MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL,
Department through the Pay Master's Office of the expeditionary force. On the 10th of
July, a similar supply was received in two baskets packed in straw, the bottom of bottles
upwards and exposed to view. On the morning of the 11th at 8 A.M., an inspection of
the regiment was held at hospital, and some 90 men (of the 9th Bengal Cavalry and 10th
Bengal Lancers) were picked out to receive lime-juice. To each man so selected about half
an ounce was given, mixed with an equal quantity of water. The parade was dismissed,
and the men went to their lines. In the course of about 20 minutes, two men were brought
back to hospital foaming at the mouth, vomiting, and in great pain, and a report was made
that all who had that day taken lime-juice were in a similar state. A reference to the
bottles from which the lime-juice was said to have been given at once shewed that 2¼ bottles
had been expended, of which the first from a previous stock contained lime-juice, a second
from the new supply, similar in appearance in every respect and unlabelled, had contained
Burnett's fluid, and a third from which ¼ had been used also contained poison, but was
labelled. A subsequent examination of the baskets in which the supposed lime-juice had
been received, proved that there were still 10 ordinary beer bottles filled with fluid which
had the appearance of lime-juice, but which afterwards turned out to be poison, all unlabelled
except one. In a very short space of time all the men who were suffering were brought
to hospital, and with the assistance of other medical officers remedies were at once applied.
The number poisoned was 48, viz ., 31 of' the 9th Bengal Cavalry and 17 belonging to the
10th Bengal Lancers. The symptoms varied in intensity in different individuals, but as a
general rule, they were of much the same character in all, and commenced in about 20 minutes
after the poison was taken. At first there was great burning and pain in the epigastrium,
with vomiting, foaming at the mouth, and vertigo, succeeded by intense thirst, syncope, &c.
The face became very pale, the eyes blood-shot, pupils contracted, pulse very small, and the
heart's action feeble. The treatment at first consisted in encouraging sickness, chiefly by
mustard and hot water, and as soon as this had been effected, raw eggs, magnesia, milk, soda
-water and coffee were freely administered, and it is calculated that all had received remedies,
on an average, within half an hour of being poisoned. Subsequently large quantities of milk
and soda-water were obtained, and these were freely given to the unfortunate sufferers to
relieve their intense thirst. At 10 A.M., or in about two hours after the poison had been taken,
the most severe primary effects in many had subsided; but in some 8 or 10 cases the depressing
effects of the poison were most marked, and it was feared that many of these would at once
terminate fatally from collapse. In these cases the pulse was almost imperceptible and often
intermittent, the pupils were contracted, the skin cold with clammy sweats, and there was
partial insensibility. Mustard poultices and frictions were used, and brandy, chloric ether,
ammonia and other stimulants were administered. Indeed, during the whole day, to these as
well as to all others, stimulants were given in some form or other, and anodynes were also
exhibited to relieve pain. Purging in five or six cases, with blood, was noticed between four
and five hours after the poison was taken. At 2 P.M. there was a marked improvement in all
those who, earlier in the day, were in a state of semi-collapse, and at 6 P.M. all were able to
converse and answer questions freely. Many, however, were still very weak and vomiting
continually, blood in five or six cases; others were still complaining of intense thirst and great
burning pains in the esophagus and stomach. None, however, mentioned any pain in the
mouth, nor was there in any case any indication of the mouth having been affected by the
poison. In the evening morphia was subcutaneously injected over the epigastrium in 18 cases
with marked beneficial effect both in allaying pain and in arresting vomiting. The treatment
by palliatives and anodynes was continued during the next day. Many had recovered from
the more urgent primary effects of the poison, but others were still very sick and were passing
blood by the bowels; and some five or six cases were still very ill. On the 13th there was a
marked improvement in the appearance of all, including the worst cases. The countenance,
which before had exhibited an appearance of great pain and anxiety, was more natural, the
skin was cool, the pulse less frequent, and the pupils acted freely. Many, however, were still
suffering from purging and vomiting, and nearly all complained of burning pains behind the
sternum and in the epigastrium. Very little medicine was used except anodynes, and no food
was given except milk, soda-water and ice, until the evening, when several partook of a small
quantity of sago. On the 14th, most of the sufferers were sitting up and cheerful, and were
able to take small quantities of light diet of sago, arrowroot and soup. And between the 22nd
and 26th, 17 were discharged who were able to eat their own food and who had apparently got
over the effects of the poison. At the end of the month there were still 13 under treatment,
and of these 5 were thin, weak and anæmic, and were unable to retain or digest anything
but a very small amount of light farinaceous food, and they occasionally passed blood by the
bowels. At the end of August, there were 5 cases still under treatment, and 2 of those which
had previously been discharged were re-admitted in consequence of wasting, occasional sick
-ness, pain in the epigastrium and inability to take proper food. At the end of September
there were 4 cases of poisoning in hospital, and 4 re-admissions from the same cause. On
the 3rd October, 1 man died from inanition. The regiment embarked for India on the 4th,
and 2 cases of poisoning died during the voyage. They were mere skeletons. Very little
food, of the small quantity retained, was either digested or absorbed, in consequence probably
of extensive ulceration or destruction of mucous membrane, and indeed one of these was kept
alive for three weeks solely by the use of injections into the bowel. In neither case could a
post-mortem examination be made. Since the arrival of the regiment in India there has been
no further mortality; and at the end of the year, of the 28 remaining cases, 15 were appa-