MILITARY DEPARTMENT, 18TH SEPTEMBER 1878, No. 4838.
Presidency Circle.—From the above Table and Return No. III, it will be observed
that in the Presidency Circle the chief admissions were, as in last year, due to
diseases of the digestive system. This class gave admission and death rates of
263.33 and 5.61 respectively per mille, against 299.12 and 3.23 in 1876. Dysentery,
diarrhœa and hepatitis, including hepatic abscess, form the chief diseases of this
group. Dysentery has been less prevalent than in previous year, but the death
rate from this cause is fractionally higher. Hepatitis, including hepatic abscess,
shows a decrease in admissions, an increase in deaths,—the ratios for 1877 and 1876
respectively being 48.64 and 2.81, against 59.17 and 1.85.
The admission rates under the febrile and constitutional groups are high ; so,
too, are those under the urinary system. All are in excess of the previous year.
Simple continued fever and febricula form the bulk of the cases recorded under the
febrile group, while venereal affections (syphilis and gonorrhœa) form the bulk
of the cases noted under the constitutional group and urinary system.
The admission rate for all diseases throughout the circle was 1306.36 and of
deaths 14.96 per mille,—the former being considerably in excess of the previous
year, the latter almost identical with it.
Mysore Circle.—In the Mysore Circle, the digestive group caused the highest
admission rate—232.49 per mille, which is less by 14.93 than in previous year. The
death rate (3.52) is less by 2.02. The admission rates for dysentery and hepatitis
are both in excess of the previous year,—the death rate for the former showing
a fractional increase, that for the latter a decided reduction, viz., 1.96 against 4.75
per mille.
Thirteen admissions and seven deaths were due to so-called enteric fever. In
previous year, no case is recorded. Twelve occurred at Bangalore and one at
Malliapooram. At Bangalore, the disease was restricted to the Cavalry and
Artillery. The 45th Regiment had not a single case. Admissions from syphilis
were greatly in excess of the previous year, the ratios for the two years being
114.28 and 49.88 respectively per mille. 246 cases of primary syphilis and 212 of
gonorrhœa are recorded against 54 and 106 respectively in 1876. There was
one death from primary syphilis in a man of 14th Hussars, Bangalore. Five
admissions and three deaths were due to cholera. In previous year, there were
none.
The total admission ratio for the circle was 895.89, the death ratio 13.70,—
both being in excess of the previous year.
Hyderabad Circle.—Compared with 1876, continued fevers show a reduction,
the admission ratios for the two years being 132.93 and 188.07 respectively per
mille. No death was due to this cause. Paroxysmal fevers are slightly increased
but caused no mortality. In enteric fever, there has been a reduction in both
admission and death rates. The admission and death rates for cholera (2.13 and
0.91 per mille) are identical with those of the previous year.
Admissions from diseases of the digestive system are slightly greater than in
1876, but the death rate was less. The admission and death rates for dysentery
are both less than in previous year. Diarrhœa was more prevalent but caused no
mortality, while hepatitis, including abscess of liver, shows an admission rate of
42.37 against 47.78 in 1876. The death rate (1.83) is almost identical. Syphilis
shows an increase, the ratios for the two years being 114.33 and 102.55 respec
-tively. 300 cases of primary syphilis and 307 of gonorrhœa are recorded against
243 and 375 in the previous year,—the ratio for primary syphilis exceeding that
of 1876 by 17.51, that for gonorrhœa showing a reduction of 20.61 per mille.
Diseases of the nervous and respiratory systems show satisfactory reductions,—the
admission and death rates for the former being 13.72 and 1.83 respectively, against
27.69 and 3.95 in the previous year. This decrease occurs in sunstroke and
neuralgia, there being but five admissions for the former and twenty for the latter,
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