80
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
8. The general physique of the men is as a rule good. Some old and unfit sepoys
exist in the regiment, but they will be invalided in due course.
The general health of the regiment has not been so good as
last year. In 1877 there were 377 admissions; in 1878 there were 1,542 admissions.
9. The extreme dryness of last year was succeeded by an excessive rainfall (50 inches
35 cents), which raised the subsoil water to the surface, the
wells being mostly all full to the brim, then the rapid fall of
the subsoil water after the rain ceased gave rise to malarious
fever, which raged like an epidemic amongst the civil as well as the military portion of the
community.
10. Of 1,542 admissions, ague gave the largest number, viz., 1,119, next in order
febricula gave 36, dysentery 35, diarrhœa 30, asthma 31, and
rheumatism and scurvy 21 each.
11. There were 15 deaths in hospital. Of these 5 were due to cholera, 4 to ague, 2 to
diarrhœa, and 1 each to paralysis, guinea-worm, asthma, and
neuralgia. Nine deaths took place out of hospital—cholera 4,
suicide 3, and ague and drowning 1 each.
12. The only epidemic was cholera, which gave 7 cases and 5 deaths. Pettenkoffer
thinks there will be no widespread cholera epidemic unless four
conditions of soil are present—(1) an impure porous soil, which
has recently been rendered (2) moist by rise of ground water, and then has been (3) penetrat
-ed by air during the fall of the ground water into which the (4) specific germ of' cholera
had found its way. At Rajcote all these conditions were present when cholera disappeared
entirely, and an unprecedented outbreak of malaria took place.
13. Successful 44. Good lymph was supplied when applied for from the Superintend
-ent of Vaccination, Rajcote, and all are protected. The recruits
on their arrival are vaccinated at once, whether they have marks
or not, but as a rule they are protected, and vaccination has no effect on those who are.
14. Fifteen men were invalided for discharge for debility, chronic rheumatism,
varicose veins, and emphysema. Three men were discharged
with gratuity.
15. Under heading 7, the defective accommodation for the hospital subordinate
staff is pointed out. The Native Medical Pupil resides in
quarters which would be occupied by the Second Hospital
Assistant if he were present at head-quarters, no other residence
being available. I would suggest enlargement of the present building by the addition of
another room to each, and the erection of a house for the Native Medical Pupils.
General health and physique.
Influences of climate or local
circumstances on health.
Details of treated.
M o r t a l i t y .
Epidemics.
Vaccination.
Invaliding and its causes.
Requirements and recommend-
-ations.
Special observations, new ex
- p e r i e n c e s i n t r e a t m e n t , s a n i t a t i o n ,
&c.
16. I have nothing to submit under this head.
H. M.'s 23rd Regiment N. I. and 6th Regiment N. I.
INDORE.—In Medical charge of Surgeon B. N. KOYAJI.
1. The Right Wing H. M.'s 6th Regiment N. I. is at present located at this station.
The wing arrived here on the 13th May last, on detachment
duty of six months, relieving the Right Half Battalion H. M.'s
23rd N. L. I., which had been stationed here since the 25th October 1877.
2. The lines are situated about two miles from the native city of Indore, and westward
of the civil station. They consist of ten blocks of single-tiled
huts, built of sun-dried bricks set in mud. They have no
special arrangement for ventilation. The lines have been lately
repaired and the cubic space in each hut has been increased
from 670 cubic feet to 830 cubic feet by raising the roof of each block two feet. The
plinths of the huts are still low, their mean height being about six inches. The accommoda-
- t i o n f o r t h e m e n i s q u i t e s u f f i c i e n t . T h e s t r e e t s a r e k e p t c l e a n , a n d t h e m e n a r e e n c o u r a g e d
to make small garden plots in front of their huts. The bathing water from the married
men's quarters is directed by means of open drains into the beds of plants or small garden
plots in front of the men's huts. The quarters for the Native officers aro situated to the
west of the men's lines, and are in a good sanitary condition. They are capable of accom-
- m o d a t i n g f i v e o f f i c e r s .
Location and movements.
The lines and their surround-
-ings; present condition, hygienic
or otherwise.