LAHORE DIVISION.
113
XVI. Principal causes of sickness.—The health of the regiment was bad. The admissions
exceeded 2 for each man present, and over a month's service was lost to Government for every
man of the strength of the regiment. The principal causes of sickness were :—bad drainage,
bad ventilation, overcrowding, a prolonged residence in an unhealthy locality, and the hardships
inseparable from war. Ague gave 646 admissions ; rheumatism 35, anæmia 24, pneumonia
and phthisis chest affections (including bronchitis and asthma and pleurisy) 95, bowel com
-plaints (dysentery, diarrhœa, colic and constipation) 160, ulcers and boils 73, and blisters of the
feet 85 ; veneral affections 22, of the last there were 14 for primary syphilis and gonorrhœa.
The admissions for ague were nearly double those of the previous year ; rheumatism pretty
much the same ; pneumonia and phthisis show an increase over last year of 15 ; chest affections
(as above) much the same. The admissions for bowel complaints are trebled owing to privation
and service in the field, and those from blistered feet nearly doubled ; the increase of these
latter two attributable to privation and hard working on service.
XVII. Principal causes of mortality. —The principal causes of mortality were pneumonia
(6 deaths), phthisis (1), anæmia (1), dysentery (5), ulcer (1), unknown (on leave at their homes,
3). This case of ulcer was an extensive excavated ulcer of the foot ; the patient, I am informed,
died hectic.
Inspection.—The inspection of this regiment took place at Meean Meer,
after its return from the campaign in Afghanistan, by Deputy Surgeon-General
W. Beatson, M.D., on the 28th and 30th June 1879. The ventilation of the
huts at Sialkot is described as defective and overcrowded ; the ordinary clothing
was found insufficient during the extreme meteorological changes to which the
sepoys had been exposed. Ridge ventilation is recommended for the hospital,
and the latrine accommodation too small ; the beds are full of bugs, being
ordinary charpoys. The patients were well cared for, and there was no " hospital-
ism." The visitor's book had been properly kept up, and the general tenor of
the remarks entered by inspecting and regimental officers was satisfactory.
The hospital equipment was complete notwithstanding rough usage on service ;
and standing orders were all observed.
Principal
causes of
sickness.
Principal
causes of
mortality.
Inspection.
30th (Punjab) Native Infantry.—Ferozepore.
I. Medical Officer.—The medical charge of the regiment was held
throughout the year by Sur-
geon D. N. Martin.
VII. Conservancy and latrines.
— T h e c o n s e r v a n c y s y s t e m i s t h e
same as that reported last year.
The cantonment sweepers seem to
require sharp supervision in order
to have the conservancy well car
-ried out. The latrines are on the
trench system still, and on fre
-quent examinations do not appear
to cause any smell; but the ground
in which the trenches have been
dug for so many years, appears
to be so saturated with saline
matter as not to be capable of
yielding a crop, thus the most important detail of the system must be left unaccomplished.
A new site will probably be chosen close to the old one, but the dry-earth system carried out
by the regimental authorities would be a much more efficacious and cleanly one although it
might be more expensive.
IX. Diet and food-supply.—The diet is the same as usual. Milk of good quality in this
station is for some reason difficult to get. Under regimental arrangements a sufficient supply
the epidemic of fever milk was obtained for the hospital every morning and evening during
of tolerably good with its attendant cases of dysentery and diarrhœa, but it was only by very
strict supervision that the milk was maintained in good condition.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding. —Strength of the regiment :—
Present
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. 620.38
Absent
.
.
.
.
. . .
. . . . 84.49
Total .
. 704.87
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1873 . Nowshera, Nov. 1871 .
116.7
1 .
2.9
1874 . Peshawar, March 1874.
249.8
1 .
3.8
1875 . Ditto . . .
. 225.35
2.44
6.29
1876 . Ditto . . .
207.97
4.63
5.26
1877 . Ferozepore, Feb. 1877 .
119.32
1.87
2.89
Average . .
183.82
2.19
4 . 2 3
1878 . Ferozepore . . .
208.09
25.5
6.01
Medical
Officer.
Conservancy
and latrines.
Diet and food.
supply.
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding.
D1