•
SANITARY REPORT OF BRITISH TROOPS IN THE MADRAS.
COMMAND DURING 1886.
The health of the British troops for the year under report was not satisfactory, inas
-much as there was a higher ratio of admissions and of deaths, though the invaliding was
a fraction less.
There was remarkable immunity from cholera and small-pox, only two cases of cholera
and one death and only one case of small-pox. But enteric fever has increased enormously,
the number admitted and the death for this year being nearly double those for last year, viz.,
139 and 44 deaths against 73 and 23 deaths.
No new light has been thrown on the causation of this disease in this command by
the experience of the past year. As regards Bangalore, Surgeon-Major Dick reports that
"the epidemic commences after rainfall in the heat of the year and attains its maximum
intensity in July and August after a full rainfall. The opportunity of ingesting the poison,
if on the fæces of native men, must in Bangalore therefore be great, for although a close
drain carries off most of the offal of Bangalore, this drain has over-flowing catch-pits which
communicate directly with the tank (and there is, moreover, a large latrine surface in the
neighbouring nullahs which is scoured into it) which yields the drinking-water of the soldier."
The Senior Medical Officer, South Station Hospital, Secunderabad, mentions as a probable
source of the disease in many cases; "the passage of enteric evacuations into latrine pans in
barracks, for there was during the past year incontestable evidence that some men who were
admitted into hospital had a history of illness in barracks for some days before they reported
sick and were taken in. Diarrhœa in such cases was sometimes a symptom complained of."
The Senior Medical Officer, Central Station Hospital, Secunderabad, observes that the disease
might have been contracted in some of the Nizam's villages situated close outside cantonments,
which are generally in a filthy condition and where the water is very bad.
The Senior Medical Officer, Wellington, states that enteric fever prevailed in a moderate
degree in Ootacamund, Coonoor and in cantonment during the month of May prior to any
case amongst the troops and several fatal cases occurred in each of those places. He is unable
to assign any cause for the occurrence of the disease amongst the troops, for the sanitary
condition of the barracks and hospital was good and the drinking-water was pure and
well protected.
Bangalore Division and Ceded Districts.— The general health of the troops in this division
and district has, on the whole, been good. Of Wellington, it is reported that the soil-pits and
slaughter-house are too near the bazaar and bakery, they contaminate the passing stream of
water and their removal to a distance is desirable. A good sanitary condition of the barracks
has been maintained, and there has been no over-crowding. The quarters in hospital lately
occupied by a medical subordinate have been handed over for hospital purposes. Three special
and much required wards are thus obtained, giving ten extra beds in hospital. Two lying-in
wards are in process of construction. A lavatory, in connection with the wards in each hospital
block, has been constructed for men unable to go out to the general lavatory. During the hot
season, and just after the arrival of convalescents from the plains, the hospital accommodation
had to be supplemented by three tents. At Bangalore, the British troops obtain their water
-supply from the Ulsoor water-works, a short distance to the north-east of the station. The
water is pumped into large reservoirs and is distributed after filtration at the water-works to
barracks, hospitals, kitchens and ward houses in iron pipes. The Senior Medical Officer, South
Station Hospital, Bangalore, reports as follows on the Ulsoor tank, which is the chief source
of water-supply: "The catchment of collecting grounds is open to grave objections, the
densly-populated cantonment bazaar is near the tank, and as the main feeding channel passes
through the centre of that native town to the tank, it is fouled by the natives using it as a
latrine and otherwise polluting it. Besides even after reaching the lake, the water is polluted
by people walking into it and washing their feet, clothes, utensils, &c. From observations
of the catchment ground and feeders at different periods of the year under report, I can safely
state that in every case (in one direction or another) both on the surface of the ground, in the
open country and in the feeders, human excreta was noticed. This was especially the case
during the dry season; and, on the setting in of the south-west monsoon, it was washed away
by heavy rain into tanks." In the case of British troops and their families, every precaution
was taken to supply them with pure water for drinking purposes; fuel was issued to barracks
and hospitals, and the water boiled under supervision then passed through MacNamara
filters and distributed.