22
MILITARY DEPARTMENT, 8TH SEPTEMBER 1879, No. 5000.
Presidency Circle.—From the Table F and Return No. III, it will be observed
that in the Presidency Circle the chief admissions occur in the febrile group, which
gave a ratio of 537.98 and a death rate of 5.81 against 217.96 and 3.27 in 1877.
Continued and paroxysmal fevers are both greatly in excess of the year preceding.
The chief diseases of the digestive system (dysentery, hepatitis, and diarrhœa) have
lessened, the admission and death rates being 118.04 and 4.35, respectively, against
152.95 and 4.67 in the previous year. The admission rate for syphilis (198.35)
is almost identical with that of 1877. The admission rate for all diseases
throughout the circle was 1534.11 and of deaths 19.84 per mille, both being in
excess of those noted in the previous year.
Mysore Circle .—Diseases of the digestive system furnish the highest admis-
sion rate, viz. , 264. 84 per mille. The death rate from this cause was 4. 91. Both
are in excess of the rates recorded in 1877. The admission rate for dysentery
(77.77) and the death rate from the same cause (1.64) are both slightly in excess
as compared with 1877 ; so too are the admission and death rates for hepatitis.
Syphilis has increased but caused no mortality. The total admission rate for the
circle was 1178.88, the death rate 14.74, both being in excess of those recorded
in the previous year.
Hyderabad Circle.—Compared with 1877 the febrile group of diseases shows
a great increase, the admission and death ratios being 445.60 and 9.22, respec-
tively, against 277.10 and 3.96 in 1877. This was due to a greater prevalence of
continued and paroxysmal fevers. Enteric fever shows a satisfactory reduction, the
admission and death ratios being 2.08 and 1.18 per mille, respectively, against 10.36
and 2.74 in 1877. The probable cause of this decrease has been already referred
to. Cholera and syphilis both show increased rates. Diseases of the digestive
system have increased the ratios for the respective years, being as follows, viz. :—
Admission Ratio.
Death Ratio.
1878
...
... 444.41
...
...
7.43
1877
...
...
... 312.50
...
. . .
2.74
Combining dysentery, diarrhœa, and hepatitis (the more important diseases of
this group) together, we find that the admission and death rates from these causes
have increased from 184.75 and 2.74, respectively, per mille in 1877 to 295.18 and
6.83. All of the above named affections were much more prevalent than in 1877,
particularly dysentery. The total admission rate for the circle from all causes
was 1570.15 and the death ratio 23.19 per mille against 1213.72 and 13.11 in the
previous year.
Burmah Circle .—Compared with 1877 the total admission and death rates
show an increase, the ratios being 1237.34 and 24.26, respectively, against 1081.73
and 20.83 in the previous year. In the febrile group the admission rates have
doubled ; the death rates show a slight increase. The former is due to a greater
prevalence of continued and paroxysmal fevers ; the continued fevers caused no
deaths, the paroxysmal only two. Diseases of the nervous system show an increase,
but the death rate remains almost unchanged. The admission ratio, 25.32 per mille,
exceeds that of any other circle. This increase was due to a greater prevalence of
sunstroke and epilepsy. Diseases of the digestive system show a slight reduction
in admissions, a slight increase in deaths. Diarrhœa and hepatitis have both
increased, while dysentery shows a decided reduction as compared with the preceding
year, the admission and death rates being 95.46 and 3.69 per mille, respectively,
against 118.59 and 4.81 in 1877.
Depôts .—Compared with 1877 the total admission rate at depôts (1318.80)
shows a decrease of 553.48 per mille ; the death rate (28.52) per mille is less by
6.80. The febrile group shows a slight increase in admissions, but caused no deaths.
In 1877 there were six deaths, or a ratio of 8.15 per mille ; four of these were due
to enteric fever and two to cholera; continued fevers show a reduction, paroxysmal
f e v e r s a n i n c r e a s e , t h e a d m i s s i o n r a t i o f o r t h e l a t t e r b e i n g 2 6 1 . 7 4 a g a i n s t 8 5 . 6 0 i n
the previous year. Neither caused any deaths. There was no case of enteric fever.