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MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
From this it appears that the Mussulmans are generally less liable to disease than the
Hindoos. The most noticeable points are their comparative immunity from ague, diseases of
the alimentary canal, and particularly rheumatic affections, while the great preponderance of
syphilitic affections over the Hindoo forms a marked contrast to this. No doubt these dif
-ferences depend greatly on the religious observances of the Hindoos. Within 15 minutes
after a parade which has thoroughly heated them, numbers of men may be seen pouring cold
water over their naked bodies quite irrespective of any cold wind blowing. It is easy to see
how such chills must predispose to ague and rheumatic affections. Again, after going twice
to stool, it is necessary to wash the feet in cold water, a custom which must be exceedingly
injurious to a man suffering from diarrhœa or dysentery. The Mussulman, on the other
hand, rather errs in the other direction, of washing too seldom. With regard to their
system of dietary, small doubt can exist that many evils result from this. Two meals are
eaten daily, which are necessarily exceedingly bulky, often consisting of a large quantity of
some cheap but not necessarily nutritious substance, and the heavy task thrown on the
digestion by the consumption of such a meal immediately before sleeping must certainly be
very prejudicial to the general health, and consequently pave the way for incursions of every
form of disease. Here again the Mussulman has the advantage of freedom from prejudice
regarding every kind of animal food. The prevalence of syphilis among the Mussulmans
would seem to depend on their greater bodily vigour and their peculiar religious ideas
leading them to a more free and indiscriminate intercourse than is the case with the
Hindoos.
A death resulted from the administration by a native of jamalghota, or croton tiglium.
The man died within 30 hours of his admission, purging sanious fluids. Another patient to
whom similar medicine was given recovered.
A second case occurred under circumstances so suspicious as to warrant a diagnosis of
irritant poisoning. He died within two hours of his arrival. A post-mortem examination
discovered an acutely inflammed stomach and small intestines, with the remaining organs
healthy. The case is still in the hands of the police. Arsenic was considered to be the
poison employed, probably placed in the interior of a piece of meat or prepared ball of food, as
no symptoms exhibited themselves till four hours after taking food, and then he died quite
suddenly.
Two cases of cholera occurred, which will be noticed presently.
Of the ten cases of scurvy, seven occurred within the first four months of the year, while
no cases occurred during the last three months, this being probably due to the abundance of
vegetable to be obtained in this town.
11. Twelve deaths occurred, four out of the regimental hospital. Of these, two were
from cholera, one from pneumonia, and one unknown. Of the
remainder, two occurred with the Left Wing during the absence
of the head-quarters in Sukkur, one due to bed-sore in an old and debilitated patient, the
other from pneumonia. With the Regiment two deaths resulted from remittent fever; one
pneumonia (complete carnification of the whole lung on the tenth day); one peritonitis, cause
not stated; one irritant poisoning by croton oil; one acute gastritis diagnosed as poisoning
by arsenic criminally administered, but not yet verified by analysis.
During the epidemic of cholera which occurred at Sukkur, two cases of the mild type
were admitted. Both recovered. The first case in a hospital
pupil appeared within five days of the commencement of the
epidemic. The second occurred four days later in a sepoy living in a large barrack occupied
by some fifty men.
No further cases occurred, though the disease increased and continued among the towns
- p e o p l e f o r s i x w e e k s a f t e r w a r d s . T a k i n g t h i s i n t o c o n s i d e r a t i o n , t h e r e c a n , I t h i n k , b e n o
doubt that contact with infected persons must have occurred, though both men denied the
possibility of it. But two cases occurring so shortly after the outbreak, one with premoni
-tory symptoms dating back almost to the first day of the epidemic, and a complete immu
-munity following, even though the disease among the populace increased in virulence, would
seem to imply a probability that the regulations forbidding entrance to the bazaar were at first
illicitly broken until experience had taught their value.
Mortality, and its causes.
Epidemics.
Vaccination and re-vaccination.
13. One primary vaccination took place and 35 re-vaccinations. These numbers are
small, because the families of the whole Regiment were left
with the depôt at Sholapore, and it was only the fighting men
who were operated on.