Epidemics.
Vaccination and re-vaccination.
61
NORTHERN DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
Location and movements.
1. The Regiment was stationed in Bhooj during ten
months of the year, and left on 3rd November for Poona.
2. The lines are situated to the east of the city of Poona and the Sadder Bazaar, being
the middle set of three, those of the 4th Rifles N. I. being on
the North and of the 18th Regiment N. I. on the South, and
the large expanse of the parade ground is to the East. They slope down to a nullah on the
West, which is kept as clean as possible, and is occasionally flushed from the Kurruckwasla
water works ; the huts are in fair condition.
3.
There are two latrines (one for the males, the other for the females) about 200 yards
The lines, &c.
Conservancy.
to the west of the line : the filth is removed in the morning by
carts to a long distance.
4.
The water supply is excellent both in quantity and quality ; its composition, accord-
ing to a recent analysis by the chemical analyser, being,
total solids per gallon 5
.
85, chlorine 0 .42, free ammonia
.
04,
albuminoid ammonia
.
06.
5.
The gr ai n mar ket i s wel l suppl i ed and i s gener al l y f ai r l y cheap, t hough pr i ces
have not fallen yet to what they were before the famine.
Vegetables are plentiful and cheap. The clothing does not
seem suited to the natives of a tropical climate, in which when on duty they perspire, and
coming off, at once throw it off for their own cotton clothing. This sudden change is I
think prejudicial to health. The recruits are frequently insufficiently clothed to protect them
during the prevalence of the easterly winds of the cool season, and this may to a certain
extent account for so many of them proportionately being on the sick list.
6. The duties in the last station were very light, and will be very much heavier here,
Water supply.
Food and clothing.
Duties, &c.
but the men were excused from some of the duties on first arrival,
owing to the general low state of health of the Regiment.
7. The hospital is situated about 1/4 mile from the lines, and consists of two separate
Hospital, &c.
buildings, the smaller having two yards, which are found con-
venient in the treatment of disease ; it is on the whole good,
except the earth floors, which are difficult to keep neat. Asphalte would be preferable for
reasons of cleanliness, comfort and economy. The number of sick since the arrival of the
Regiment here has been so great that six routies have been pitched in the compound, which
is spacious aud in good order, with water laid on it. There are two latrines with earth
floors, which get saturated with urine.
8. The general state of health of the Regiment is wretchedly low, owing . to malarial
General health and physique.
cachexy acquired in Bhooj ; most of the men treated in hospi-
tal have enlarged spleens. The physique of many of those
enlisted within the last five or six years strikes me as being very poor.
9. As above stated, the influence of the climate of Bhooj, where the Regiment was
Influence of climate, &c.
stationed for five years, has had a most prejudicial effect on the
health of the Regiment.
10. The prevailing disease was ague, for which there were 1,686 admissions, chiefly
Details of treated.
in the months of September, October, November, and December,
and in some was of a severe type. Admissions for diseases
of the respiratory organs were 79, of the digestive organs 106.
11. Fourteen deaths occurred in hospital, from the following causes, 1 dysentery, 2
Mortality and its causes.
bronchitis, 1 pneumonia, 1 valvular disease of the heart, 1
general dropsy, 1 remittent fever, 5 ague, 2 diarrhœa, and 1
died out of hospital from suicidal gunshot wound.
12. None.
13. 54 children were vaccinated, of which 44 were suc-
cessful : 115 were re-vaccinations, chiefly recruits.
14. There were 64 men invalided—2 scurvy, 2 chronic bronchitis, 2 asthma, 2 deafness,
Invaliding, its causes.
35 old and worn out, 3 defective sight, 1 hernia, 15 debility, 1
enlargement of spleen, and 1 phthisis.
16 m