
consideration of a sepoy's pay.
Food.
Clothing.
7. Clothing is satisfactory, except in the matter of boots
—an old story upon which I need not dilate.
8. Duties in Bombay are onerous on sepoys, and tend to making men, who are not
given to shamming, resort to hospital as being physically not
quite up to the work.
Duties.
Exercise, amusement, occupation.
9. Exercise and occupation as usual. For debauchery
there are great facility and temptation in Bombay.
10. They are very inferior ; no change has been made since last report by my predeces-
Lock-up rooms and cells.
sor. The cells are, in my opinion, so deleterious to the health
of the unhappy occupants of them. that I have. on a few occasions,
felt necessitated, very unwillingly, to interrupt punishment, and to recommend that prisoners
be removed to hospital—a proceeding which sometimes entailed the employment of an
additional guard, and that brought more work on the men of a regiment, the labour of
which is very considerable.
11. The hospital is—as regards breeze—well placed, and the accommodation in it is
Hospital and its surroundings.
sufficient. The surroundings are very objectionable ; there is
on one side a drain which, when the atmosphere is still, fre-
quently creates a great nuisance ; and there are a filth bin and houses with defective conser-
vancy arrangements in the vicinity of it. The whole place is cramped, and some of the out-
buildings are defective in accommodation, construction, and position. The cess-reservoir
arrangement which exists is very faulty.
Ventilation,
Over-crowding.
Accommodation and defects.
Conservancy and sanitary ar-
rangements.
Good.
None.
Accommodation is sufficient.
Satisfactory ; except that, as previously reported, the latrine
is of faulty construction.
12. Malarious fever, rheumatic complaints, bowel ailments, and contusions. have been
the principal causes of inefficiency. Thirteen deaths occurred-
2 from cholera (sporadic cases), 1 from tetanus (traumatic). 1
Sickness and mortality.
from phthisis, 1 from pneumonia, 8 from febrile and intestinal affections in debilitated men.
Epidemics.
13. None. The cases of cholera arc viewed as having
been sporadic ; and the cases of small-pox as incidental to living
in Bombay.
G eneral health and physique.
15. The general health of the men in the regiment has
not been good— vide observations in the next paragraph.
16. The work exacted from men in the native regiment not localized in Bombay is
Special observations.
somewhat severe. The system of examination of recruits is im-
perfect ; there are men in the 20th Regiment whom I should
not have " passed." I have rejected several men presented for examination within the eleven
months of the year during which I have had cognizance of the regiment. It will be my duty
to point to a few men when under inspection by the Brigadier-General—men whom I
Causes of sickness.
General health.
Special treatment.
16
A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
9. The principal causes of sickness are due to the north
-westerly winds which prevail during the months of June, July
and August.
10. The general health of the several detachments has
been good.
11. One case of ague has been successfully treated with
cinchonidine, and when scurvy occurs the ordinary anti-scor
- b u t i c m i x t u r e i s r e s o r t e d t o .
I would again draw special attention to the treatment and prevention of scurvy ; though
a comparatively small number have attended the dispensary during the year under report,
some arrangement in the supply of fresh vegetables is very much needed., which would, indeed,
be a great boon.
On this subject being referred to at Aden, an extra allowance of vegetables has been
sanctioned when essentially necessary, but a corresponding reduction is made in some othe
articles of the rations.
Conservancy.
Water-supply.
Epidemics.
Vaccination.
General health and physique.
53
POONA DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
Detachment H. M.'s 3rd Regiment N. L. I.
KALA'DGI.—In medical charge of Surgeon F. C. BAKER, M.D.; strength 89.8.
A detachment of one company of the 3rd Regiment N. L. I., from Kolhápur, relieved
the detachment H. M.'s 14th Regiment N. I., at Kaládgi, on the 16th February 1876, and
was reinforced by an additional company on the 24th November 1876.
2. The present strength is 306, including women, children, and officer commanding,
and of these 180 are fighting men; the balance, 126 women
and children.
Present strength.
Marches.
3. Latest marches from Kolhápur ending on dates of
arrival above named.
4. The lines are calculated to accommodate one company only, and thus are adapted
for only half the present strength; tents are pitched to lessen
over-crowding.
Lines.
Conservancy of lines.
Food.
5 . T h e t r e n c h s y s t e m o f c o n s e r v a n c y i s n o w , o n a c c o u n t
of the reinforcement, still more a desideratum; but there is no
establishment to carry it out.
