PESHAWAR. DISTRICT.
133
tated state. There were 48 cases of dysentery during this year ; many of them occurred
while at camp Shergashi. There is a remarkable increase in the admissions from chest affec-
tions, more especially pneumonia; there was only 1 admission last year, whereas there are 1.1 this
year. There has been no particular severity in the weather to account for this increase. The
men had not to endure the same amount of exposure. They also have been equally well clad.
Most of the cases of pneumonia occurred in men who had suffered a good deal from fever ;
and to this cause I attribute the increase in the admissions, as well as the mortality from this
disease. The disease, except in , one case, was of an, asthenic type. There is a remarkable
freedom from venereal disease in. this. regiment. There have been only three cases of syphilis,
and no gonorrhœa. The other diseases have occurred in about the usual proportion.
XVII. Principal causes of mortality.—Fourteen men died in hospital during the year, and
4 out of hospital :—5 men died of pneumonia, 2 of bronchitis, 1 of apoplexy, 1 of acute mania,
1 of enteritis, 2 of dysentery, and 2 of ague. Four men died out of hospital :-1 of phthisis,
1 of ague, 1 of pneumonia, and 1 of heart disease. There is no record of such high mortality
in the regiment as occurred this year. The sickness and mortality among camp-followers have
been excessively severe. During the month of December scarcely a day occurred without one
or two deaths being reported. Most of them died of pneumonia.
Inspection.—The regiment was inspected at Peshawar on the 20th March
1878, and Deputy Surgeon-General Allen found the corps in good health, and its
medical establishments well equipped. The hospital assistants' quarters, like in
many other corps at Peshawar, were deficient in comfort and capacity.
Principal
causes of
mortality.
Inspection.
7th Regiment, Aatibe Infantry—Peshawar.
I. Medical Officer.—Surgeon A. G. Grant, M.B., has held medical charge
of the corps during the year.
II. Location and movements.—
The regiment has occupied the
left Native Infantry lines and has
furnished the usual detachments
to the Doaba outposts at inter-
v a l s t h r o u g h o u t t h e y e a r .
IV. Meteorology.—No rain fell
during the last 4½ months of the
year. There was a tremendous flood
on 18th August, 10½ inches of rain
having fallen on that day. A few
days afterwards the admissions
from ague began to increase, and
went up steadily from 15 during
last week in August to 81 during
the last week in September, as
compared with 6 and 14 during the corresponding weeks of last year, no rain having fallen
during August 1877.
VII. Conservancy and latrines. —Moveable latrines on wheels are still in use in connection
with the trench system, which works well ; but frequent inspections are necessary, else the
trenches are very likely to be made too wide and too deep, to save the trouble of moving the
latrines over fresh ground daily.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1873
. Jullundur, March 1872 .
196.
1.7
5.8
1874
.
Ditto
.
.
.
129.1
. 4 2
4.9
1875
.
Dtito
.
.
.
188.77
1.7
5.93
1876
. Peshawar, Feb. 1876 .
351.42
1.3
7.58
1877
.
Ditto .
.
.
.
206.13
1.28
5.04
Average
.
214.28
1.28
5.85
1878
. Peshawar
.
.
.
286.93
4.12
6.06
Medical
Officer.
Location and
movements.
Meteorology.
Conservancy
and latrines.
VIII. Water-supply. —The water-supply is as described in former reports. The arrange-
ments for the new supply (referred to at page 183 of Report for 1873) are now, however, nearly
completed, so that an abundant supply of excellent water will soon be available. The water is
taken from the Barn River at a point about 7 miles south of cantonments, and is carried in an
under-ground masonry channel to a large settling tank, about 12 feet deep, close to the " Bara
Fort," where the water will be allowed to settle for four days, only the upper 8 feet of water being
taken to cantonments, the lower 4 feet containing the sediment will be carried back to the river by
a separate channel lower down. The tank has five partitions, each of which will be sufficient for
a day's supply, one partition being emptied while another is being filled. From the settling
tank the water is carried under the road in a channel of concrete masonry, air shafts being
built at every half mile for ventilation. Just outside the station, surrounded by high walls, are
the filter beds and service rerservoir, from which the water will soon be distributed throughout
cantonments by means of iron pipes.
Deputy Surgeon-General S. C. Townsend, writing on the subject, remarks as follows :—
" The new water-works are, I regret to say, now at a standstill, and there is every probabi-
lity that the garrison of Peshawar will continue dependent on its present impure and unpro-
tected sources of supply throughout the current year."
I1
Water supply.