Hospital.
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding.
22 MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL,
XIV. Hospital.—Hospital accommodation both at Cawnpore and Meean Meer has been
efficient. As in previous years the comfort of the men has been much increased by the use of
door-chicks and jhamps, or chicks to the verandah openings. At Meean Meer, the zenana com-
pounds to the hospital assistants' quarters have been completed since the last report. The
Government blankets are found very useful, and razais supplied regimentally are also kept in
stock.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding. —Strength of the regiment :—
Present
.
. .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. 398.4
Absent . . . . .
. .
. .
.
.
57.0
Total
.
455.4
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Daily
average number
of sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
Admis- sions. Deaths.
Admis- s i o n s . Deaths.
Daily
average sick.
Head-quarters, Cawnpore . 1st Jan. 1878 18th Oct. 1878
273.7 329
5
13.1 120.20 1.82 4.78
Ditto,
line of march. 18th Oct.
„
7th Nov. „
Ditto,
Meean Meer . 7th Nov.
„
31st Dec. „
2nd Squadron at Jhansi and
on line of march.
14th Jan. „ 30th Nov. „ 130.5 129 ...
3.5 112.38 . . .
2.68
Troop at Mooltan . . 11th Nov.
„
31st Dec. „
85.8
6
. . .
1.4 50.02 ...
1.63
TOTAL . .
...
...
398.4 464
5 16.8 116.46 1.25 4.21
Number of deaths in hospital 5; out of hospital 2; total
7; per cent. of total strength . .
1.54
„
invalided
. . . . . .
8;
„ „
. .
1.75
„
sent on sick leave . . . . . .
10; „
„
. .
2.11
„
of days spent in hospital 6,150; per admission . 13.25; per man of total strength . . 13.51
„ „
on sick leave 1,656 ; per man . 165.6 ; „
„
. .
3.63
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
. . 17.14
Principal
causes of
sickness.
Remarks.
Inspection.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness. —Of t h e 8 c a s e s i n v a l i d e d f o r d i s c h a r g e f r o m t h e
service, rheumatic affections accounted for 5, general debility 1, heart disease 1, and deaf-
ness 1. Of cases sent to their homes for change of air, 3 were on account of 15 a. Ague,
2 for chronic rheumatism, 1 for spinal meningitis, 1 each for dyspepsia, dysentery, conges-
tion of the spleen, and general debility. Two deaths occurred amongst these cases : 1 from
diarrhœa, apparently contracted from errors in diet whilst travelling by rail. The other case
was reported to be due to cholera. The patient, a jemadar of long service, was proceeding to
his home on medical certificate, having suffered a good deal from chronic rheumatism. He
was attacked with cholera whilst staying in the serai at Gwalior, and died after a few hours'
illness.
XVIII. Epidemics. —Small-pox showed itself amongst the camp-followers very early in the
year, 3 cases occurring during the third week of January. Between that time and the end
of May, 19 cases occurred amongst the camp-followers, 2 amongst the men of the regiment,
and 1 amongst some visitors to one of the officers of the regiment; the latter case being
apparently imported from the Central Provinces. The cases amongst the camp-followers
were all removed to the city hospital for treatment. The two cases amongst the men were
treated in an unserviceable tent close to the hospital. One case terminated fatally after a few
days' illness, the pustules being large, flat and unhealthy looking, and confluent. Two mild
cases of measles also occurred amongst the camp-followers.
XXI. Remarks. —Though the admissions for the year have been high, still the health of
the regiment has, on the whole, been satisfactory. The recruits received have been good; they
are, as a rule, sons or relations of men in the regiment. A good many men enlisted in the
mutiny times are beginning to be a deal aged; and in the course of the next few years a good
many will have to be invalided.
Inspection.—The inspection of the regiment took place at Cawnpore on the
12th March 1878. Deputy Surgeon-General Adley expresses himself as satisfied
with the medical arrangements.