6. The well-known scarcity of food at the present time
needs no remark.
7. The hospital being, as before, the civil hospital, is less than ever sufficient for its
requirements, as both civil and military patients have now
increased, and over-crowding is a frequent evil on account of
want of accommodation.
Hospital.
Ventilation.
Ventilation can still be kept sufficient through the windows
and roof.
Accommodation, that afforded by a single ward, about 66 x 16 feet, to meet the following
requirements:—sick of police, 158 strong at head-quarters
: military, 305; civil, as many as come.
Accommodation.
Hospital conservancy consists in the use of a trench dug at
a convenient distance from the hospital.
Water-supply continues good and sufficient.
8. Ordinary fever caused the bulk of admissions, amounting to 41; dysentery next, 6;
diarrhœa and colic 3 each; orchitis 2; double pneumonia 1;
and other causes 7 ; total admissions 63. Six were sent on
sick leave. None were invalided ; and there were no deaths.
9. No marked cause of sickness prevailed to any great extent ; additional guard duty
may have been the cause of some of the ephemeral fevers which
compose so large a proportion of causes of admissions, and the
diminished rainfall may account for dysentery, through a scorbutic condition, which largely
prevails through the district during the present dearth.
Sickness and mortality.
Special causes of sickness.
10. The detachment did not suffer, although cholera pre-
vailed badly in the district.
11. Four children were vaccinated, and one re-vacci-
nated.
12. General health and physique of the men are good.
H. M.'s 19th Regiment N. I.
SHOLA'PUR.—In medical charge of Surgeon-Major W. E. CATES; strength 631.5,
1 Regimental head-quarters returned from Poona on the breaking up of the camp
of exercise, by special train, on 1st January 1876, reaching
Sholápur early the next morning, and no more movements
have since occurred.
B 1 9 6 - 1 4
Location and movement of corps.
POONA DIVISTON OF THE ARMY.
61
General health and physique of the
men.
14. The health of the regiment has been tolerably
good during the year, as will be seen from the following
table :—
Average
strength.
Total
admissions.
Admissions
from
guinea-
worm.
Daily aver-
age number
of sick.
Treated to
strength.
Deaths to
strength.
Deaths to
treated.
1874 ...
...
...
678.
616
142
30.8
91.
.6
.6
1875 ...
...
...
685.
363
64
18.3
54.7
.6
1.6
1876 ...
...
...
642.6
303
14
13.6
60.
.6
1.2
Notwithstanding the number of admissions from guinea-worm in 1874, the total num
- b e r o f a d m i s s i o n s t h i s y e a r i s 1 7 1 l e s s t h a n i n 1 8 7 4 ; d e d u c t i n g t h e n u m b e r o f a d m i s s i o n s i n
1875 from this disease, there are 21 less during the past year than there were in 1875.
This may, to some extent, be accounted for by detachments (numbering 260 men) having
been sent on duty from head-quarters. This also will account for the higher percentage of
treated to strength during the last year over that of 1875. The physique of the men might
be better than it is. They worked very hard during 1874 and 1875 when building the new
lines, taking all guard duties as usual, during which time they received neither rations nor
money for this increased labour, and which, in my opinion, all regiments during line building
should receive. These two years, followed by one with food at famine prices, has been very
trying to the men, especially to the married sepoys.
15. Cinchonidine has been used as a substitute for quinine in the treatment of inter
-mittent fever, and answers very well in cases of mild type ; but,
in my opinion, quinine is the only remedy which we at present
possess for severe cases of this disease.
16. Until 15th November there was only one native medical pupil attached to the
hospital during the year. He has received clinical and other
instruction at the patients’ bed-sides during my visits at the
hospital. He has been also regularly instructed in the routine duties of the hospital.
17. In conclusion, I would observe that the burial-ground for natives dying in canton-
ment limits, which was formerly in dangerous proximity to the
regimental bazaar, has been removed to a considerable distance
in cantonment from the sepoys’ lines ; but its position is still very objectionable, from the fact
that the dead must be carried along the road facing the officers’ bungalows. It is situated at
the extreme end of camp towards the S.E., while the hospital is situated at the other
extreme end of camp towards the N.W. The Sanitary Commissioner recommended at his
recent inspection of this cantonment that detached lavatories for the sepoys and their
wives should be constructed. Estimates for them have, I believe, been prepared by the Public
Works Department, and I hope that these works, especially the hospital, will be speedily
completed. The order prohibiting washing near the wells has been given.
