PUNJAB FRONTIER FORCE.
161
marched with the rest of the attacking force for the Spingawa Kotul, taking one day's pro-
vision with them, and reached the foot of the hill about 6 the following morning. The regi-
ment was in action during the greater part of the day, and bivouacked on the hill during the
night. The cold was severe and the men had only their poshteens with them, and there was
great scarcity of water. At noon on the 3rd the regiment received orders to march to Zabardasht
Killa, about 3 miles distant, and on the 4th, Surgeon-Major Aitchison took over charge and
went on with the regiment to Ali Kheyl. On December 12th the regiment returned to the
Peiwar Kotul, and was encamped there until the end of the year.
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding. —Strength of the regiment—
Present
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. 645.85
Absent
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
94.50
Total
.
. 7 4 0 . 3 5
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Daily
average
number
of sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
Admis-
sions.
Deaths.
Admis-
sions. Deaths.
Daily
average
sick.
Head-quarters, Dera Ismail
Khan.
1st Jan. 1878 22nd Mar.1878 554.88
137
2
27.58 111.26 1.62 4.97
,, Kohat .
23rd Mar. „ 16th Nov. „
612.35 1,114
2
45.7 277.83
.49 7.46
,, on service . 17th Nov. „ 31st Dec. „
482.42
298
15
17.8 501.09 25.14 3.68
Wing, Dera Ghazi Khan . 1st Jan.
„ 11th Jan. „
290.42
10
...
5.92 114.28 ...
2.03
Detachment, Zam
.
.
Ditto
. 8th Mar. „
93.42
1
...
.18
5.83 ...
.19
,, Bahadur Kheyl. 3rd June „ 7th Aug. „
39.8
13
...
. 9
177.92 ...
2.26
,,
Kohat .
. 17th Nov. ,, 31st Dec. ,,
154.71
28
2
2 4 .
146.73 10.46 15.51
TOTAL
.
.
...
. . .
645.85 1,601
21
46.84 247.89 3.85 7.25
Number of deaths in hospital 21; out of hospital 10; total
31; per cent. of total strength .
.
4.18
„
invalided
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. 10;
„
, ,
.
.
1.35
„
sent on sick leave .
.
.
.
.
.
. 13;
„
, ,
.
.
1.75
„
of days spent in hospital 14,844; per admission . 9.27; per man of total strength .
.
20.05
, ,
, ,
o n s i c k l e a v e 1 , 1 5 0 ; p e r m a n
. 88.5;
„
, , .
.
1.55
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
.
. 21.60
Principal
causes of
sickness.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness.— P e r i o d i c f e v e r s , a s u s u a l , f u r n i s h e d b y f a r t h e l a r g e s t
number of admissions, amounting to 66 per cent. of the total admissions; diarrhœa and scor-
butic dysentery, which prevailed at the end of the year whilst on service, furnished 12 per cent.
of total admissions ; and diseases of the chest, which were prevalent at the same time, furnished
4 per cent. The regiment suffered considerably from periodic fevers in Kohat during September
and October, and many of the men were anæmic and debilitated at the time the regiment marched
for Koorum. The scorbutic taint, which usually shows itself after the prevalence of ague, became
more manifest as the only supplies obtainable were the commissariat rations, and diarrhœa and
dysentery became prevalent ; and as the men were only provided with their ordinary clothing
and underwent much exposure in a very cold climate, diseases of the chest were also frequent.
Principal
causes of
mortality.
XVII. Principal causes of mortality. — T h e m o r t a l i t y h a s b e e n c o n s i d e r a b l e d u r i n g t h e y e a r ,
although only 8 deaths are shown at head-quarters and in detachments ; but 12 of those trans-
ferred to the field hospital at Koorum also died. Nearly all these were due to pneumonia, in
many cases supervening upon dysentery.
Recommenda
-tions.
XX. Recommendations.— R e c o m m e n d a t i o n s w e r e m a d e r e g a r d i n g a r r a n g e m e n t s f o r a b e t t e r
supply of meat, milk and vegetables, but great difficulty was experienced in obtaining any
supplies.
Inspection.
Inspection.—Deputy Surgeon-General F. F. Allen, C.B., inspected this regi-
ment on the 28th March. The prevailing diseases had been fevers, diarrhœa,
dysentery and respiratory. The hospital wards were large and very cold. The
inspecting officer recommends a second stove in each. The splints supplied for
the depôt are said by the medical officer to be too narrow. The instruments
were clean and in good order, medical history sheets and case-book written up,
and circulars in good order.
Q
1