71
POONA DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
11. Three men died in hospital, one from fatty degeneration of the heart, one from
lobular pneumonia, and one from chronic bronchitis. One man
died out of hospital while on sick leave from ague.
Mortality, and its causes.
Epidemics.
12. No epidemics occurred during the year, not a single
case of small-pox, cholera, or other contagious or infectious
fever was admitted.
13. Vaccination has been carried on during the year with great care and with success.
The lymph has been good. At the close of the year, every
one, both European and Native, was protected either by
vaccination or by small-pox, with the exception of one European child and sixteen native
children, all of whom were too young or too sickly to have the operation performed.
14. The total number of men invalided during the year was 27. Of these 7 were
invalided for general debility, 12 on account of their being old
and worn-out, and 1 each for asthma, bronchitis, disease of the
heart (valvular), loss of finger (middle, of right hand), chronic rheumatism, scurvy, and
syphilis.
15. In reference to the hospital, I think it would be advisable to have shutters made
for the Ophthalmic Ward. The laying down of a stone floor
in the hospital is being proceeded with. The first stones laid
down were roughened on their surface, but as I considered that
this might be the means of retaining dirt and infectious matter, I recommended that all the
stones afterwards laid down might have a smooth surface, as they could be cleaned much
more easily.
16. The cinchona mixed alkaloid has been very largely used during the year, and
I am of opinion that it is very suitable in most of the ordinary
cases of uncomplicated ague. I have used it in doses of
from 5 to 20 grains thrice a day in solution with mineral or
vegetable acids. 1 have also used both salicylic acid and salicylate of soda in cases of
rheumatism with very speedy relief to the patients. One patient suffering from neuralgia,
who presented himself for admission, was speedily cured by the inhalation of three drops
of nitrate of amyline on a sheet of blotting paper.
Inspection by Deputy Surgeon-General BEATTY.
The Regiment has been stationed at Dharwar during the year, but has supplied detach
-
ments for duty at Kaladgi.
The lines, which were built in 1875, are superior to any I have inspected in the Presi
-
dency. They are spacious, well situated, and thoroughly ventilated.
Conservancy arrangements were well carried out, the trench system being the one in
use.
The hospital building is all that can be desired: it was in excellent order, and the venti
-
lation and conservancy arrangements perfect, the whole conduct of the hospital reflecting
credit on the Medical Officer in charge.
The health of the men had much improved since their arrival from Surat in 1878, where
they suffered severely from malarious fever.
The total number of men invalided during the year was 27.
H . M . ' s 1 8 t h R e g i m e n t N . I .
POONA.—In medical charge of Surgeon W. A. BARREN.
Average Strength . . .
639
Deaths in Hospital . . .
2
Do.
present . . .
624
Do. out of Hospital . . .
2
Admissions . . .
543
Invalided . . .
32
Daily Sick . . .
10.8
Sick Leave . . .
8
Vaccination and re-vaccination.
Invaliding, and its causes.
Requirements and recommen
-dations.
Special observations, new ex
-periences in treatment, and sanita
-tion.