62
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
5.
62 MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
6. Food-grains were somewhat cheaper than in the preceding year, and the men.appear
altogether better nourished, though I believe there are some
Food and clothing. of the sepoys who still deny themselves a sufficiently good
quality and quantity of food to keep them in a good state of health, and it would, if practi
- c a b l e , b e a g o o d a r r a n g e m e n t f o r t h e S t a t e i f r e g u l a r r a t i o n s w e r e s e r v e d o u t i n s u f f i c i e n t
quantity to keep the men in health, for which moderate payment might be required, and this
would do away with the necessity for compensation for dearness of grain.
I have no additional remarks to make .on the clothing than were made last year, no
change having taken place.
7. Have been rather heavy during the year, and the Regiment has been broken up a
Duties, &c.great deal in detachments out after dacoits, but the general
health of the Regiment has not suffered therefrom.
8. The hospital is situated about a quarter of a mile from the lines, and consists of
two separate buildings, the smaller having two wards, which is
Hospital, &c.
found convenient in the treatment of diseases. 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.
There are two latrines, also with earth floors, which get saturated with urine and water.
The Regiment generally has much improved in health within the past twelve months,
as the sick returns show, and the men are fast losing the
General health and physique.
cachectic aspect that they most of them bore on arrival here
from Bhooj. They do not fall out of the ranks through debility, as they did, and the influence
of the Deccan climate seems to have been most benefical to them.
9. The prevailing disease was as usual ague (quotidian and tertian), for which there
were 497 admissions with one death. This is a great contrast to
Details of treated.
the preceding year, when there were 1,684 admissions with one
death, and the cases have been of a much milder nature, with fewer complications. There
were nine cases of remittent fever, in which for many days the temperature did not fall
below 100°, and frequently ran up to 104°. In most of these cases there was some complica
- tion, generally bronchitis, and large doses of quinine are absolutely required, in such cases
cinchona alkaloid being no substitute.
The cases of syphilis are rather numerous, occurring chiefly amongst the recruits: the
number discharged from the Regiment on this account was 15. The two cases of general
dropsy were due to diseased liver and spleen, with severe hæmatemesis in one case. Cases
of disease of the lungs have been neither so numerous nor severe as in the preceding year,
though the temperature during November and December was much lower in 1879. This
I attribute to the improved health of the men generally. The same remark applies to
dysentery.
The sickness has been for the most part so mild during the year that no further special
remarks are necessary.
Epidemic.9. None.
10. Forty-four children were vaccinated, all successfully, vaccination being from arm
to arm.There were 116 re-vaccinations amongst recruits,
Vaccination and re-vaccination. of which 40 were successful.
11. There were 73 men invalided during the year, 15 of
whom were for syphilis.
Inspection by Deputy Surgeon-General BEATTY.
The Regiment has been stationed at Poona during the year, but several detachments
were employed from time to time in the districts after dacoits.
The lines and hospital were clean, and the books and records of the latter carefully kept
to date.
The Medical Officer complained of the difficulty of keeping the bedding clean in conse
- q u e n c y o f t h e m u d f l o o r i n g , t h e d u s t a r i s i n g f r o m w h i c h w a s a c o n s t a n t c a u s e o f a n n o y a n c e
to the patients.
During the past twelve months a great improvement has taken place in the health of
the Regiment, and the men are fast recovering from the cachectic appearance most of them
bore on arrival from Bhooj.
Invaliding, its causes, &c.