Treatment of disease when
special.
Education of medical pupil.
Special observations.
B 196—16
W a t e r - s u p p l y .
Food.
Duties and their effect on health.
Exercise, amusement, and oc-
cupation.
Lock-up rooms and cells.
Marches.
NORTHERN DIVISION OF THE ARMY. 7 5
4. The water-supply is from wells. It is of fair quality and sufficient in quantity,
except during the hot months, when some of the wells fail in
the supply.
5. The meat is indifferent in quality. Country vege-
tables have been abundant and cheap this year.
6. The duties have not been heavy. The average num-
ber of nights in bed 6¾.
7. The men are exercised at athletic sports. There is
a “talimkhana” attached to the lines. Some of the sepoys
are occupied in carpentering, shoe-making, and tailoring.
8. The lock-up rooms and cells are kept clean and well
ventilated.
9. There were no marches during the year.
10. There is no over-crowding in the hospital, except after the rains, when the increas
-ed number of sick were obliged to be accommodated in the two
verandahs.
Over-crowding.
A bath-room, dead-house, and a contagious ward are
required.
Accommodation and defects.
The latrines, which are distant 112 yards from the hospital, are kept clean and in good
order. The iron pans in use are emptied twice daily, and
their contents are carried away to some distance from camp.
Conservancy.
Sickness, mortality, and
invaliding.
11. The following tabular statement shows the number of
admissions to hospital, deaths, and the average strength during
the past two years :—
Years.
Average strength.
Deaths.
Average daily sick per
cent. to daily average
strength.
Admissions.
1875
...
... ...
639
6
4.1
739
1876 ... ... ...
647
6
3 . 4
634
Twenty men were invalided during the year, 6 were discharged by court-martial, I was
discharged at his own request, and 1 for desertion.
12. There were 246 cases of fever treated during the year ; of this number there were
from eruptive fever 13, simple continued fever 52, malarious
199; total 264.
13. Of the 6 deaths, 2 were from remittent fever, 1 from phthisis, 1 from peritonitis,
and 2 from rheumatism. Of these 2 cases, I was that of a
sepoy, who had been under treatment at different times for
syphilitic rheumatism; in the second case death was sudden. At the post-mortem examina
-tion the heart was found enlarged and fatty.
Principal causes of sickness.
Principal cause of mortality.
Mortality according to race.
Influence of rainfall.
Epidemics.
Vaccination and re-vaccination.
General health and physique of
the men.
14. Mahrattas 3, Purwaree 1, Mochees 2.
15. 44 inches and 66 cents of rain were gauged during
the year. The fall does not seem to have influenced either the
sickness or mortality.
16. None.
17. There were 71 children vaccinated with success ; in
the lines 61 sepoys were re-vaccinated.
18. The general health and physique of the majority of
the men is good.
Ventilation
O v e r c r o w d i n g .
Accommodation and defects.
Improvements, requirements,
recommendations.
Conservancy.
100
A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
rainy season is full of water, and for some time after that season has terminated it con-
tains stagnant water. The supply is plentiful. There are no means of making any analysis
either at the hospital or in the station. Many of the men bring their drinking water from
the bazaar.
6. This is abundant and good, but remarkably dear. All kinds of vegetables are far too
expensive for the men to purchase them, and as a result most
of them when admitted into hospital are scorbutic.
The following were the average prices of grain pounds per rupee for the past year :—
Atta.
D a l l T u r .
Rice.
Ghee.
Salt.
First quality
. . .
. . .
. . . 25.25
30.75
20.33
2.
2 0 .
Second quality ...
...
... 26.41
31.66
23.16
2.08
27.
7. The boots do not fit them, and the leather is too hard, and in consequence after a march
in from Mhow there are numerous applicants for shoe leave,
some of the bites being very troublesome to heal. It would
be a great improvement if their boots were properly fitted to them and also that on certain
days the boots were inspected to see that they had properly oiled them.
8. The duties of the sepoys are very light here indeed. There is one guard, day and
night, at jail, one day guard at the Treasury, and another night
guard at the Presidency. The duties do not produce any ill
effects upon the men.
9. The only exercise the men have is their drill : as for amusement, none is provided
for them. There is no gymnasium here ; one is greatly
required.
Food.
Clothing.
Duties and their effects on
health.
Exercise and amusement and
occupation.
Lock-up rooms and cells.
10. These are large and well ventilated, but they are
seldom occupied.
