MILITARY DEPARTMENT, 18TH SEPTEMBER 1878, No. 4838.
Of specific enteric fever, pythogenic in its origin, there is not a single case in
the above enumeration.
These cases are given in detail in my published report, paragraph 22,
page 25.
Of seven cases recorded in the 14th Hussars, Bangalore, the officer in medical
charge remarks— "I am utterly at a loss to account for the occurrence of enteric fever.
The sanitary condition of the barracks, latrines, urinals, &c., is to all appearance
satisfactory. The food is good, the greatest care taken of the men, the water
carefully filtered, and there is but little intemperance. All the post mortem
examinations reveal the same destructive lesions of the intestines, and all have
enlarged spleens. Whether any connection can be established, I don't know. The
mesenteric glands are all diseased, and yet the pathognomonic spots are conspicuous
by their absence. I thought that possibly the milk might have been the source,
but I have examined it frequently without discovering impurities." In fact, the
specific causes of a specific disease were absent.
I have carefully examined the records in these cases, and with the following
result. , viz. :—
2 were cases of heat fever and apoplexy.
1 A case of febricula.
1 Irregular remittent.
1 Continued fever, non-specific.
1 Uncertain—nothing to show that it was specific.
1 If enteric, the case is shown to have arisen from non-specific causes.
Four of the cases above enumerated occurred after the commencement of my
published report, and are therefore omitted from that work ; but such particulars
as are available are noted in the accompanying appendix.
Five admissions and four deaths from enteric fever occurred in the Royal Artillery
at Bangalore. The officer in medical charge was unable to trace the attacks to
any specific cause.
I have carefully examined the records in these cases, and with the following
result, viz.:—
1 Heat apoplexy.
1 Adynamic, non-specific.
1 Typho-malarial from endemic influences.
1 Ardent fever passing into heat apoplexy.
1 Ardent fever passing into irregular remittent.
All the cases but one are given in my published report. The one omitted
forms part of the accompanying appendix.
Three cases, said to be of this disease, were recorded at Bellary, viz., two in 43rd
Regiment and one in the Royal Artillery—the latter proved fatal. The officer in
medical charge, 43rd Regiment, offers no remarks as to the cause of these two
attacks. Concerning them, the Principal Medical Officer of the circle writes—"The
cause could not be ascertained. It is not supposed that there were any conditions
in or near barracks which could have given rise to it."
I have carefully investigated the records of these cases, and find that they are
so indefinitely described in the case books that only one thing is rendered certain,
viz., that neither were cases of specific enteric fever ; one might have been a case of
mild remittent, the other irregular intermittent.
Both cases are recorded in my published report, paragraph 24, pages 38 and
39. The solitary case recorded in the Royal Artillery at this station is given in
my published report. As in the cases noted in 43rd Regiment so in this, no cause
for the attack is assigned. I am of opinion that this case was undoubtedly one of
ardent fever.
A single case occurred at St. Thomas' Mount in a man of the Royal Artillery,
and was not entered as enteric fever until after death. It appeared to be a case of
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