Food and clothing.
Duties, exercise, and amuse
ments; their effects on health.
Hospital
Epidemics.
12. None.
Requirements and recommend-
ations.
Special observations, new ex
periences in treatment, sanita
tion, &c.
4
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
The vicinity is thickly populated on the North side, but on the South there are princi
pally sheds and buildings connected with the G. I. P. Railway. On the East is the Carnac
Bunder, on the West the Crawford Market. I can only endorse Deputy Surgeon General
Hunter's remarks at page 3, Bombay Army Medical Report of 1876.
The lines consist of 10 blocks of pendals facing North and South, each composed of
three blocks of huts and one detached for the residence of the Native Commissioned Officers.
3. One latrine divided into two parts, each containing 28 seats. 14 each side, 1 for the
Conservancy.
women and 1 for the men. The latrine is situated to the
North-East of the Lines, at a distance of only 48 feet from the
last b olcko f
p e n d a l s .
i t i s r e g u l a r l y f l u s h e d , a n d t h e f i l t h r u n s i n t o t h e p u m p i n g s t a t i o n ,
whence it is pumped into the sea, about a quarter of a mile off. The seats are too few for the
number of inhabitants of the lines, which, with the addition of the Detachment 8th Regiment,
c a n n o t b e w e l l u n d e r 2 , 0 0 0 m e n , w o m e n a n d c h i l d e r n .
4. Vehar water is supplied to the troops but not to the sick in hospital; the water
Water supply.
has never been laid on, but it has lately been a cause of corres
pondence between the Medical Officer and Commanding Officer
and authorities concerned; the amount is ample for drinking and washing purposes. I t is
collected in four large iron tanks, each holding 700 gallons of water.
5. With regard to clothing there is nothing in addition to last year's remarks to add.
Food in abundance, but somewhat dear. The men however
received the usual grain compensation .
6. The duties in Bombay were very hard for the men
of the Regiment, the number of nights in bed being only 4.5.
7. This has been described and reported upon in pages
2 and 3, Army Medical Report Book for 1876.
8. The health of the men and physique have been very fair since the Regiment
General health and physique.
returned from Malta and Cyprus. Sixty-four of the oldest and
most worn out men have been invalided during the year, but
the recruits are a very fine body of young men.
9. The health of the Regiment was certainly not improved while it was stationed at
Influence of climate or local
circumstances on health.
Malta and Cyprus. The men suffered very seriously. Diarrhœa
and dysentery were very common. The change to Bombay
had a beneficial result. The admissions to hospital do not give
an adequate idea of the health of the Regiment, for, as a rule, the men avoid the hospital
unless seriously ill. Trifling ailments they pay little heed to, and by so doing bring about
an impaired state of the general health.
10. The principal causes of sickness were, eruptive fevers, malarious fevers principally
Details of treated.
of a quotidian type, rheumatic, syphilitic, and scorbutic affections;
diseases of the nervous system, eye, heart, and lungs; diarrhœa,
dysentery, &c. &c.
11. Seven deaths in hospital during the year, their causes being
remittent fever 1,
Mortality and its causes.
dysentery 3, diarrhœa 1, syphilis secondary 1, pleurisy 1.
There were two deaths out of hospital at the depôt at Poona,
when the Regiment was at Malta.
Vaccination.
13. 11 children have been primarily vaccinated during
the year.
14. 64 men were invalided during the year, and for the following causes:—ague 1,
Invaliding and its causes.
rheumatics 1, eye disease 3, disease of the heart 1, disease of
the lungs 10, dysentery 2, ulcers 1, old age and debility 42,
o ther diseases 3 .
15. The only need is the supply of Toolsee water to
the hospital, which has been promised by the Brigadier Com
manding at Bombay.
16. There are no special observations, and the only
remark on sanitation is the want of supply of pure drinking
water to the hospital, which has been already alluded to.