110
A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
causation of cholera or typhoid, as the same and almost average amount produced very
different effects ; thus—
Rainfalls compared :—
Inches.
Cents.
In 1875
...
...
...42
66 (Cholera.)
In 1876
...
. . .
...42
76 (No cholera, but typhoid fever up to Novem-
ber, when the regiment left for Delhi.)
The following table shows the varying levels of the sub-soil water in different parts of
camp. It will be noticed that the wells in the lower part of camp, near the bazaar and Cavalry
lines (these include the old Royal Artillery lines, which are within a few yards of the Cavalry,)
fall and rise much more markedly than the wells near the European barracks and on the
different parade-grounds. These last are excavated in the trap ; whereas the bazaar, Cavalry
and old Artillery wells are on a much lower level, and in the beds and course of the natural
underground streams which feed them. The platform of trap tufa, on which the European
barracks are built, retains, in fact, the water more ; but the wells are less fed from underground
springs than the ones situated on a lower level near the bazaar. The differences are so great
that the total direct rainfall (44 inches) is but a feeble factor in the rise and fall, except in
the rock platforms. The other wells are all locally fed by underground percolation or springs.
In years of drought (below 25 inches of rain) almost all the wells, save those near or in
the river run dry. That the rainfall has apparently nothing to do with cholera is apparent
from the fact, above noted, that with a precisely similar and almost average fall of rain
(inches 42.76). we have had none, whereas in 1875 (42 inches 66 cents) we had a very
severe form of the disease.
RETURN of Observation made at 3rd Queen’s Own Regiment, Bombay Light Cavalry Hospital,
at the Station of Neemuch, to ascertain the Mean Level of the Sub-Soil Water for each
month of the Monsoon 1876.
Distance of Water-level from the surface.
Date and hour of measurement.
R a i n f a l l f r o m l a s t d a t e o f m e a s u r e m e n t .
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
W e l l n e a r e a s t e r n r i v e r - b e d .
C a v a l r y M u s j e e d W e l l .
R e g i m e n t a l B a z a a r W e l l .
C o w a s j e e ' s We l l .
E d d g a We l l .
M h o w R o a d W e l l .
H o s p i t a l W e l l .
N e a r o l d b a r r a c k w e l l .
H o s p i t a l 6 8 t h R e g i - m e n t W e l l .
P a t c h e r r y 6 8 t h R e g i - m e n t We l l .
R e g i m e n t W e l l o n t h e p a r a d e g r o u n d 2 4 t h N . I .
I. C. F. I. F. I. F. I. F. I. F. I. F. I. F. I. F. I. F. I. F. I. F. I.
Before the rains–
0 9 15 6 31 1 32 6 38 11 21 9 21 0 21 11 18 6 18 1 22 4 12
4
20th June 1876, 6 a.m ... ...
After first fall (26th June)–
16 19 14 1 28 6 29 6 29 5 20 3 19 8 19 0 14 4 15 1 18 1 11 1
15th July 1876, 6 a.m.
.. ..
15th August 1876, 6 a.m.
.. 10 32 10 1 19 8 17 2 17 6 10 0 9 0 18 0 12 9 8 0 13 8 8
8
15th September 1876, 6 a.m. .. 16 16 4 1 4 1 3 8 4 0 4
2 5 5 4 5 3 5 3 8 3 3 4 1
15th October 1876, 6 a.m. .. .. ..
5 4 5 3 4 6 6 3 5 3
6 3 5 6 4 2 4 2 4 4 5 3
Total . . 42 76
12. In the regiment there was no epidemic, at least no death (although almost con-
Epidemics.
tinued fever accompanied by diarrhœa was not uncommon)
from the typhoid which prevailed in the Royal Artillery close
to this regiment.
A typhoid, however, of an undeniably characteristic and severe type (thermometric range,
ulceration of small intestine, rash infection, &c.,) appeared in the Battery Royal Artillery
close to the regiment.
Upwards of 9 cases died * (one an attendant on his comrade), being nearly half of the
cases. In consultation with the senior medical officer, British Troops, it was recommended
that the healthy men should be transferred to the nearly finished new barracks of the Royal
Artillery, and the sick treated in tents. All the men had come from one single barrack only,
and used the same latrine, in which the pans leaked.† The battery had not been long in the
station, however. The disease seems to have been imported (?). The malady also soon ceased
to spread. A suspicious and fatal case of remittent fever, with ulceration of the cæcum, &c.,
occurred in the Native Infantry Regiment.
* Up to the time when this regiment left for Delhi (November 9th).
† This bare fact will scarcely account for the origin of the fever. The latrines of the Royal Artillery were
too close to the barracks. Besides, some cases were admitted from the patcherries.