iv
Most of the medical officers speak of it as running a benign . course, but at the
same time almost prostrating the Regiments while it lasted.
8. The number of admissions from eruptive fevers was 124, as compared
Eruptive fevers.
with 212 -in the previous year. The death-rate from
this class of diseases was 1.6 per cent. on the admis-
sions, as against 1.8 in 1877. They were more general in the Northern Division
than in any of the others, as every corps therein, with the exception of two, the
3rd Regiment Light Cavalry at Neemuch and the 1st Mountain Battery at Raj-
kote, returned some admissions under this heading.
9. There were 9 cases of enteric fever reported, of whom 5 died. Five of
Enteric fever.
the cases with 2 deaths took place in the 1st Regiment
N. I. at Ahmedabad. There are no particulars given
of these cases beyond the following remark in the inspection report of Deputy
Surgeon General Wyllie, "The only unusual event was the appearance of enteric
fever in April, and 2 deaths unfortunately resulted before it was fully diagnosed.
The runlets, here covered, leading from family quarters were suspected, opened
out, and the disease at once disappeared." In the 16th N. I. three cases occurred,
and the following remark by the Medical Officer in charge is the only record of
them, "There were three cases of enteric fever, all of which proved fatal." In
the Poona Horse one case is returned which recovered, but there is no special
remark made regarding it. Under the instructions contained in Government
Regulation No. 1786, Military Department, dated 30th April 1879, a circular has
been issued directing medical officers to carefully record and forward the cases
of patients suffering from this disease, with a view to help to elucidate the question
raised by Surgeon General Gordon of Madras, and in the current year's report
I hope to be able to record the result of the year's research as to the frequency
or otherwise of cases of enteric fever in the Native Army.
10. The rate of admissions for rheumatism on the total treated was 3.4
Rheumatism.
per cent. for the whole Presidency, as against 5.0 for
1877. The highest rate prevailed in the Presidency
Division 4.8 per cent. and the lowest in Sind 2.2. The rates prevailing in the
Poona and Northern Divisions were 3.8 and 3.0 per cent. respectively. The
Regiment returning most cases under this heading was the 22nd N. I., which was
moved between Ahmedabad, Bombay, Poona and Belgaum in the course of
the year.
11. Pulmonary diseases furnished 2 . 9 per cent. of the total treated, as
Lung affections.
against 4 . 5 in 1877. They were more numerous in the
Presidency Division, where the ratio per cent. was 4.3,
than in any of the others. In the Poona Division they furnished 3.1 per cent.,
in the Northern 2.3, and in Sind 3.1. The ratios prevailing in the Divisions as
just named in 1877 were 3.9, 3.8, 5.4, and 3.1 respectively. The 22nd N. 1.
suffered more from these affections than any other corps in the Bombay Army.
The Medical Officer reports that both at Poona and Belgaum, and on the line
of march between these two places, a large proportion of the fever cases were
com plicated with chest affections.
12. Diarrhoea and dysentery furnished ratios on admissions of 2 . 6 and 3.5
Bowel affections
per cent. respectively, as against 3 . 1 under each head
in 1877. Dysentery more particularly prevailed with
greater relative frequency in Sind than in any of the other Divisions. The 30th
Regiment alone at Jacobabad furnished 179 cases, but the medical officer states
in his report he is unable to give any details regarding those cases. The disease
however must have been of a very mild nature in this Regiment, as there was
no death attributed thereto, and one man was invalided from the effects of it.
In the 1st Regiment Light Cavalry and the 9th and 26th Regiments Native
Infantry, which Regiments took part in the Mediterranean expedition, both
diarrhoea and dysentery prevailed very considerably. In all three it occasioned