66
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
H. M.'s 20th Regiment N. I.
BARODA.—In Medical charge of Surgeon H. DETATHAM, M.D.
Average Strength
699
Deaths in Hospital
9
Do Present
670
Do. out of do
4
Admissions
1050
Invalided
35
Daily Sick
22.5
Sick leave
20
Years.
Stations.
Rate per cent. to Average Strength
Present of
Admissions. Daily Sick.
D e a t h s i n H o s p i t a l .
1875
Bombay
98.9
4.8
1.4
1876
Do.
119.1
7.0
2.1
1877
Do
95.3
3.8
0.7
Average
104.4
5.2
1.4
1878
Baroda
156.7
3.3
1.5
Location and movements.
1. The regiment has been stationed at Baroda throughout the year, no movement
having taken place. One or two recruiting parties have as
usual been detached from head-quarters at different times.
The lines and their surround
inga; present condition, hygienic
and otherwise.
2. Since last report the regiment has moved from the old temporary lines (built
originally for the 9th Regiment N. I. and now pulled down) to
the lines formerly occupied by the 22nd Regiment N. I., which
in have been much improved, having undergone a thorough repair.
The ground on which they stand has been raised about a foot,
and the floors raised another foot above the level of the outside ground; the walls and
ridges of the pendals were also raised. The site is admirably shaded by trees; there is no
overcrowding, and the men appear to be well satisfied with the change. Some of the
married quarters have inside bathing places, the water being conveyed away by small (open)
tributary channels into a central drain running down each street, which empties itself into
a kind of trench which surrounds the whole lines and discharges itself into a neighbouring
nullah. Practically, however, these drains only come into play during the rains; at other
times the amount of waste-water being small, it soaks into the ground or evaporates in
front of the huts.
Conservancy.
3. The conservancy of the lines is well maintained, no objectionable deposits are
allowed, and the general sanitary condition of the lines, their
surroundings, of the Sudder Bazaar, and of the camp generally
is satisfactory. It is important however to note that during the late excessive rains a portion
of the lines were flooded, although I am told that the water did not actually flow into the
men's houses. There is ample pucka-built latrine accommodation, which however is only
used during the rains; for the rest of the year the "trench-system" is adopted; there are
two enclosures (for men and women respectively) surrounded by matting, these are situated
to the South-East of the lines, about 200 yards distant, but it is found necessary to post police
sentries to enforce their being used, and prevent the men from defiling the surrounding
country instead. The space occupied by the men's enclosure is not large enough, a nullah
limiting the available space, and the only other space which could be used would be to wind
-ward of the lines and therefore objectionable. The sanctioned conservancy establishment is
regularly maintained.
Water supply.
4 . T h e w a t e r s u p p l y i s e n t i r e l y f r o m w e l l s , f i v e b e i n g i n t h e l i n e s a t p r e s e n t o c c u p i e d ,
and four on the site of the temporary lines now pulled down;
the latter are covered, but their circuits are not paved, while
the former have paved circuits but are not covered. During the hot weather before the
rains the supply was scanty, but it is now (at the end of the year) abundant. I am not in a
position to report upon its quality from analysis, but it is clear to look at, though slightly
brackish in taste, and there does not appear to have been any prevalence of such affections as
an impure water supply would explain. I am not aware of any source of contamination unless
from the leather buckets in which it is drawn and the mussacks iu which it is distributed.
The latrine enclosures are sufficiently distant from any of the wells to prevent the risk of
contamination, and besides, the current of the subsoil water flows in the other direction.