83
NORTHERN DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
Febricula and ague gave, respectively, 17 and 159 admissions, against 6 and 204 in the
previous year; remittent fever gave 4 admissions, 2 of which terminated fatally, against 2
cases only in 1875. Cholera gave 3 admissions, with 2 deaths; there were no cases in the
previous year. Rheumatic affections gave 64 admissions, against 53 in 1875. Syphilis
shows an increase of 3 cases. Scurvy gave 29 cases, against 5 in the previous year. Conjunc-
tivitis gave 11 admissions only, against 29 last year. Disease of the respiratory organs
gave 48 admissions, of which 1 case of pneumonic phthisis terminated fatally, against
20 cases, of which 2 of pneumonic phthisis and 1 of pleurisy died, in the previous year.
There were 29 admissions for dysentery, being 12 more than last year. Diarrhœa gave 3
cases less. Contusion gave 37 admissions—32 being of the lower extremity, against 59, of
which 40 were of the lower extremity in 1875. The case of gunshot wound of the lower
extremity was a slight one; a man received a few pellets of small shot in one of his legs
during some gymkhana sports. Of the 7 deaths, 2 were from cholera; 1 took place in June
in eight hours, the other in July after four days' illness; of the remaining 5, 1 took place in
January from remittent fever, accompanied with severe head and lung complication. One
occurred in July from congestive apoplexy; a second case of remittent fever died in
August; a case of melancholia died in September, and one of pneumonic phthisis in the
same month. Twenty-six men obtained sick leave during the year, 16 of them on account of
scurvy. Thirty-four men were sent before the invaliding committee at Ahmedabad in Novem
-ber; of these 24 men received pension, 2 were discharged with gratuity, and 2 without, and
6 were remanded to the regiment. Nineteen out of the 34 were hospital cases; of these 4
were remanded, There were, therefore, 28 men invalided in November, and 1 native officer,
by special committee, in August, or 29 during the year. One man was discharged by court
-martial during the year, and 1 man deserted.
Principal causes of sickness.
13. The bad climates of Dwárka and Burda Chokey are
reported to contribute largely to the sick return both by ague
and scurvy.
14. Cholera caused 2 deaths; 2 more were due to remittent fever; a fifth was caused
by apoplexy; a sixth by phthisis; all these terminated within a
short period 1 to 5 days after admission, and may be put down
to local causes. The sixth death was from melancholia, after an illness of more than seven
months.
Principal causes of mortality.
Mortality according to race.
15. Of the 7 men who died, 6 were Hindus from the
Konkan; the seventh was a Hindustani Mussulman.
1 6 . T h e r a i n f a l l , w h i c h w a s 1 9 i n c h e s 6 4 c e n t s , s o m e w h a t b e l o w t h e a v e r a g e , d o e s
not appear to have had any particular effects on the health of
the men.
17. Cholera appeared in cantonments on the 27th April. The first case occurred in the
lines on the 27th April; when a woman was attacked and died,
and a sepoy was attacked on the 30th and recovered. Five cases
in all occurred, of which 3 were amongst the fighting-men, 2 of whom died; the third recovered.
One of those who died was reported to have recovered from two previous attacks of the
disease; of the 2 women attacked, one died, the other recovered. The first case occurred on
the 27th April, the last on the 16th July. There were no cases of small-pox during the
year.
1 8 . T h e h e a l t h a n d g e n e r a l a p p e a r a n c e o f t h e m e n a p p e a r g o o d ; t h o s e w h o h a v e
been on detachment duty are the only ones who seem to have
suffered much from climatic causes.
19. The average daily number of sick during the past year shows a slight increase over
that in the two previous ones; the percentage of treated to
strength is somewhat higher than in 1875, but considerably
below that of 1874. The percentage of mortality, even including 2 cases of cholera, is a
little below that of last year; excluding the cholera mortality, it is a little above that in
1874. The general health of the regiment appears to have been fair; those who were on
detachment duty at Burda Chokey and Dwárka suffered from ague and scurvy. Cholera made
its appearance on three occasions, attacking three men, and proving fatal to two of them.
The lines are well situated and laid out, and the huts roomy and comfortable. The hospital
accommodation is good. The water-supply is good and apparently sufficient. Food is
abundant, but rather dear; fruit and vegetables scarce. The duties of the men are light.
Influence of rainfall.
Epidemics.
General health and physique of
the men.
Resumé of the whole.
Instruction of medical pupil.
20. The medical pupil has been instructed, as a rule,
three times a week.