144
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL,
Remarks
by the
Commanding
Officer.
I nspection
M edical
Officers.
Location and
movements.
Topography
of tincture of aconite four times during the day, and applied poultices to the chest. About the
sixth day, when the signs of irritant fever subside and are replaced by those of general depression,
and there is abundant secretion of mucus, I have stopped the aconite and given the ammonia
mixture. The results of this treatment have been very encouraging; not only has the mortality
been much less, but the duration of individual cases much shorter. Instead of as formerly
dragging out a long convalescence of several weeks, they are sometimes fit to return to duty in
a fortnight. It must, however, be added, that the present cases of pneumonia are of a less
serious type than the earlier ones, usually two, only one lung is now attacked ; still after making
a deduction on account of the foregoing, I am convinced that by giving aconite at the be-
ginning in small often-repeated doses, both the fatality and the duration of pneumonia may
be material1y lessened.
Remarks by the Commanding Officer .—The following are the remarks of the Commanding
Officer :—" I quite coincide with Surgeon Lewtas' remarks on the two main questions to which
he refers, viz., service rations and clothing for service. The issue of meat, especially to Sikhs and
Mussulmans (who are in the habit of purchasing it for themselves in India), in lieu of a portion
of the flour, would be a boon much appreciated by them ; also tea in place of rum would, I
think, be advisable. With reference to his remarks about the men selling part of their rations,
on enquiring through the native officers I find that several men saved up part of their dhal
and flour, and exchanged it for fowls or goats, vegetables, &c., thus clearly proving, I think,
that an issue of meat would be much appreciated • but this of course is mainly a question for
the medical authorities to decide. The extra blanket recommended by Surgeon Lewtas is also
a desideratum in a climate like that of Afghanistan, the men having only two, one supplied
regimentally, the other issued gratis by Government ; but above all, the waterproof sheet (not
yet received, although frequent applications have been made for it) is an absolute necessity to
keep the men in health, and had they had it, no doubt the numbers affected by pneumonia and
other chest diseases would have been greatly reduced. "
Inspection.—The inspection of the 27th Native Infantry took place at
Nowshera on the 16th March 1878. Deputy Surgeon-General C.B., has
reported the continued good health of the corps after nearly four years' stay at
Nowshera. The duty and exposure on the Jowaki expedition had been har--
rassing, but had not injuriously affected the general health. The hospital
arrangements were in all respects satisfaotory, and the sick carefully attended.
PUNJAB FRONTIER FORCE.
(INCLUDING THE STATIONS OF ABBOTTABAD, MARDAN, KOHAT, ED WARDESABAD, DERA. ISMAIL
KHAN, DERA GHAZI KHAN AND RAJANPUR.)
Average strength present during the year
. Artillery 690.5 Cavalry 2012.57 Infantry 8685.36
Average daily sick per cent. of average strength .
„
7.76
,,
6.73
”
6.87
Ratio of mortality per cent. of average strength .
„
2.0
, , 2.46
”
2.72
NO. 2 ffountain Batterp—Abbottabad.
I. Medical Officers .—The battery has been under the medical charge of
several Surgeons during the
year.
II. Location and movements.—
The battery returned from Jowaki
to Abbottabad on March 18th,
remained stationed at Abbotta-
bad till October 18th, when it
marched to Kohat. On November
17th it marched to Thull to form
part of the Koorum Field Force in
the Afghan Campaign.
III.
Topography.—The topo-
graphy of Jowaki, Abbottabad
and Kohat has been described in
previous reports. Thull is a
walled-in village, 63 miles west of
Kohat. The camp was situated
about 600 yards to the north of the River Koorum, on a pebbly kunkury river terrace. rising
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1873 . Edwardesabad, Jan. 1872
312.1
.3
5.5
1874
. Ditto . . . .
299.5
2.8
6.
1875 . Dern Ismail Khan
.
264.58
2.82
7.01
1876 . Ditto
. .
257.32
.95
7.11
1877 . Abbottabad, Mar. 1877 .
187.37
...
5.01
Average .
264.17
1.37
6.12
1878 . Abbottabad . . .
195.27
.61
6.46