Principal
causes of
sickness.
Vaccination.
Observations
and remarks.
84
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL,
Inspection.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness. —Of the 151 cases admitted during the year, 72 were due
to malarial fevers, 15 to dysentery, 10 to accidental contusions, and 7 to gonorrhœa. The first two
causes were due to climatic influences, and require no comment ; the other ailments being also
chiefly accidental, need not be discussed.
XIX. Vaccination.—Thirty-three troopers and twenty-five camp-followers were successfully
vaccinated during the year.
XX. Observations and remarks.—The health of the regiment has on the whole been as good as
could be wished for. The men are admirably paid, enjoy healthy exercise; duties are not
excessive, and if the lines and hospital building were only enlarged as recommended, the con-
dition of His Excellency the Viceroy's Body-guard at Dehra Dun, as regards sanitation would
compare most favorably with the best branch of Her Majesty's native army.
Inspection.—In the annual inspection of this regiment by Deputy Surgeon-
General E. C. Thorp, M.D., there occurs only one paragraph which requires
notice :—" The hospital is simply a thatched hut, nine yards long and five yards
broad; there is no separate ward for contagious diseases, no dispensary, and no
accommodation for the hospital-assistant. It is hoped that the necessary addi-
tions and repairs will be fully carried out by the end of next year." Everything
besides was very satisfactory.
2nd (Prince of Males' Own) Coorkha Regiment—Dehra Dun.
Medical
Officer.
Location and
movements.
Meteorology
and climate.
I. Medical Officer.—Surgeon-Major W. Eddowes was in medical charge of
the head-quarters of the
regiment during the year.
Surgeon H Adye (Bombay
Medical Service) was attach-
ed for duty from 14th June
to 11th September. The de-
pôt, which remained at Dehra
during the absence on field
service of the head-quarters,
was underthe medical charge
of Surgeon MacLaren, Civil
Surgeon of Debra. The
annual report is written
with much care and atten-
tion to details by Surgeon
McRae, M.B., at present offi-
ciating in medical charge of the regiment.
II. Location and movements.—On the 20th April the head-quarters of the regiment,
which was located at Debra from the beginning of the year, left that station en route to
Bombay to form part of the Indian expeditionary force ; arrived at Bombay on the 29th
April, and left for Malta on the same date; disembarking at the latter place on the 1st June
1878. After six weeks' sojourn at Malta left for Cyprus and landed there on the 26th of July.
From Cyprus the regiment returned in three detachments :
—
No. 1 of 300 men sailed on 12th August, and arrived at Bombay on 30th August.
No. 2 of 47 men sailed on 25th August, arriving at Bombay on the 19th September.
No. 3 of 383 men, left on the 1st September and arrived at Bombay on the 1st October
and at Debra bun on the 1lth October, the time occupied by each detachment from
Bombay being 10 Days.
On the 26th October the regiment again left for field service in Afghanistan, but having
been diverted from their route to occupy for a short time the station of' Hoti Mardan, they did
not arrive at Jamrood until the 8th of December. At the end of' the year they were stationed
at Ali Musjid, Afghanistan. During the absence of the head-quarters a depôt remained at
Dehra.
IV. Meteorology and climate.— I a m i n d e b t e d t o t h e c o u r t e s y o f M r . H e n n e s s e y , o f t h e
Survey Office, for the following meteorological observations :—The rainfall of the year is double
that of 1877 and a little more than that of 1876, which was 82.6 inch. The highest tempera-
ture of the year under review was 106.5° in the month of June. In 1877 the maximum seems
to have been in the month of May, 104°.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1873 . Dehra Dun . . .
86.4
2.2
3.9
1874
. Ditto . . .
80.9
2.5
3.9
1875
. Ditto . . .
75.28
3.36
2.96
1876
. Ditto . . .
94.85
.99
4.19
1877
. Ditto .
57.84
2.11
2.65
Average
. .
79.05
2.23
3.52
1878
. Debra Dun, Malta, Cyprus
and Afghanistan.
177.42
2.76
5.73