11. The only marches are to Mhow : distance by road, 14½ miles ; these marches only
occur during the season for ball practice.
12. This is situated to the north of the lines at a 100 yards’ distance : it was built in
1873, and consists of a centre ward for eight patients ; four
corner-rooms, the two looking south being used as a surgery
and office, and the two north rooms as a bath-room and fever ward.
Marches.
Hospital and its surroundings.
Natural but excellent.
During the latter part of the monsoon and for a short
period after its termination it is overcrowded.
It will thus be seen that during the months of August
September, and October the accommodation is insufficient.
This might be remedied by building a new surgery and
office, and making the two rooms now used as such into
a portion of the ward.
The soil from the latrines is removed twice a day and
buried in the line pits.
Hospital water-supply.
The well, where the hospital water is taken from, is situated to the north of the hospi-
tal : the supply is ample. I believe it contains an excess of
lime salts.
NORTHERN DIVISION OF THE ARMY. 101
Sickness and mortality and in-
validing.
The following are the diseases that occurred in both
wings during the year :—
Disease.
25th Regiment
Native Light
Infantry.
23rd Regiment
Native Light
Infantry.
Syphilis, primary
...
...
...
....
3
3
„
secondary ...
.
.
. . . ..
. . .
1
. . .
Contusion, lower extremity
...
...
...
5
6
„
upper
,,
. ..
...
...
. . . . . .
7
Intermittent fever
...
...
...
...
20
55
Rheumatism
...
... ... . ..
2
7
Dysentery
...
,..
...
...
2
16
Diarrhœ a...
...
...
...
.. .
3
16
Acute synovitis
...
...
.. .
...
1
......
Scabies ...
...
...
...
...
1
9
Varicella ...
....
...
...
...
2
......
Colic
...
...
. ..
...
...
2
8
Wounds punctured ...
...
.. .
. . .
1
......
Pneumonia
...
...
...
...
2
......
Ophthalmia
...
. ...
. . .
.. .
1
2
Bronchitis
...
...
...
...
1
5
Abscess ...
...
...
...
. . .
2
6
Variola ...
...
...
...
. . .
1
......
S p rain ...
...
...
...
. . .
1
......
Gonorrhœa
... ...
...
...
......
5
Ulcers
...
...
... ...
...
......
2
Furunculus
...
...
...
...
2
5
Tineo tonsurans
...
...
...
...
......
1
Impetigo ...
...
...
...
...
......
1
Hernia ...
...
...
...
...
. . . . . .
1
Hordeolum
...
...
...
. . .
......
1
Hæmorrhoids
...
...
...
...
......
1
Pterygium
...
...
...
......
1
Condylomata
...
...
...
...
......
1
Totals...
5 3
159
There ware no deaths and no invaliding in either wing during the year.
14. The amount of rain that fell during the year was 36 inches 29 cents. Towards the
latter part of the rainy season the sickness was slightly
increased.
15. Cholera was prevalent in the city only. One case of variola appeared in the wing
of the 25th Regiment under Surgeon-Major Beaumont.
16. Is performed by the district vaccinator, who attends at the hospital when required.
There were 11 successful primary vaccinations : there were no
re-vaccinations.
17. The health of both detachments has been good : the men of the 23rd Regiment, who
have been enlisted for the last two or three years, bear no com-
parison with those who come from the northern stations ; they
are neither so robust nor so smart.
18. In nearly all the cases of diarrhœa and dysentery in the wing of the 23rd Regiment
the men were found to be scorbutic on admission, and not till
they were cured of this did the fluxes cease.
Influence of rainfall.
Epidemics.
Vaccination and re-vaccination.
General health and physique of
the men.
Treatment of disease when
special.
Special observations.
19. The number of sick are so few that there is no field
offered for any kind of special treatment.
Intermittent fever in both wings was the principal cause of illness ; the admissions
were one-third of the other ailments classed together. All the cases were treated by the
hypodermic injection of quinine, followed up by quinine administered internally by
mouth.
B 196—26
120
A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY
.
17. The regiment is in a very weak state at present, owing to the large number of
men who have suffered from fever, which leaves much pros-
General health and physique of tration and liability to recurrence as its sequlæ, unfitting a
the men.
man for service for from two to three months at least, and
even after this time exposure to cold at night invariably brings on a second attack with a
prolonged convalescence. Most of the men who have not suffered from fever are fine, well-
made men, and could march anywhere.
