Medical
officers.
Location and
movements.
54
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL,
Principal
causes of
sickness.
Epidemics.
Special
observations
and remarks
Inspection.
XV1. Principal causes of sickness.—There were 28 cases of dracunculus treafed, and 6 ad-
missions are shown under the head of hepatic disease—a complaint more common amongst the
Bheels than I have noticed amongst natives of other parts of India; probably owing to the
partiality of the former for alcoholic stimulants, obtainable in any quantity at low rates in the
districts about Sirdarpore.
XVIII. Epidemics. —Between the 11th of January and the 30th of August, 5 women and
14 children, the families of native officers .and sepoys, were attacked by small-pox in the lines,
and were treated in an old tent, and subsequently some of the latter cases were removed to a
grass hut at some distance to the east of the lines. Of the total cases, 2 children died from
the disease, only 1 sepoy of the corps being admitted with small-pox in a mild form.
XXI. Special observations and remarks. —Reduction of blood temperature, now obtained by
the administration of frequent doses of salicylic acid, would be usefully employed in all cases
of heat appoplexy, in which the temperature of the body rises considerably above the normal
standard. The powerful antipyretic action of salicylic acid is shown by the reduction of body
heat from 150° to 96° in twelve hours in typhoid fever ; the same holds good in regard' to such
diseases as small-pox, acute rheumatism, pneumonia, &c. With such an effective substitute for
quinine as we now have in cinchona febrifuge, the plea of economy in the hypodermic use of
the former alkaloid no longer holds good, and, considering the risks attendant upon its use
subcutaneously, appears to me unjustifiable. There are several fatal cases of tetanus reported
from America due to the use of the quinine hypodermically, and I have no doubt India could
supply its quota of similar disastrous results. I have more than a suspicion that pyæmic abscess
in some of the internal organs may be due to the absorption of subcutaneous pus formed in the
cellular tissue, and to the direct irritation caused by the quinine. I have proved that the
neutral quinine does not remain in solution once it comes in contact with the fluids of the body,
as one of its atoms of sulphuric acid has so small an affinity for the alkaloid, that it at once
combines with any salts it meets, leaving the quinine no longer "soluble," but as a foreign body
deposited amongst the meshes of the subcutaneous tissue.
Inspection.—This regiment was not inspected during 1578, owing to the
distance from the head-quarter station, its isolated. position, and the sudden
changes which occurred in the administrative duties of the Agra Circle.
Meywar Sheel Corps.—Kherwarra.
I. Medical Officers. —At head-auarters, Kherwarra, Surgeon W. A. Sim-
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1873
. Kherwarra .
.
.
152.9
1.13
5.41
1874
.
D i t t o . . .
92.2
1.55
4.13
1875
.
D i t t o . . .
87.61
.99
2.25
1876
.
Ditto
.
.
.
146.13
.84
4.23
1877
.
Ditto
.
.
.
124.47
1.26
3.22
Average
.
120.66
1.15
3.85
1878
. Kherwarra
.
.
179.96
2.67
4.02
monds held. medical charge
from the 1st of January to
14th March ; Surgeon D. ff.
Mullen, M.D., from 14th April
to end of year (officiating) ;
at Oodeypore Dr. Burr, un-
covenanted, held medical
charge up to 24th April, and.
Dr. W. Beatson for the rest
of the year.
II. Location and movements. —
Head-quarters have remained at
Kherwarra throughout the year
with an average present strength
of 373.13. Detachments were
furnished as usual to the stations
Meteorology
and climate.
of Odeypore, Kotra and Banswara throughout the year.
IV. Meteorology and climate. —The mean temperature for the year was 79.12°, being
nearly the same as last year (1877), but the thermometer stood higher during the latter
months of 1877 in consequence of the insufficient rainfall. The highest temperature was
registered on June 4th, 1878, viz., 108º; the lowest was on 23rd December, 42°. The
mean daily range was greatest in March and April, viz., 31.19º and 27° respectively, and
least in July and August, viz ., 9.42° and 6.16°. The coldest months were January and
December, the approximate mean being 62.62° for the former and 63.34° for the latter. The
hottest months were May, June and July, averaging respectively 92.01°, 91.85° and 84.26°.
The total number of days on which rain fell was 51. The total rainfall was 41.61 inches.