Epidemics.
Vaccination and re-vaccination.
12
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OP THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
The following table gives the number of admissions, and percentage of sick to strength
during the year at the head-quarters and detachments mentioned below :—
Head-
quarters at
Bombay.
Bagdad.
Bushire. Bassadore. I. G. S. S.
Dalhousie.
I. G. S. S.
Abyssinia.
I. G. S. S.
Magdala.
Admissions
352
27
12
647
3
1
None.
Percentage of admis-
sions to strength
61.9
207.7
52.2
995.4
37.5
12.5
None.
9. Throughout the year the health of the men of the Detachment at Bassadore greatly
Influence of climate or local
circumstances on health.
deteriorated irons the effect of the climate and malarious fever.
The main reasons for the increased sickness over the preceding
year is attributable in my opinion to the greater number of
men employed now in the Persian Gulf, from whence many return ill and generally debilitat-
ed, requiring medical aid, sick furlough, or invaliding at last.
10. Including the sick of detachments in the Persian Gulf, the total number of cases
admitted during the year was 1,042; which with 18 cases
remaining from the preceding year, gives a total of 1,060.
The principal cases of sickness have been as usual, fevers, to which ague contributes 640
admissions, out of which 125 were at head-quarters and 495 at the Bassadore detachment,
the remaining 20 were furnished by the other detachments; 12 cases of remittent fever of a
low and not infrequently typhoid type were admitted. Next in order of frequency
comes rheumatic and syphilitic affections, 40 of the former and 27 of the latter. I regret to
say syphilis of a bad type is exceedingly prevalent in Bombay, and the men of the Regiment
who resort to the town have suffered very severely. Not only have the primary attacks
been of the sloughing variety of sore, but nearly all the cases have been affected in quick
succession with secondary symptoms. Eruptive fevers give only three admissions, viz. one
small-pox, one chicken-pox, and one measles ; the case of small-pox was transferred to
the J. J. Hospital for treatment. Scurvy gives 12 admissions, all furnished by the detach-
ments serving in the Persian Gulf. Local diseases contribute 286 admissions, of which skin
diseases are most frequent. Scabies gives as many as 33 admissions. Diseases of the more
important organs, such as eye and lungs, have not been infrequent, 19 of the former and
22 of the latter have been treated. Lung disease, preceded as it often is by remittent fever
of a low type, has been found difficult to combat, requiring a free administration of stimu-
lants and nourishment. Diseases of other important organs as the liver have not been
absent, and diseases of the bowels, including diarrhœa and dysentery, have furnished 31 of
the former and 21 of the latter ; the remainder of this class of disease calls for no remarks.
11. During the year under report there have been 15 deaths, 9 more than last year. Of
these, 9 were at the head-quarters and 3 on duty in the
Persian Gulf, 2 on sick leave, and 1 on furlough.one
death occurred under the head of ague : the man was a drum major in the Regiment, of
intemperate habits, who died suddenly during the course of short treatment, of bursting of
an abscess in the peritoneal cavity, as discovered by autopsy. Ono from remittent com-
plicated with lung affection, one from syphilis of a bad type complicated with scurvy and
pneumonia, two from chronic bronchitis, one from dysentery contracted. in the Persian Gulf,
two from hepatitis, terminating in abscess, which finally proved fatal, one from peritonitis
arising from the presence of long worms in the intestinal canal. Three on duty in the Persian
Gulf, and one on furlough—their diseases are unknown—one from bronchitis and one from
scrofula; both were on sick furlough.
12. Although there have been many cases of cholera and small-pox during the year
in the native town, only one sepoy was attacked with small-
pox : the case was transferred to the J. J. Hospital for medical
treatment.
13. Thirty-nine children have been primarily vaccinated
during the year; of these 37 were successful and 2 unsuccessful.
14. Forty-seven men were invalided by the Annual and Special Invaliding Committees ;
Details of treated.
Mortality and its causes.
Invaliding and its causes.
of these 10 were recommended by the Commanding Officer as
old and worn-out men unfit for further service ; the rest were