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MILITARY DEPARTMENT, 19TH AUGUST 1881, No. 4447.
DRAINAGE.
During the year, the nuisance created by the drainage of the town at Madras has been
greatly abated by the construction of a high-level sewer into which the sewage of the drain is
pumped, eventually being delivered into the sea. At Thayetmyo, the environs of the Infantry
barracks have been greatly improved by surface drainage. At Bangalore, surface channels have
also been constructed for the compound of the Cavalry barracks, and the Damloor Tank there
has been partially bunded ; an attempt to drain the marsh on the north side of the tank was
also made. At Bellary, the surface drainage of the Infantry barrack is reported to be badly
laid, and unequal in capacity to the carrying off of the rainfall, some of which lodges. The
drainage of the surface of the environs of the Infantry barrack at Rangoon is reported to be
quite insufficient ; there are swampy hollows and in the wet season at times communication
between one block of buildings and another is difficult. At Secunderabad, the marshy hollows
near the entrenchment barracks are supposed to affect the health of the troops there injuriously.
House Drainage.—At Secunderabad, cesspits to catch the drainage from the married
quarters and wash-houses are in use; these are subsequently imperfectly emptied by carts.
The system is strongly condemned. It is believed that drains with a suitable outfall have been
sanctioned.
COOKING.
The means for cooking are not of a uniform kind ; the ordinary native vessels are used
most commonly ; in addition to these, coppers or a modification of them are used at others;
ranges are used at a few places. The reports do not notice unfavorably any of the systems for
preparing the food of the men, though one medical officer would prefer a range to the ordinary
native fireplaces. Attention has been paid to the periodical tinning of the cooking vessels.
The cook-houses themselves are often reported to be smoky, and it is known that they are
dirty.
During the year, a new cook-house was provided for the battery of Royal Artillery at
Thayetmyo, and at the same place, an improved arrangement for the fireplaces in the substitu
-tion of iron stands for brick work was made in the cook-houses of the Infantry barrack.
RATIONS.
No change took place in the composition of the ration during the year ; the notices are
nearly always favorable as regards the quality of the articles composing it. An exception is in
the instance of Thayetmyo, where fresh vegetables were scarce, and for a time the supply ceased
altogether. It should also be noted that the meat ration at this station is said to have been
greatly superior to that issued in the preceding year.
WATER SUPPLY.
As regards this vital subject in connexion with the preservation of health, the reports from
all the stations are favorable save two, in which contingent exceptions are made, and one, in
which very decided ground is taken for the necessity of a supply from a fresh source. The
horrible nature of the drainage which enters the tank or lake from which is taken indirectly
the water-supply of the garrison at Bangalore is again pointed out ; but no evidence whatever
is given, no assertion even is made, of observed ill consequences attending its use. The
medical officer in charge of the Infantry barracks at Rangoon reports that the numerous wells
there were badly looked after ; that the walls of some of them had partially fallen in ; that surface
drainage entered some ; and that one well was placed too near (only nineteen yards from) a latrine
in use, which in former days was perhaps a cesspit privy. He reports that certain measures,
such as the providing of top covers for, and the numbering of, the wells, had been undertaken
on his representations ; but in his opinion the purity of the water in the wells was still not
sufficiently protected against danger.
Kamptee.—The occurrence of an epidemic of enteric fever at this station in the summer of
the year under notice, nearly the entire incidence of which was amongst the men of the Infantry
there, and in them amongst the teetotallers or the water-drinkers of their number, could not
fail to arouse suspicion respecting the quality of the water used by those attacked. It was found
that in addition to the drinking-water drawn from a well in a protected situation, and filtered
at the well before passing into the reservoir tank, owing to the limited supply of the best water
another well was set apart for cooking and other purposes. As follows unfailingly whenever
two sources of water-supply of different qualities are permitted, in time the injunctions restricting
the inferior water to certain uses only were forgotten or were disregarded ; the cooking-well
water at Kamptee, being near the recreation room where only the teetotallers of the regiment
assembled, was used by them. On analysis, the water from this well was found to be conta
-minated with organic matter, supposed from the amount of chlorine also found in it to be of
animal origin. The correctness of this was disputed by another analyst—a good chemist—and
the facts in the case were differently interpreted by him ; but the second analysis was only made
alter the well had received a very large quantity of rain water, and the facts of the outbreak