72
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAt,
Latrines.
Sanitation.
Water-supply
Rations.
Departure
from Malta.
Dieting on
return trip.
Sickness,
mortality an
d invaliding.
ground than the lines, and was made as comfortable as possible, with a frequent change of good
straw bedding, the same being provided to all the men for their individual tents. Two latrines
were constructed in rear of the lines, each consisting of a long trench some four feet deep, dug
out of the sandstone, and enclosed with suitable board partitions to ensure privacy, Care
was taken to cover over all excreta with crushed sandstone, and when the trench was three parts
full, a new one was dug, and soon on a similar plan a small latrine was erected Tor the use of
the hospital. The supply of drinking water was at first a little defective, and the men made
use of that contained in the tank previously alluded to of which there were 18 in and near the
lines. But in the course of a few days the use of this water was prohibited, and a plentiful
supply was obtained from a closed aqueduct which was the means of conveying water from
springs in a hill some five miles distant to Valetta. From this aqueduct it was brought
close to the lines by means of iron pipes which led into covered cisterns for the use of the
men and was thence issued by taps and into open troughs for the horses. This water was
clear, wholesome, and apparently free from all impurities. Free rations were issued to all. At
first flour, rice, dhal, ghee and spices, but on a representation that the dhal (urhur, toor) was
a probable source of disease, vegetables were substituted for it, and meat also was served out
as part of the ration. Fruits and vegetables were, however, cheap and plentiful, and were
freely made use of, and liquor being readily procurable was partaken of by a great many ;
excess in its use was a rare occurrence. The regiment remained at Malta four months, and at
the beginning of October, it again embarked on board two steamers, fitted up in and sent out
from England, and reached Bombay in the third week of the month. As in its outward
journey, it now proceeded to Meerut by trains, and went into its lines on the 1st November.
The dieting of the troops somewhat differed from that of the trip to Malta, consisting of flour
lib. 8 oz., dhal, potatoes, onions, 4 oz. alternately, fresh meat 4 oz. every other day, and all
followers were considered non-cooking and bad dry food consisting of gram, dried rice, tamarind
or raisins, ghee and sugar, &c.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding.—Strength of the regiment :—
Present
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. 414
Absent
.
.
.
.
.
. .
.
.
.
.
.
29
Total
.
. 443
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Daily
average
number of
sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
A d m i s s i o n s .
Deaths.
Admissions. Deaths.
Daily
average
sick.
Read-quarters at Deolie
. 1st Jan. 1878 31st Jan. 1878
232
19
. . .
9.16
95.61
. . .
3.9
Ditto line of march 1st Feb. „
8th Mar.
„
272
19
„.
9.58 70.7
. . .
3.5
Ditto at Meerut
. 9th Mar. „
23rd April „
312
24
1
9'97 61.
2.5
3.1
Ditto from Meerut
to Malta . 24th April „
5th June „
300
35
. . .
5.3
96.7
. . .
1.7
Ditto at Malta
. 6th June „
4th Oct. „
303
133
2
21.8
132.3
1.9
7.2
Ditto Malta to Meerut 5th Oct. „
31st „
„
298
2
2
13.9
9
9
4.6
Ditto at Meerut
. 1st Nov.
,,
31st Dec. „
400
57
. . .
23.8
85.2
. . .
5.9
Depot at Meerut. 24th April „
31st Oct. „
124
77
. . .
3.6 118.
. . .
2.9
Detachment at Jhansie
. 1st Jan.
„
21st Feb. „
134
15
. . .
2.6
78.6
. . .
1.9
Ditto at Agra
. 23rd Feb. „
24th April „
44
3
. . .
. 7
40.8
. . .
1.6
Ditto at Delhi
. 2nd April „
18th ,, ,,
42
4
. . .
1.4 204.4
. . .
3.5
Ditto at Meerut
. 14th Jan. „
8th Mar. „
50
7
. . .
. 9
94.6
. . .
1.8
TOTAL
.
. . .
. . .
414
395
5
19.04 95.41 1.27
4.6
Number of deaths in hospital 5; out of hospital 0; total 5; per cent. of total strength
.
. 1.12
invalided
. . . . . . . .
.
. 3.61
sent on sick leave
. . . . . . 1 9 ;
„ ,,
.
.
4.29
,,
of days spent in hospital 6,950; per admission . 17.5; per nian of total strength
.
. 15.68
,,
„
on sick leave 3,459; per man
. 1 8 2 ;
„ .
.
.
7.88
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
.
. 23.56
Principal
causes of
mortality.
Special
observations.
Rations at
San A ntonio,
Pricipal causes of mortality. —Five deaths only occurred during the year, viz.,
1 from Bright's disease of the kidney, 1 from dysentery, and 3 from poisoning, and 16 men were
invalided on account of old age and general debility.
XXI. Special observations. —Two points of special interest, relating to facts which oc-
curred during 1878, require to be specially dwelt upon ; both took place whilst the regiment was
at Malta, and were as follows :—
1st.—A peculiar affection of the mucous membrane of the mouth, throat and probably ali-
mentary canal.
2ndly.—The poisoning of 31 men by the administration of Burnett's disinfecting fluid
given by mistake for lime-juice.
As regards the first of these, viz., the mouth affection, as it was designated at Malta, for
it appeared in other regiments besides the 9th, it may be well to give here, the précis of notes
made at the time.
Rations on arrival at San Antonio.—The issue was the same as on board-ship, and here
it may be well to mention that the kind of dhal issued was of inferior quality and such as is but