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A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
REMARKS BY DEPUTY SURGEON-GENERAL W. G. HUNTER, M.D.
Visited the hospital several times, and made a thorough inspection once since June—
the date on which I assumed office. The conservancy of the hospital is very satisfactory.
Immediately behind the hospital are the lines, and immediately behind them is the Sonapore
district of the native town, one of the most unhealthy of places. The medical officer at
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tributes the frequency of the typhoid state noticed in connection with remittent fever to the
vicinity of the Sonapore outlet drain, and the seriously defective state of the drainage of the
neighbourhood,
Right Wing, H. M.'s 7th Regiment N. I.
TANNA.—In medical charge of Surgeon J. W . CLARKSON; average strength, 276.
The military force stationed at Tanna consists at present of a wing of the 7th Regiment
N . I . , a n d i t s d u t y h e r e i s c h i e f l y a m i l i t a r y g u a r d o v e r t h e j a i l . T h i s w i n g h a s b e e n s t a t i o n e d
here for the past four years, and there have been no movements since its arrival. The average
strength for the year has been 276 of all castes.
2 . T h e w i n g h a s b e e n e x c e p t i o n a l l y h e a l t h y , a n d t h i s i s , p e r h a p s , o w i n g t o t h e s u p e r i o r
description of quarters in which the men are lodged, and to the
excellent system of drainage now existing in the lines.
3 . T h e w a t e r - s u p p l y t o t h e r e g i m e n t i s b y m e a n s o f w e l l s , f i v e o f w h i c h a r e w i t h i n l i n e s ,
and two on the maidan beyond; the water is average fair drink
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ing water, but the supply runs short in April. Three new wells
have been sunk within the lines.
4. The duties in the detachment have been light, and, consist, of guards over the jail,
and the necessary drills and parades. Each man obtains a little
over four nights in bed in the week; these duties have ex
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cised a favourable influence on their general health.
5. There were 122 admissions and 49 re-admissions into hospital from all causes during
the year. The principal disease was malarious fevers, of which
69 cases were admitted, and 22 re-admitted, making a total of 91,
as compared with 143 registered last year. No case of unusual interest occurred during the
year. There were 3 deaths—1 from apoplexy, 1 from small-pox, and the third from aneurism;
the latter occurred out of hospital, the patient suddenly dying in the lines.
6. There were 24 cases of small-pox admitted into hospital, viz., 7 sepoys, 5 females,
11 children, and 1 follower, of whom 22 recovered and 2 died
—
1 of the latter being a sepoy, the other a child. Each case
of small-pox on its admission was isolated and treated in a separate room or unserviceable
tent; the clothing of each patient was destroyed by burning, his hut in the lines was dis
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infected and fumigated by sulphurous acid gas and white-washed with lime, the floor was dug
to one foot in depth and re-made, and it remained uninhabited for several weeks before it was
re-occupied. Every other precaution was taken to prevent the spread of the disease, with
satisfactory results. Each case could be distinctly traced to infection from the town of Tanna,
where small-pox assumed a severe epidemic form. There were 4 cholera cases (viz., 3
females and 1 follower); all did well.
General health.
Water-supply.
Sickness and mortality.
Epidemics.
Vaccination.
7. Vaccination has been carried on regularly; 35 cases
were vaccinated during the year.
REMARKS BY DEPUTY SURGEON-GENERAL W. G. HUNTER, M.D.
Inspected the hospital of Right Wing 7th Regiment N. I., Tanna, in November 1876,
and the lines in January 1877. The wing had been stationed at Tanna about four years; its
health was good, though the men are reported to have fallen off in physique. There had
been 49 re-admissions out of a strength of 276. The want of accommodation for 2nd class
hospital servants was much complained of. There had been an epidemic of small-pox in the
lines, which had spread from the town; 24 persons had been attacked, and 2 died—one a
sepoy and the other a child. The lines are well built and drained. The construction of the
new ones being very good, and the ridge ventilation giving the new ones an advantage in this
respect over the old.