6
MILITARY DEPARTMENT, 18TH MARCH 1890, No. 2026.
SHWEBO. Barracks and Buildings.— The Government of India recently sanctioned an
estimate, amounting to Rs. 1,44,459, for constructing four half-company barracks
with outhouses for the British Infantry at this station.
BERNARDMYO.
Want of a Crowley Cart .—A Crowley cart is shortly expected for this station.
SALENMYO.
Condition of Buildings, &c.—Salenmyo has been given up as a station for
British troops.
MYINGYAN.
Accommodation for Hospital Subordinates .—The retention of Myingyan as a
station for British troops is not yet certain, but the General Officer Commanding
reports that the medical subordinates have very fair temporary quarters.
MEIKTILA.
Hospital Accommodation .—New temporary hospital accommodation has been
provided at this station, which is considered ample. A new permanent hospital is
likely to be erected very shortly.
KONI.
Water supply .—Samples of this water have been sent to the Deputy Surgeon
-General, Rangoon, for analysis, but the result is not yet known. Koni has not been
occupied by British troops since the departure of the 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade,
and ere long it is expected that a reduction will be effected in the strength of the
Native garrison occupying the station.
SANITARY REPORT OF BRITISH TROOPS IN THE MADRAS COMMAND
DURING 1888.
In the year 1888 the average strength of British troops serving in the Madras Presidency
was 14,073, which is an increase of 2,335 on the previous year. The ratio of admission to
hospital per mills of strength was 1,349.67 and the death ratio 15.63, showing an increase
respectively of 108.06 and 2.68 on the previous year. There have been 9 cases of small-pox,
4 at Bangalore and 5 at Secunderabad; 1 death from this disease occurred at the latter station.
In the previous year there had been an entire immunity from this disease among British
troops serving in the Madras command. Of cholera, 59 cases occurred; of these, 40 or 67.7
per cent. proved fatal. Of the 59 attacks, 6 were sporadic; 1 each was contributed by
St. Thomas' Mount, Bellary, Rangoon and Thayetmyo, while 2 cases occurred at Toungoo. The
remaining 53 cases occurred in Upper Burma, and in a more or less epidemic form at four
stations, viz., at Mandalay 15, Myingyan 12, Fort Stedman 10, and Bhamo 4, while 12 cases
occurred in troops on the march.
In the year under report 104 cases of enteric fever occurred, of which 32 or 30.7 per
cent. proved fatal. As usual Secunderabad and Bangalore head the list with 41 and 35 cases,
respectively. Seven other stations give 1 case each, five give 2 cases each, one station had
3 cases and two stations give 4 cases each. The accumulated evidence of years on the distribu
-tion of this specific fever seems to indicate that however true it may be that the specific cause
of the disease is a propagable organism, and that the disease must be classed among contagious
fevers, yet it is very doubtful that contagion plays an important part in the spread of the
disease; for in practice we find, in this country at all events, that there is very little "spread."
The steady monotony with which Secunderabad and Bangalore year after year contribute the
greatest number of cases of this disease seems to show that their notoriety in this respect is
caused by local conditions.
No new facts have been ascertained which would throw any light on what the local condi
-tions of these two stations which are so favorable to the causation—whether origin or propagation
it is difficult to say—of enteric fever; for, while propagation may be admitted in the abstract
or theoretical sense, few persons are now able to hold against the overwhelming evidence of
experience to the contrary that propagation by contagion excludes a de novo inception of the
disease.