MILITARY DEPARTMENT, 18TH SEPTEMBER 1878, No. 4838.
Diseases of the digestive system caused the chief mortality ; diarrhœa caused
thirty deaths, teething twenty-three and dysentery nine.
Diseases of the nervous system furnished thirty-five fatal cases, of which
twenty-nine were due to convulsive disorders. There were six cases of small-pox
with one death. Sixty-four admissions and twenty-seven deaths were attributed
to general debility.
General Remarks on Sanitary Matters.
Several improvements connected with barracks and hospitals have been carried
out during the year, among which the following are noted :-
PRESIDENCY CIRCLE.---At Bellary, a new canteen for the Infantry is in course of
construction.
At Triehinopoly, several improvements have been effected in hospital, calculated
to improve ventilation and increase the comfort of the sick.
At Ramandroog, the back verandahs of barrack-rooms have been fitted with
fire-places ; air-tight iron receptacles provided for the latrines, and several minor
details connected with the drainage from ablution rooms and ventilation of cells
and lock-up rooms carried out.
MYSORE CIRCLE.-A new cooking-range has been provided for the Royal Horse
Artillery cook-house, and is stated to work admirably.
At Wellington, the staircases leading to upper stories of married quarters
have been roofed with zinc, and swinging windows placed at the landing, thereby
affording protection from rain and increasing light and ventilation.
A masonry reservoir has been constructed in lieu of the half-cask formerly
employed for the collection of drinkin water. It is fitted with taps, connected
with the source by masonry pipes, and iscapable of holding about four days' supply.
An ornamental lake is in process of formation at the south-west end of barracks,
the object being to inundate the swampy ground and lessen malarial emanations.
At Cannanore, a new guard-room is nearly completed, and some minor improve-
ments carried out in connection with the drainage and conservancy of hospital.
HYDERABAD CIRCLE. .—Secunderabad.—A new regimental hospital completed for
Cavalry. This building was taken into occupation on 21st February 1878. A
range of family quarters for the Cavalry has been completed, and a subsidiary
block of quarters for the regimental band is in course of construction. A small
hospital for infectious diseases and a set of Staff Sergeants' quarters with attached
offices have been constructed for the Artillery. In addition to the above, several
minor improvements in connection with guard beds in cells and prisoners' rooms,
alteration of urinals, and increased ventilation of the Infantry hospital, have been
effected.
At Kamptee, a block of Infantry quarters has been remodelled, and a similar
process commenced in one of the Royal Artillery quarters. The swampy ground to
the south and west of the cantonment has been partially drained.
BURMAH CIRCLE.—At Rangoon, two new barrack bungalows for the Infantry were
completed and occupied. At Thayetmyo, a new barrack in the redoubt for Royal
Artillery is in progress and nearly completed. At Tonghoo, the Royal Artillery
barrack cook-house has been enlarged and repaired.
•
P. S.—The bulk of the present report, as compared with previous documents
of the same kind, has been increased by details in connection with so-called typhoid
or enteric fever, which have been given in accordance with remarks by the Army
Sanitary Commission in my report for 1876.
(Signed)
C. A. G.
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