3
MILITARY DEPARTMENT, 4TH OCTOBER 1882, No. 5251.
Eruptive Fevers.—Of the twelve admissions, eight with one death were cases
of small-pox which occurred at Bangalore and the remainder were cases of
measles.
Continued Fevers.—The admissions under this head were 33.13 per 1,000 men
lower and the deaths 0.69 lower than in 1880. There were nine cases of enteric
fever with five deaths against twenty-five cases with eleven deaths in 1880, and
the admissions took place at six stations and in nine batteries and corps. The
other admissions were cases of simple continued fever and febricula, in nearly
equal numbers.
Paroxysmal Fevers.—There was a decline in this class of fevers, the average
constantly sick having been 2.54 per 1,000 of strength less and the admission rate
137.82 less than in 1880. In both years the death rate was the same, and the two
deaths in 1881 occurred under the head of Remittent Fever. Only three men were
invalided. Although therefore malarial fevers caused considerable immediate
inefficiency, they were of a mild type.
Cholera.—This disease was widely prevalent amongst the civil population, and
caused considerable anxiety regarding the safety of the troops. The admissions
numbered thirty-five with seventeen deaths against one admission with one death
in 1880. The cases occurred at Kamptee, Secunderabad, and Thayetmyo, but the
chief incidence of the disease was at Kamptee, where there were twenty-five
admissions and thirteen deaths. In consequence of the outbreak there the troops
were moved into cholera camp, with apparently good result. At Thayetmyo there
were seven cases and four deaths. The deaths were at the rate of 1.64 per mille
of strength.
Sunstroke caused fourteen admissions and six deaths against thirty-one admis
-sions and seven deaths in 1880.
Diseases of the Circulatory System were less prevalent than in 1880, the rate
of admissions having been 2.88 and the death rate 0.59 per mille of strength lower.
The cases of organic disease of the heart numbered twenty-two, being at the rate of
2.11 per 1,000 men. For palpitation the admission rate per mille of strength was
11.74 against 13.42 in 1880.
Diseases of the Respiratory System.— The admissions under this head were 3.26
per 1,000 men lower and the death rate 0.20 lower than in 1880. The greater
portion of the admissions were cases of bronchitis and bronchial catarrh, but there
were twenty-one of pneumonia, thirteen of pleurisy, and seventeen of asthma.
Diseases of the Digestive System.—The admission rate was 9.16 per mille of
strength lower but the death rate was 0.93 higher than in 1880. Diseases of this
class were therefore less frequent, but more fatal than in the preceding year.
Taking the more serious diseases in the group, it appears that the admission rate
for hepatitis with abscess of the liver was 8.1 per 1,000 of strength lower and the
death rate 0.18 greater than in the preceding year. As regards dysentery, the
admissions per 1,000 men were 11.08 fewer and the deaths 0.58 more numerous
than in 1880. Although cholera was epidemic amongst the civil population,
diarrhœa was only fractionally more prevalent amongst the troops than in 1880.
Venereal Diseases.—The constantly sick from primary syphilis was 7.18 per
1,000 of strength against 8.35 in 1880, and from gonorrhœa 5.79 against 6.76.
Under both diseases therefore there was a decline. At all the stations at which
Lock Hospitals existed there was a decrease in venereal diseases amongst the troops,
but the prevalence or otherwise of these complaints does not appear to be greatly
influenced by the existence of these institutions. This is due to the fact that the
Contagious Diseases' Act does not in any town reach more than a fraction of the
women actually amenable to its control, and to the circumstance that clandestine
prostitution is universally prevalent.
Poisons.—The majority of the admissions under this head were for the effects
of over indulgence in alcoholic liquors ; but two cases, one of which proved fatal,
were due to poisoning from oxalic acid. In one instance the man got the oxalic