SIND DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
135
without stockings and without greasing his feet. Indeed, I cannot conceive why the native
soldier should not be accustomed to do without shoes in the plains, and to use sandals only
when marching in the hills or over rough ground instead of the unsatisfactory boots with
which he is generally provided ; if accustomed to serve without shoes, nature would furnish
a hard and horny substitute on the soles of his feet.
3. For general remarks regarding the prevalence of diarrhœa and the effects of cold on
Effects of climate.
the health of the men, I may refer to the annual report of my
own regiment, the 3rd Sind Horse. These remarks apply equally
to the men of this wing, who were subject to the same climatic influences as the rest of the
force. Troops serving in these parts should Always be hutted if possible, as the daily range of
temperature is very great : the sickness of the men was chiefly due to vicissitudes of climate.
4. It will be observed that this wing suffered severely from cholera in comparison with
the mounted portion of the force, and the cause, in my opinion,
may be attributed to the predisposing effects of fatigue from
long marches on constitutions enervated and undermined by the malarious climate of Upper
Sind. The infantry soldier expends more energy than the cavalry soldier in marching under
similar circumstances, and is therefore more liable to be attacked and succumb from disease.
5. The admissions during the last nine months were 415: of these 102 were from ague
alone. Next in order of frequency were contusions of the lower
extremity or shoe-bites, diarrhœa, cholera, dysentery and boils ;
the outbreak of cholera in Cutchee and the Bolan Pass was the subject of a special report
in May last. The deaths were 23 : of these 21 occurred from cholera out of 33 admissions, 1
died of pneumonia, and 1 from diarrhœa, of whom 17 were Hindus and 6 Mahomedans.
Report of an outbreak of Cholera amongst the Troops forming Major Sandeman's escort en route
to Quetta in April 1876.—By Surgeon MACRURY, 3rd Sind Horse, and Surgeon DUKE, in,
civil charge of the Khelat mission.
On the 4th of April Major Sandeman and escort marched from Jacobabad to Rojhan, a
distance of 12 miles, and halted there. Rojhan is a small hamlet lying on the border of
Khelat territory. The strength of the troops and camp followers was as under :—
•
Corps.
Strength.
Remarks.
4th Punjab Cavalry
...
Fighting men ...
102
Followers
...
129
3 r d S i n d H o r s e . . . . . . Fighting men ...
241
Followers
249
T n
rai
. .
.
Mountain Train
Fighting men ...
58
Followers
19
4th Sikh Infantry
...
. . .
Fighting men
...
282
Followers
...
95
30th N. I. Jacob's Rifles
Fighting men ...
225
Followers
84
Punjab Police
...
...
...
. . .
21
Total...
. . .
1,505
2. The health of the troops at that time was apparently good. The Punjab portion of
the escort had arrived at Jacobabad on the 2nd April, and was then in perfect health, having
marched from Dehra Gazi Khan in 14 days, a distance of about 220 miles. On the evening of
the 5th the force marched on Kunda, a distance of 35 miles across the Cutchee desert, and,
with the exception of a few shoe-bites, the health of the men did not appear to have suffered
from the exertion involved in traversing such a long distance. At Kunda the drinking water
was derived from a large tank, which had been filled about ten days before by a mountain
torrent, and for the convenience of the troops a neighbouring field near the camp had been
flooded from it. On the morning of the 7th the troops arrived at Mukkun Beyla, distant from
Kunda about 16 miles. The village of Kassim ke Joke, recently plundered by the Brahoes,
is one mile distant from Mukkum Beyla; the possible bearing of this fact will be afterwards
noticed.
3. On the 8th the troops arrived at Bagh, a town situated on the Nari river and dis-
tant from Mukkum Beyla 22 miles ; here we halted on the 9th. A considerable body of the
Khan's troops, about 900 strong, were also encamped at this place. The drinking water was
obtained from pools left in the more or less dried up bed of the Nari river ; some of those
Cholera.
Sickness and mortality.