Medical
Officers.
Location and
movements.
50
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL,
are w ell nourished. Duties are not excessive, and polo, tent-pegging, and field
sports are resorted to for amusement. The hospital affords sufficient accom-
modation, and is in good repair.
Sickness,
mortality and
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding. —Strength of the regiment :—
Present
.
.
.
. 259.86
Absent
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. 230.72
Total
.
. 490.58
STATION.
PERIOD,
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Daily
average
number of
sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
Admis-
sions. Deaths.
A d m i s s i o n s . Deaths.
Dail y
average
sick.
Head-quarters at Agar
.. 1st January ... 31st December
233.57
287
4
8.54 122.87 1.71
3.65
Detachment at Indore with
Agent, Governor-General,
Central India
...
Ditto
. . .
Ditto
...
26.29
26
...
.48
98.89
...
1.82
TOTAL
...
...
. . . 259.86
313
4
9.02 120.44 1.53
3.47
Number of deaths in hospital 4; out of hospital 6; total 10; per cent, of total strength .
2.03
, ,
i n v a l i d e d 2 ;
„
, ,
.
.40
„
sent on sick leave
. . . . . . . 2 ;
„ , ,
.
.40
,,
days spent in hospital 3,313; per admission . . 10.58; per man of total strength
.
6.75
„
on sick leave 364; per man
.
.
. 182. ;
„
,,
.
.74
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
.
7.49
Principal
causes of
sickness.
Inspection.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness. —As usual throughout India, paroxysmal fevers head
the list of diseases with 187 treated, against 29 in 1877. Ulcers gave 21; injuries (including
contusions, wounds and fractures) 29 ; dysentery 15 ; diarrhœa 2 ; dyspepsia 4 ; colic 1; hepatitis
2 and jaundice 1; splenitis 6 ; ophthalmic affections (conjunctivitis, iritis and opacity of cornea)
4; venereal diseases 4; I cannot but entertain the view that a majority of the men conceal
these in their earlier manifestations. Rheumatism, lumbago, neuralgia, and sciatica gave 15 ;
pneumonia and bronchitis 4; dementia (probably the result of syphilitic disease of the brain)
gave 1.
XVIII. Epidemics.—Two cases of cholera occurred amongst the followers, both of whom
died. Simultaneously with this a severe outbreak took place in a row of huts situated at
the south-east extremity of the camp, and inhabited by women. In the infantry 8 cases of
cholera were treated, of which 2 died. Cholera prevails throughout the hot and rainy months
in the city of Agar and surrounding villages, in consequence of the constant intercommunica-
tion with the insanitary cities of Ojain and Indore, both of which places are notorious from a
very early period in the history of the disease.
Inspection.—The regiment was inspected by Deputy Surgeon-General
A. Christison, M.D., on the 18th December 1878. The latrines are reported to
be faulty in construction and design. Dry earth is procured with difficulty,
the soil being a laterite, unsuited for deodorizing, and difficult to prepare for
common use. The regiment had enjoyed good health throughout the year ;
there had been no outbreak of epidemic disease ; and the Deputy Surgeon-
General found the existing hospital arrangements very efficient.
2nd Regiment, Central India Horse—Goona.
I. Medical Officers.—Surgeon P. Macpherson Grant, M.B., relieved Surgeon
Barclay in medical charge
of this regiment on the 29th
August, and retained charge
till the close of the year.
He reports :—
II. Location and movements.—
The head-quarters of the regiment
were stationed at Goona through-
out the year. Guards, changed
every three months, were furnished
to eleven stations along the
Grand Trunk Road as follows :—
Beoura 6, Rotiai 4, Barsala 5,
Purbutti 5, Barkhera 5, Pachore 5,
Udankeri 5, Gorapachar 5, Kan-
anwas 5, Binagaon 5, Badoura 4.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1873
. Agra, October 1873
.
40.3
1.22
2.1
1874
.
D i t t o . . .
58.9
.40
2.66
1875
.
D i t t o . . . .
40.93
1.21
1.93
1876
. Goona, November 1876
37.94
.81
1.69
1877
.
D i t t o . . . .
34.03
.81
1.49
Average
.
.
42.42
.89
1.97
1878
. Goona
.
.
.
117.40
1.62
3.35