15
PRESIDENCY DIVISION, ADEN, AND BOMBAY MARINE.
H. M.’s 25th Regiment N. I.
ADEN.—In Medical charge of Surgeon Major M. HEFFERNAN and Surgeon DUTT.*
Average Strength
693
Deaths in Hospital
2
Do.
Present
688
Do.out of do.
3
Admissions
593
Invalided
12
Daily Sick
15.4
Sick Leave
9
Years.
Stations.
Rate per cent. to Average Strength
Present of
Admissions. Daily Sick.
Deaths
in Hospital.
1875
Mhow and Indore
138.1
4.0
0.3
1876
Do.
do.
130.4
5.1
0.1
1877 .
Do.
do.
133.2
3.8
0.3
133.6
4.3
0.2
1878
Aden
86.2
2.2
0.3
1. Head-quarters remained at Aden during the whole of the year. The Regim ėnt
supplied a detachment of fifty men with a Native Officer to the
island of Perim. which was relieved every two months.
2. The lines are situated in about the worst part of Aden, and during the hot season
the wind, which is often very light, is obstructed from them
by native houses, the Civil Jail, &c. The houses also are
small, the streets very narrow, and ventilation in consequence
must be defective.
3. There are three latrines adjoining one another and placed about 250 yards from the
lines. Two of these are allotted to the men and one to the
women. The accommodation is fairly good. They are cleaned
twice daily by sweepers, and the excreta removed at night to Holkets Bay. There are also
three urinals near the lines, all for men. Disinfectants should be used for these urinals ;
they are in a very confined locality.
4. The men get two gallons of sweet and three gallons of brackish water per diem.
They complain that the quantity is insufficient, and an increase
of one gallon sweet water has been recommended by the Sur-
geon of the Regiment, but the increase has not yet been sanctioned. The sweet water
consists of rain or condensed water, especially the latter, as rain very seldom falls in Aden.
The rainfall this year was 1.77 inches. The brackish water is received from Banian wells,
which are a little distance from the lines.
5. The troops receive rations free from Government, which are generally sufficient except
in vegetables. I have seen the men of this Regiment several
times, and there is no doubt they suffer greatly from scurvy.
I find that all of the patients in this hospital just now from various complaints show a
scorbutic taint. The proportion of well pronounced scorbutic taints complicating other
diseases is almost as great as among the indigent people coming into the Civil Hospital.
Of the 29 men now in hospital, there is only one from pure scurvy, but not less than 9 with
scorbutic complications. The clothing I think is very suitable, and I hear no complaints
about it.
6. No ill effects on health can be detected from duties, exercise or amusements. The
average number of nights in bed is 3.7. The regiment through-
out the year has been wonderfully healthy. Only since the cold
season commenced are the admissions above the ordinary. The
men seem fond enough of amusements, but though they have got an “ akhara” quite beside
the lines, they don’t seem to go in much for the athletic forms of sport. No doubt the climate
of Aden is rather against sports requiring much bodily exertion.
* Report is drawn up by Surgeon J. Macgregor, owing to the illness of Surgeon Major Heffernan.
Location and movements.
The lines and their surround-
ings.
Conservancy.
Water supply.
Food and clothing.
Duties, exercises, and amuse-
ments, &c.