28
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
Inspection by Deputy Surgeon-General HEWLETT.
Inspected 27th December 1879. The head-quarters wing marched from Mhow en route
to Neemuch on the 3rd December before my arrival, so that I had not the opportunity of
inspecting the entire regiment. The right wing occupies one-half of the regimental lines.
These are in a very dilapidated condition, and are, like those of the 13th N. I. adjoining
them, almost the worst I have seen in the Bombay Presidency. They are not nearly as
good as the new buildings provided for the Commissariat followers at Mhow. Some of the
pendals appear to be on the point of falling down. The huts are of a very bad design.
They have no plinths. The cubage is insufficient, and the huts are built across instead of
parallel to the slope of the ground on which they stand, so that they must necessarily be
damp. The hospital is a good one, and has good accommodation, but it is in too close
proximity to the lines. The men were, at the date of my inspection, fairly healthy though
many had suffered from ague.
7th Regiment N. I.
BHUJ.—In medical charge of Surgeon A. F. SARGENT.
Average Strength . . .
693
Deaths in Hospital . . .
10
Do. present . . .
601
Do. out of Hospital . . .
6
Admissions . . .
1159
Invalided . . .
51
Daily Sick . . .
41.1
Sick Leave . . .
13
Years.
Stations.
Rate per cent to Average Strength
Present of
Admissions. Daily Sick.
Deaths in
Hospital.
1876 . . .
Rajkot, Dwarka, & Tanna.
129.5
3.8
0.6
1877 . . .
Do. do. . . .
71.8
2.5
1.2
1878 . . .
Do. do. . . .
193.3
4.9
1.5
Average . . .
131.5
3.7
1.1
1879 . . .
Bhuj . . .
192.8
6.8
1.6
Location and movements.
1. The regiment has been stationed at Bhuj during the
whole year.
2. The lines are old, small, and worn out. New ones are ordered to be built. I am not
aware that they directly affect the health of the men, but last
hot weather a few patients preferred being in the hospital to
living in the lines, on account of the intense heat of the latter.
There are no drains, and all effete matter is removed daily and burnt.
3. The trench system of latrines is used. There are trenches for males and for females
one-third of a mile north and south of the camp. There are only
four trenches among 900 people, and each has five seats. No
matter what care is taken, this seems to be very disgusting and repulsive to the people using
them, who always avoid them if they can. There seems no injury to health arising from the
system, and it is not easy to suggest any substitute, except that there might be ten or
twelve latrines instead of only four. There are pucka built stone latrines which are not used
on account of Government not supplying a conservancy cart. Conservancy throughout the
camp limits is well attended to, a cart going round once a day to take away all filth from the
officers' bungalows. &c.
4. The water is drawn exclusively from wells. The well known as the "hospital well,
" from which the officers are supplied with drinking and washing
water, is exceedingly good; the other drinking wells are all
very fair, some being rather hard and containing a large amount of chlorides. I analyzed
the drinking wells last April, and was well satisfied with them. They are all well placed in
the maidan, away from any visible cause of contamination, and the stone work is in
good repair.
The lines and their surround
- i n g s ; p r e s e n t c o n d i t i o n , h y g i e n i c
or otherwise.
Conservancy.
Water-supply.