YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1873
. Meerut, November 1872
241.1
. 9
5.4
1874
.
Ditto
.
.
.
250.
1.9
5.4
1875
.
Ditto.
. .
86.81
. 2
2.35
1876
. Bhagulpore,Dec. 1876 .
116.54
. 9 9
2.23
1877
.
Ditto
.
.
.
81.51
. 8 5
2.87
...
Average .
.
.
155.19
.97
3.65
1878
. Bhagulpore .
.
.
83.55
1.98
2.92
Location and
movements.
8 MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL,
prolonged exposure to paludal influences at Barrackpore during 1876, 1877, 1878,
where the men still suffered from foreign climate and food; and, lastly, nervous
depression produced by the illness and death of so many comrades. The ex-
cessive mortality is readily explained by the physical exhaustion to which the
men were reduced by such a long continued exposure. There was nothing neces-
sarily fatal either in the character of the sickness or its intensity. It was the
time to which they were exposed to the noxious influences. No doubt the men
presented the appearance of being underfed, because to most of them healthy
appetite and digestion had long been unknown. Dr. Thorp's closing remarks
refer to the improved health of the men as seen after four months' change of
station to Meerut.
The Commanding Officer writes :
—
"It is not necessary for me to add anything to the above report; the facts
and figures speak but too forcibly for themselves. I concur in it entirely, and
particularly in the concluding paragraph, as to the improvement already visible,
both in the physical and mental condition of the men generally. With im-
proved health there is a cheerfulness beginning to be apparent that I have not
seen since I joined the regiment, and which contrasts strongly with the gloom
that seemed to hang over the men. The depressing effect on the recruits, of the
state of affairs gradually disclosed to them on joining, enhanced as each succes-
sive lot found some of their own number gradually sickening and succumbing
to the prevailing sickness, was most marked, and recovering though many of them
are, the contrast between their inanimate state and the animation of those who
have joined since the regiment arrived at Meerut is most striking. One
hundred and seventy-five recruits either died or were discharged broken down
during the year."
5th Regiment, Native Light Infantry—Bhagulpore.
Medical Offi-
cers.
Diet.
I. Medical Officers. —The head-quarters of the regiment remained in
medical charge of Surgeon
R. Macrae, M.B., up to 11th
December, when he was
relieved by Surgeon Geo.
M. Nixon, M.B., A.B. The
detachment at Nya Dumka
was during the year under
the care of Surgeon Z. A.
Ahmed, M.D.
II. Location and movements.
—T h e h e a d - q u a r t e r s r e ma i n e d a t
Bhagulpore during the year.
Two companies (G and F) were
stationed at Nya Dumka until
17th November, when they were
relieved by E and H companies.
Surgeon Nixon makes some observations regarding diet of the men which
are confirmatory of those made by his predecessor, Surgeon R. Macrae, M.B., in.
1877
IX. Diet. —The men obtain their food from the regimental bazar; this is clean and well
conducted, the food being of good quality. A very efficient check is put to underfeeding by
the stoppage of compensation in those cases where full diet is not purchased. Since my
arrival, only one case has come under my notice. There was not a single case of scurvy in
the regiment during the year, which compares favorably with the preceding return. Com-
plaints continue to arrive from Dumka of the scarcity of various articles of diet, viz., fish,
milk, and vegetables. This scarcity in a great measure accounts for the inferior condition
of the two companies which arrived from Dumka in November.
The remarks about giving the "puttee" a turn round the foot and ankle
are worthy of trial on marches in other corps.
Clothing.
X. Clothing.—The clothing is well suited for the time of year. The leg from the knee
down is protected by a "puttee," which might with advantage be carried round the foot,