MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
9. Malarial fevers are prevalent in Jacobabad, and probably the whole country thence
to Dadur is also feverish after the rainy season. The Regiment
marched from Jacobabad to Dadur in January, when probably
febrile influences are slight, but nevertheless a large proportion
of the sick were cases of ague, of which perhaps a portion were the result of a malarious
taint contracted at Sholapur and Hydrabad in Sind. In the Bolan Pass the health was good
until May, when the causes above mentioned came into operation. I am unable from per
- s o n a l o b s e r v a t i o n t o g i v e a n y o p i n i o n a s t o t h e c l i m a t e o f D o z a n d u r i n g t h e h o t w e a t h e r , b u t
in the cold weather it appears to be healthy. It is not malarious, and the air is pure, brac
- i n g , a n d d r y , b u t i n n e w - c o r n e r s t h e u s u a l e f f e c t s o f a l t i t u d e ( a s a t M a h a b l e s h w u r ) a r e o b s e r v -
able. Europeans here have a fresh, ruddy complexion, favourably contrasting with the
washed-out appearance of Anglo-Indians. The jaundice, which gave so many admissions, was
probably due to catarrh of the bileducts, the result, as was also the disorder of the stomach and
bowels many of the men complained of, of hard water. There is a constant tendency to the
development of scurvy except during the fruit season. On the whole I think that Dozan
would be a healthy station for troops if properly clothed, housed, and fed, and if they had
some means of amusement.
10. There were 1,612 admissions as compared with 1,244 in the preceding year, when
the Regiment was stationed at Kurrachee. Fevers gave 645
admissions, which is less than in the preceding year. Diseases
of the digestive system were prevalent, diarrhœa giving 164 admissions, dysentery 113, and
jaundice 35. Surgical complaints, mostly of a trifling character, and chiefly abrasions and
contusions received on work, gave 143 admissions, and there were 85 admissions for diseases
of the respiratory system.
11. There were altogether 69 deaths, of which 4 occurred at the depôt; and of these
latter one was a man invalided from Dozan. The most unhealthy
months were June, with 229 admissions and 30 deaths, and
July, with 185 admissions and 14 deaths. There were 15 deaths from fevers, 10 from cholera,
and 18 from diarrhœ. Other causes of deaths were chronic rheumatism (complicated with
scurvy) 1, syphilis (with meningitis) 1, phthisis pulmonalis 2, scurvy 1, anæmia 2, bronchitis 3,
pneumonia 5, dysentery 2, hœmorrhoids 1, debility 4, congestion of brain 1, contusion of
leg (also diarrhœa) 1, and one death occurred at Sukkur of which the cause has not yet been
reported.
1 2 . T h e r e w a s a s e v e r e e p i d e m i c o f c h o l e r a i n J u n e a n d J u l y , c a u s i n g 9 d e a t h s . A t
the same time there were many cases of diarrhœa giving 65
admissions and causing 15 deaths.
Having only joined the Regiment in November, I cannot give a complete history of the
epidemic. From inquiries I find the disease first appeared at stations between Jacobabad and
Dadur, and that it successively invaded the different stations in the Pass and on towards
Kandahar. The climate, meteorology, and geological features of the stations above Dadur
are as different as possible from those of countries where cholera is endemic, and inasmuch as
none of the stations were permanently inhabited before the Pass was occupied by our troops,
it a priori appears probable that the disease was introduced from India. Opinions as to the
causation of cholera differ. I believe it is caused in the great majority of cases by contami
-nated water-supply.
Opponents of this theory quote cases in which the epidemic has apparently gone against
the current, and the epidemic which swept up the Bolan last year might be adduced in
favour of their views. This is a very important point, and I therefore exceedingly regret I
am unable to speak from personal observation of the condition of the camps during the
outbreak, or of the possibility of the cholera poison having been carried from station to
station in the bodies of sick camp followers (transport or other) or Brahois. But a some
-what careful examination of the different stations as I was proceeding to join my Regiment in
October last led me to the opinion that there was then nothing incompatible with the view
that contaminated water-supply might have been a cause.
It is a noteworthy fact that, as I am informed, the outbreak of cholera at Dozan occurred
a few days after heavy showers of rain.
13. There was no vaccination during the year. I have obtained a supply of lymph for
the purpose of vaccinating the recruits recently joined.
102
Influence of climate or local
circumstances on health.
Details of treated.
Mortality, and its causes.
Epidemics.
Vaccination.
14. Fifty-seven men were discharged during the year. Of these thirteen were sent
down from field service and forty invalided from the depôt.
Four men were discharged on completion of 32 years' service.
Besides these, eight men were sent down from Dozan for change of air, having become tem
- p o r a r i l y u n f i t f o r a c t i v e s e r v i c e .
Invaliding, and its causes.