32
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
Details of treated.
10. The details of treated are as follows:—
1878.
1879.
Average strength actually present . . .
659
617
Average daily sick . . .
64.5
46.1
Admissions . . .
1,981
1,444
Total treated . . .
1,999
1,516
Proportion of sick to strength per cent . . .
9.9
7 . 4
Admissions to strength per cent. . . .
300.7
234
Percentage of treated to strength . . .
303.4
244.7
D e a t h s i n h o s p i t a l . . .
8
10
Percentage of deaths to treated . . .
0.4
0.5
Percentage of deaths to strength . . .
1.2
1.4
Invaliding . . .
28
51
Percentage of invaliding to strength . . .
4.3
8.2
Recommended change of air . . .
45
44
Percentage of men got change of air to strength . . .
6.9
7.1
The above table will afford an abstract of the comparative sickness, invaliding, and
mortality, &c., for 1878 and 1879. The total number of treated was 1,516, of whom 72
remained from the former year. There were 1,444 admissions; the deaths were 10 in and 1
out of hospital, and the number discharged to duty was 1,423. Sixty-nine men were discharged
in column otherwise, of these 44 were sent on sick leave, 9 were invalided on pension, 7
were discharged for physical disability, 1 man at his own request, and 8 sick were left
behind in the hospital of the 6th Regement N. I. on departure of the regiment for Bombay,
thus leaving 14 men remaining in hospital at the close of the year. Of the total treated, by
far the largest figure appears under the head of general diseases, especially those of malarious
origin, of whom for fevers of this class 1,273 were treated. The treatment with cinchona
a l k a l o i d w a s f o u n d m o r e g e n e r a l l y e f f i c a c i o u s t h i s y e a r t h a n t h e p r e v i o u s o n e , o w i n g
probably to the difference in severity and character of the ague in both periods, as generally
observed. There remain still 40 under the heading general diseases to account for, viz., 2
mumps, 29 rheumatism, 8 syphilis, and 1 diabetes. Of the 29 rheumatism, 4 were
invalided, 3 had sick leave, and 24 were discharged to duty. Of the 8 syphilitic, all were
discharged to duty. The case of diabetes in a bheestie had to be invalided. Of the
nervous system, 3 cases were treated, 1 neuralgia discharged to duty, 1 shaking palsy of
previous year invalided, and 1 sciatica had sick leave. Of the eye and ear, 21 conjunctivitis
(mild form), 1 hordeolum, 1 pterygium, and 1 inflammation of external meatus discharged
well to duty. Of the respiratory system, 17 were treated, viz., bronchial catarrh, 1 mild;
bronchitis 5 discharged to duty; hœmoptysis 2, in the same man, invalided; asthma 1, died;
4 pneumonia left in the 6th N.I. hospital on departure of the regiment, and 2 bronchitis
remaining at the end of the year. Of the digestive system there were 45. Of these, 22 were
dysentery, 14 diarrhœa, 6 colic, 2 gum-boil, and 1 congestion of spleen. Of these, 17 cases
of dysentery were discharged to duty, 2 sent on sick leave, 1 left in hospital of 6th N. I., 1
died, and 1 remaining at the end of the year. Of diarrhœa, 12 were discharged to duty, 1
left behind on departure of the regiment in the hospital 6th N.I., where he died; the 6
cases of colic, 2 of gum-boil, and 1 of congestion of spleen were discharged to duty. Of
urinary organs, 2 cases of gonorrhœa, were treated, 1 discharged to duty and 1 remaining at
the close of the year. Of generative system, 2 cases of orchitis were treated, both discharged
well to duty. Of locomotive system, 1 case of chronic synovitis in a young sepoy,
discharged the service for physical unfitness. Cellular tissue, abscess 11; of these, 9 were
discharged to duty, 1 invalided, and 1 was remaining at the end of the year. Guinea-worm 8
were treated; 7 discharged to duty and 1 left on departure of regiment in the 6th N.I.
hospital. Cutaneous system 35, all of a mild form generally, and discharged to duty; 1 was
remaining at the end of the year. General debility 2, discharged to duty. Injuries 53, of
which 3 remained from former year; of these, 50 were discharged to duty, 1 invalided for
physical disability, 1 unfit, for pension, and 1 case of simple fracture of rib was left behind.,
on departure of regiment, in the hospital 6th N.I. Of European officers there was 1 case of
dysentery, 1 diarrhœa, and 1 of inflammation of the external meatus, and all discharged
to duty.
11. Ten deaths occurred in and one out of hospital; of the former, 2 occurred from
malarious remittent fever, 1 ague quotidian., complicated with
remittent fever and scurvy, 1 ague quotidian, complicated with
broncho-pneumonia, 1 ague quotidian, complicated with parotitis and ascaris lumbricoides,
Mortality and its causes.