MILITARY DEPARTMENT, 8TH SEPTEMBER 1879, No. 5000.
The invaliding ratio was highest in the Cavalry, 80.31; least in the Infantry,
40.67; the Artillery occupying an intermediate place with 48.24 per mille.
General Health.—Return No. 1 compares the sickness, mortality, and invalid
-
ing in 1878 with that in 1877, while in Table A the sickness, mortality, and
invaliding for 1878 are contrasted with that of the preceding twenty years.
The health statistics of 1878 compare unfavorably with those of 1877, the
admission, daily sick and death rates all being in excess of the previous year.
Cholera and small-pox were both prevalent among the native population, and
cases of both occurred among the troops, .43 admissions and 28 deaths being due
to the former against 35 (19 fatal) in previous year; while 10 admissions and 4
deaths were attributed to small-pox, of which disease there were but 5 cases
(none fatal) in 1877. Compared with the preceding twenty years, the average daily
sick, admission and death rates all show an increase. The death ratio from
cholera, 2.57 per mille, exceeds that of the preceding twenty years by .44 per mille.
A.
Years.
A v e r a g e S t r e n g t h .
A v e r a g e D a i l y S i c k .
A d m i t t e d .
D e a t h s f r o m C h o l e r a . T o t a l D e a t h s i n a n d o u t o f H o s p i t a l . I n v a l i d e d .
Ratio per 1,000 of Average Strength.
A v e r a g e D a i l y S i c k .
A d m i t t e d .
D e a t h s f r o m C h o l e r a .
T o t a l D e a t h s .
Average from 1858
to 1877 (for 20
years).
11,418 698 15,163 24 233 530 61.19 1328.55 2.13 20.49 46.75
1878
10,880 678 14,537 28 233 498 62.31 1336.12 2.57 21.42 45.77
Increase
. . .
. . .
. . .
4
. . . . . .
1.12
7.57 0.44 0.93
Decrease
538 20 626
. . . . . .
32
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
0.98
Epidemics.—There was no epidemic among the soldiers. There was an out-
-break of measles in April among the children of the 43rd Regiment at Fort St.
George. The first case occurred on 8th April among the children of the Royal
Artillery. Four were attacked in this corps. On 15th April it spread to the
children of the 43rd Regiment, and up to 18th May, the date of last attack, 3 men,
3 women, and 59 children of that regiment were seized, two cases in children proving
fatal. The prevalence of this disease was thought to have been in some degree
associated with the over-crowding of the school-room. There were 61 cases of this
disease among the children of 89th Regiment at Rangoon and 3 deaths therefrom.
Cholera caused one death among officers, 43 admissions (28 fatal) among men,
five admissions (all fatal) among women, and two admissions (none fatal) among
children. Cases occurred in all circles, the disease prevailing most in the 2/16th
Regiment, Secunderabad, and 89th Regiment, Rangoon. The officer attacked
belonged to 67th Regiment. He was seized on 25th August at Godakottah, a village
in the Cumbum Taluk, and died on the 3rd September. Three cases (two fatal)
occurred at Trichinopoly, viz., one on 7th January in a man of 67th Regiment; no
direct cause traceable; case proved fatal the following day. The second case oc
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curred on 12th September in a gunner of the Royal Artillery; result fatal; was
a man of intemperate habits, and was seized after drinking a quantity of raw toddy
and beer. On 15th September another gunner of the same battery was attacked
and recovered; seizure attributed to excessive use of native liquor. Two cases
(both fatal) occurred in men of 2/13th Regiment, Bellary. The first on 18th June;
4