180
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL,
Medical
Officers.
Location and
movements.
Topography, &c.
Meteorology
and climate.
Lines, bar-
racks and
huts.
Drainage
Conservancy
and latrines.
Water-sup-
Ply.
32nd (Punjab) Regiment, native Infantry (pioneers.)—Quetta.
I. Medical Officers.—Surgeon H. K. McKay has had medical charge of the
regiment during the year,
and Surgeon H. Hamilton
has been attached for duty.
II. Location and movements.—
The regiment was on the march
to Quetta at the beginning of the
year, and arrived there on the
23rd January. On the 20th No-
vember it marched out of Quetta
with the Quetta Field Force, and
on the 31st December was in the
Gwajah Pass, Afghanistan.
III. Topography, &.c.—T h e
t o w n
of Quetta is surrounded by a high
thick wall ; a deep wide ditch has
lately been made along the north,
west, east sides, with lunettes on the north, south, east and west sides. There are two gates—
the Jacobabad on the south side, and the Kaker on the east side. A mound called the Miri is a
little to the west of the centre of the enclosed space, and is about 120 feet high; the remainder
of the space is taken up with houses. At present the city is in a very dirty state, but as
opportunities occur the houses are being bought up and levelled. All the Mahomedans have
been bought out, and their houses knocked down. When a serai has been built, the Hindoos,
who are the shop-keepers, will leave also. The drainage is very imperfectly carried out by
means of wooden troughs passed over the ditch. Proper arrangements will be made when
labour can be obtained. The water is obtained from wells in the town, which are about 10 to 15
feet deep. Water for irrigation purposes is brought in from without. The cantonments are
situated to the east of the fort on about the lowest piece of ground in the valley. The hills
around are composed chiefly of limestone with little or no vegetation on them. On hills to
the east of the valley, juniper trees grow which provide wood for building and fuel. The soil
is clayey. Vegetables, &c., appear to grow too rapidly, and run to seed at once. The winter
commences about November, the nights becoming very cold. Rain and snow fall alternately
up to the first week in March. From March to the middle of July the weather is most delight-
ful ; after this the clays become very hot, but the nights are always cool. I never slept without
a blanket. The country during the spring is extremely pretty, being covered with iris, tulips,
wild hyacinth and a variety of pretty flowers. Wheat, barley and Lucerne-grass are the
chief crops; later on in the season water-melons are grown. Apricot, mulberry and apple
trees are pentiful; in fact, with the exception of a few poplars, no other trees are grown. A
large blue grape is grown in the private gardens, great care being taken over them ; they are
g r o w n o v e r t r e n c h e s , t h e b u n c h e s f a l l i n g i n t o t h e t r e n c h . T h e s m a l l w h i t e g r a p e - v i n e c r e e p s
on the poplar trees all over the valley. The apricot forms one of the exports of the valley;
when the fruit is ripe it is opened, and after the stone is taken out it is dried in the sun. The
inhabitants in and around Quetta are Biluchis and Pathans. The Biluchis bring their flocks
up to the valley during the spring, and return to Dadur about November.
I V . M e t e o r o l o g y a n d c l i m a t e . —C
o l d
i n D e c e m b e r , J a n u a r y , F e b r u a r y , t o t h e m i d d l e o f
March. Delightful weather to the end of July. Hot in August and September. The ther-
mometer in a room, no care being taken to keep the room cool, rarely went beyond 88°. Nights
always cool.
V . L i n e s , b a r r a c k s a n d h u t s . —T
h e
m e n w e r e i n t e n t s t o t h e m i d d l e o f J u l y , w h e n t h e y
moved into lines. The lines consisted of long, narrow 9-feet rooms, opening into a small
verandah 2½ feet wide. No ventilation.
V I .
D r a i n a g e
. —
N o
p e r m a n e n t d r a i n s h a v e a s y e t b e e n m a d e , b u t w h e n l a b o u r c a n b e
obtained no doubt it will be done. The place can be perfectly drained, as there is a gradual
slope from the hills through the station. Deep holes were made about the lines to obtain earth
for brick-making; these during the floods became full of water, and being very deep could not
be emptied ; the water became after a time all sorts of colours, and eventually stinking.
Attempts were made to fill them up, but sufficient earth could not be obtained.
V I I . C o n s e r v a n c y a n d l a t r i n e s . —T
h e
d r y - e a r t h ( t r e n c h ) s y s t e m w a s c a r r i e d o u t . T r e n c h e s
were dug about 150 yards from the lines, surrounded by coarse matting. The lines were kept
clean by the regimental sweepers; the station and bazaar by station sweepers.
V I I I
. W a t e r - s u p p l y
. — E x c e l l e n t w a t e r c o u l d b e o b t a i n e d f r o m s p r i n g s w h i c h h a d b e e n
widened and walled round. Any number more could have .been enlarged if there had been
any necessity. They were about 300 yards from the lines, and unless the bheesties were well
looked after, they would take the water from a stream the water of which was often contami-
nated. A well has been sunk close to each quarter-guard, but the men never used the water,
as it had not settled before we were ordered off. In the lines the water is between 30 and 40
feet from the surface. In the station it is only 10; in some places not even that.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1873 . Umballa, Feb. 1872 . 171.3
1.8
3.5
1874 . Ditto
. . . 176.7
1.9
7.4
1875 . Ditto
98.16 .98
2.71
1876 . Ditto
191
.99
3.60
1877 . Jhelum, 19th Dec. 1876
92.13 1.
2.43
Average
. . 145.86 1.33
3.93
1878 . Quetta, Jan. 1878. . 310.92 3.54
8.06