SAUGOR DISTRICT.
39
SAUGOR DISTRICT.
(INCLUDING THE STATIONS OF JUBBULPORE, SAUGOR, BANDA, NAGODE, AND NOWGONG).
Bengal Troops.
Madras Troops.
Average daily strength present during the year . Cavalry
380.79 Cavalry 329.71 Infantry 2026.34
Average daily sick per cent, of average strength . „
2.91
,,
3.91
,,
4.63
Ratio of mortality per cent. of average strength . „
.22
,,
.81
,,
1.73
16th Regiment, Madras Native Infantry—Jubbulpore.
I. Medical Officers. —Surgeon W. E. Johnson, M.D., was in medical charge
of the regiment from 1st January to 15th October, and Surgeon H. G. Hall
from 16th October up to the end of the year.
IX. Diet.—The provisions were very dear owing to increased exportation and deficient
fall of rain. Vegetables were plentiful. The troops received compensation in money in con
-sequence of the dearness of rice and other articles of food. The diet of the men was suffi
-cient for themselves, if they used what was especially indented for them, but most of them
had a large number of relations depending on them, and the result was that they did not get
half enough to eat. The inferior quality of rice which was chiefly used was not very nutritive,
and the mutton was very poor indeed. There were 32 cases of foot-sores treated during the
year, caused by pressure of boots. The men were excused boots until they were quite well.
The boots were softened as much as possible by being saturated in bazar castor-oil, and with
good results, as foot-sores were seldom met with after this plan was adopted.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding. —Strength of the regiment :—
Present
.
.
.
. .
. .
. .
.
. 686.16
Absent
.
.
. .
.
.
. .
.
. . 1 4 . 0 8
Total . . 700.24
Medical
Officers.
Diet.
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding.
STATION.
P E R I O D
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Daily
average
number of
sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
Admis-
sions. Deaths.
Admi
s-sions. Deaths.
Daily
average
sick.
Jubbulpore
. . . 1st Jan. 1878 3rd Dec. 1878
Marching . . . . 4th Dec. „ 24th „ „
686.16 1,046
12 31.76 152.44 1.75 4.62
Raipore . . .
. 25th „ „ 31st „ „
Number of deaths in hospital 12 ; out of hospital 3 ; total
15 ; per cent. of total strength. . .
2.14
„
invalided
. . . . . .
.
44 ; „
„
. .
6 . 2 8
„
sent on sick leave
. . . . . .
16 ; „
„
. .
2 . 2 8
„
of days spent in hospital 11,592 ; per admission . 11.08 ; per man of total strength. . . 1 6 . 4 1
XVI. Principal cause of sickness. —The principal cause of' sickness was sudden and
frequent climatic changes ; the temperature often varying as much as 30° in 24 hours. Want
of a sufficient quantity of proper food was also a predisposing cause.
XVII. Principal causes of mortality.—During the year there were 12 deaths in hospital
— 3 f r o m a g u e ; 1 f r o m a s c i t e s ; 1 f r o m a c u t e r h e u m a t i s m ; 1 f r o m d y s e n t e r y ; 2 f r o m g e n e r a l
debility ; 1 from pneumonia; 1 from liver abscess; 1 from diarrhœa ; and 1 from hepatitis.
These men were much debilitated by frequent and severe attacks of ague and weakened by bad
and insufficient feeding, and bad not strength to resist the diseases; besides most of them were
old and worn out. One European officer died on the 3rd of October from phthisis pulmonalis.
The statement of his ease has already been forwarded to the Surgeon-General.
XVIII. Epidemics.—Small-pox appeared in the right wing on the 23rd December 1878,
supposed to have been introduced by the 5th Regiment, Madras Native Infantry, which was
encamped close by. Eight cases occurred amongst the families of sepoys,—the first took place on
the 23rd, and the last on the 30th December 1878.
Inspection.—Jubbulpore, 27th September 1878. The following remarks
which occur in Mr. Perkins' medical inspection are suggestive :—
"
a. No hospital doolie bearers are kept up, and the sick find their way
to hospital with the assistance of their comrades.
" b. The lines are in a very good sanitary condition, considering their
large population (the number of followers being 1,938) and nearly every hut
compound having its privy.
Principal
cause of
sickness.
Principal
causes of
mortality.
Epidemics.
Inspection.