18. In the cases of fever described in a previous para., where a man was admitted with
vomiting and purging of ricewater character, with eyes sunken,
Treatment of disease when special.
.
violent cramps, and weak small pulse, the similarity to a case of
cholera was almost perfect; the only diagnostic sign, however, was that his skin was warm
instead of being cold and clammy. I found that an ounce and a half of castor-oil always re-
lieved and checked the symptoms ; violent fever setting in within six hours, which was
amenable to ordinary treatment. The turpentine treatment of typhoid fever was tried in the
only case that occurred ; but in spite of it the man died exhausted after severe hæmorrhage
from the bowels.
REMARKS BY DEPUTY SURGEON-GENERAL D. WYLLIE, M.D.
I did not see this regiment, as it had left for Delhi before I could have reached Nussee-
rabad ; the duties of the General Invaliding Committee retarded me, and thus that station re-
mained unvisited. It will be remarked that the corps suffered excessively from fever,
particularly during the latter months of the year, and that the type was far more than
ordinarily severe. It will be remembered also that a large number of the men were affected
with scurvy some two years ago at Mhow, the other native regiment there being then free.
The circumstances may possibly have no relation, as no scorbutus appears in the returns,
but they are sufficiently significant to claim a watchful attention to all that concerns sani-
tation and physical well-being, and in particular to the condition of the tank water-supply.
(In this report no mention of the numbers of the treated, invalided, &c., of the portion
of this regiment that was at Nusseerabad for November and December last, when the head-
quarters had marched to Delhi, is made.)
Principal causes of sickness and
mortality.
Mortality according to race.
Vaccination.
SIND DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
129
three foregoing diseases, as may be seen by the following, have increased considerably during
the last four years :—
1873.
1874.
1875.
1876.
Ague
...
...
...
...
. . .
315
247
425
572
Diarrhœa...
...
. . .
. . .
12
25
40
40
Dysentery
...
...
...
...
10
8
5
14
Boils, for which there were 58 admissions, occurred chiefly in the hot months, and were,
I believe, mostly scorbutic in their origin. Pneumonia has been the principal immediate
cause of deaths, 7 cases proving fatal out of 21 treated ; these occurred chiefly during the first
t hr ee mont hs of t he year . The ot her f at al cases wer e—2 pl eur i t i s, 2 of l ar daceous spl een, 2 of
diarrhœa, and 1 each of ague, valvular disease of the heart, tonsilitis, debility, ulcerated sore
throat, and remittent fever.
10. Malarious fevers are the principal cause of sickness,
and though not the immediate are also the primary cause of
mortality.
11. Of the 19 deaths 11 occurred in Hindus—the respect-
ive strength of Hindus and Mussulmans being 177 and 252.
12. Ten children and 87 recruits were vaccinated success-
fully.
13. The general health of the men during the year has been very bad. The physique
of those men whose constitutions are able to withstand the
repeated attacks of malarious fever, is excellent ; while, on the
other hand, many of them present a cachectic appearance
indicating a total unfitness for active service.
General health and physique of
the men.
Sind sore,
14. No cases of Sind sore have been treated since I took
over medical charge of the regiment on the 22nd November
1876.
REMARKS BY DEPUTY SURGEON-GENERAL F. G. JOYNT, M.D.
The numerous chest and throat affections are sufficiently accounted for by the dampness
of the lines; space and ventilation are ample, but no plinth exists ; floors are exceedingly
damp. The trees intended for shelter are languishing for want of water, which the engineer
fears to admit to the usual channels lest the lines should collapse from the increased
moisture near the foundations. Hospital visited 17th January 1877. Is very damp on account
of defective plinth. This should be of burnt brick and one foot or more high. Accommoda-
tion is insufficient ; another ward is being built, but this will not meet the requirements of
sickly season. Vaccination has been attended to.
Head-Quarter Wing H. M.'s 3rd Regiment Sind Horse.
MITTREE.—In medical charge of Surgeon C. W. MACRURY ;—strength, 258.7.
The regiment was stationed at Jacobabad till 4th April, when the head-quarter wing
marched into Khelat territory with the troops composing Major Sandeman's political
escort. The outbreak of cholera that occurred on the march in Cutchee and the Bolan Pass
I have already made the subject of a special report, which was printed by the Government
of India ; it is, therefore, unnecessary to refer to the subject here, except in a general
way regarding its origin and propagation. I am obliged to depart from the prescribed.
196—33