Medical
Officers.
Location and
movements.
Topography,
&c.
Food-supply.
127
treatment. The mortality has also been very small, slightly under 5 per mille total strength.
Twenty-nine men were invalided ; in comparison with former years, and by percentage on
total strength, rather a high number, but none too many. A similar weeding next year will be
both wholesome and beneficial. There still remain a number of men more fitted for the pension
list than for service in the ranks.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness.—Malarious or paroxysmal fevers head the list of sick
- n e s s . O f a t o t a l 2 7 9 a d m i s s i o n s , 1 0 3 a r e d u e t o a g u e — a s l i g h t i n c r e a s e o v e r p r e v i o u s y e a r , w h e n
the number was 91. This year, too, the quotidian variety gave a larger number of cases, and the
tertian a less. The great majority were of a mild type, yielding readily to treatment, not one
proving fatal. Accidents, incidental to all cavalry duties, came next with 55 cases for the most
part trifling injuries, a fracture of the forearm being the most serious. From diseases of res
-piratory and digestive systems there was a marked immunity, only 9 cases of the first and 19
of the last being recorded; of the former, three were however severe, two proving fatal. The
remaining number call for no special remarks beyond noting the fact that under more careful
enquiry as to causation the number of cases of "footsore" has risen from 1 to 14.
XVII. Principal causes of mortality. —Only two deaths took place, both in hospital, and
both during the month of March. The first man succumbed to phthisis. He had been granted
sick leave, and had returned in the last stage of the disease ; he was immediately re-admitted
into hospital, but only survived a few days. The cause of death in the other case was pneumo
- n i a , a v e r y s e v e r e a t t a c k , b o t h l u n g s b e i n g a f f e c t e d , a n d t h e d i s e a s e r a p i d l y p a s s i n g i n t o i t s t h i r d
stage, he died on the eighth day.
XVIII.
Epidemics.—The year was free from epidemics ; no cases of cholera appeared in the
regiment, and none were reported from the city or district. Small-pox began to appear in
May and continued to recur throughout the year, more specially toward its end. The disease
cannot be said to have assumed an epidemic character, though the cases were somewhat numer
-ous, and some 15 children are reported to have died. In cantonment three deaths resulted,—
one a private in the 9th Lancers. falling a victim. At commencement of this year, 1879, the
disease is again on the increase, and is said to be very prevalent in parts of the district.
XIX. Vaccination.—With variola prevailing it is almost unnecessary to add that vaccination
has been pushed as much as possible. Special vaccinators have been appointed and certain spots
indicated daily for their work. No case has occurred in the 1st Bengal Cavalry either in lines
or bazars. The sowars are well protected, all recruits who have not had small-pox being done as
soon as the season admits of vaccination. Most of the children have also now been operated on.
XX. Recommendations.—Such recommendations as have been necessary, bearing on the
sanitary state of the regiment, have been invariably acted upon and need no detailed notice here.
XXI. Special observations and remarks.— All the cases of intermittent fever were treated
with the cinchona febrifuge with very satisfactory results ; in a very few cases only was a recourse
to quinine necessary.
Principal
causes of
sickness.
Principa
causes of
mortality.
Epidemics.
Vaccination.
Recommenda
-tions.
Special
observations
and remarks.
15th (The Ludhiana) Regiment, Native Infantry—Sialkot.
I. Medical Officers. —Surgeon-Major B. W. Cunningham, M.D., has been
in medical charge through
-out the year. Surgeon A. E.
R. Stephens was attached to
the regiment for duty on 6th
November at Mooltan, and
on the 22nd November he
proceeded in medical charge
of the right wing from Suk
-kur to the front.
II. Location and movements.
— T h e r e g i m e n t w a s i n q u a r t e r s a t
Sialkot from 1st January to 27th
September ; no detachments were
sent out. On 28th. September
marched to Mooltan viâ Lahore,
arrived 24th October ; halted 13
days completing equipment. Left Mooltan for Sukkur by train on 7th November; halted at
Sukkur from 9th November to 11th December. Marched on 12th December viâ Shikarpore,
Jacobabad, and the Barshori route across the desert to Dadur, where it arrived on 29th December.
Halted at Dadur on 30th and 31st, preparatory to advancing through the Bolan Pass en route
to join Lieutenant-General. Stewart's division in Afghanistan.
III. Topography and physical geography. —Remarks on the topography, &c., of the country
traversed on the march have been given in a special narrative of the march to Kandahar.
IX. Food-supply has been good throughout the year. On the march from Lahore to
Mooltan, large quantities of milk and mutton were obtained at cheap rates.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1873 . Sialkot, Feb. 1873
.
81.4
3.3
2.6
1874 . Ditto. . .
64.4
1.72
2.5
1875 . Ditto
. . .
101.56
.56
3.91
1876 . Ditto
. .
. 115.86
.48
3.2
1877 . Ditto.
. .
53.77
.28
1.54
Average
.
83.39
1.27
2.75
1878 . Sialkot ; marched on active
service in Afghanistan,
28th September.
134.75
1.12
3.27