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the rain water; at present this water percolates into the soil and the foundation of
the buildings.
Nagpore Force .—During the year the wash and cook houses, which were to
the south-western side of the infantry barracks, have been taken down and the
new ones to the north-eastern side brought into use. The half of the new family
quarters has been converted into the Sergeants' mess room by the removal of the
partition walls.
British Burma Division.—The barracks in this division have been favorably
reported on.
HOSPITALS.—Many of the sewers that opened into the Coourn having been
diverted in other directions in recent years, that river is not so offensive as it used
to be, and the Station Hospital, Madras, gets better air in consequence. There
still remains the drawback of its situation close to the Railway station and a much
used and noisy thoroughfare whence clouds of red dust are blown into the rooms.
All the hospitals in the Bangalore Division are good, except the North Station
Hospital at Bangalore itself which, having been built many years ago, is not up to
modern standards. The several blocks are too close together, and the sanitary
arrangements are imperfect.
At Secunderabad No. 6 Range of the married quarters of the 1st British
Infantry Regiment was converted into a general female hospital for the women and
children of the two Infantry Regiments and the Artillery, while No. 7 Range was
allotted as a contagious disease ward for the same persons.
A new hospital is in course of construction at Tonghoo on an improved site,
and will probably be open for use early in 1886.
GUARD ROOMS AND CELLS.—No changes were reported in these buildings
throughout the year.
LATRINES AND CONSERVANCY.—The latrines at Fort St. George are badly venti-
lated and too far from the barracks, so that men attacked with diarrhœa at night
find it difficult to reach them. The latrines at Kamptee were complained of,
because the soldiers would not take the trouble of using the dry earth, especially
at night, and consequently in the damp muggy weather, there was an unpleasant
smell about them, and the Medical Officer in Charge of the Station Hospital thought
that men going to them in the early morning might contract the seeds of disease
such as enteric. Cinerators were constructed at this station during the year for
the destruction of sweepings, &c., of the bazaars. This complaint about the men
not using the dry earth is not confined to Kamptee.
BATHS AND LAVATORIES.—These are generally speaking on a liberal scale at all.
the stations.
DRAINAGE.—The drainage of Bellary is defective in consequence of the dead
level of the station. There is a cesspit at each end of the hospital into which its
waste water flows, and Deputy Surgeon-General Tarrant has recommended that
they should be closed and one excavated about 80 yards in rear of the building.
His recommendation has been approved of, but the work is delayed for want of
funds. The unsatisfactory state of the drainage of the town of Secunderabad was
reported on last year, and there has been no improvement hitherto in this respect.
There is too much wet cultivation also close to the cantonment.
Liyhting is by kerosine lamps and has given satisfaction.
WATER SUPPLY.—That for the Barracks and Station Hospital., Fort St. George,
was obtained as usual from wells about two miles off being brought by pipes. It
was reported on as bad for drinking purposes by the Chemical Analyst towards the
latter part of the year, chiefly because of the quantity of albuminoid ammonia
present. As cholera appeared in the neighbourhood, it was considered advisable to
boil as well as filter it. The year 1884 began in Bangalore with but a scanty
supply of water in the tanks from which drinking water is taken, and as only 13.25
inches of rain fell during the first nine months of the year compared with an
average of about 26 inches, the supply continued scanty and bad all through the
year. It was boiled as well as filtered before issue, but it must be always a source