26
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
they were generally weak and anæmic and therefore unable to take a steady aim. Out of 103
men who volunteered for active service and for transport duty, 38 were found unfit to proceed
owing to general debility. These were quite fit for garrison work, but they were not fit to
stand the exposure and fatigue incidental to the work they would be called upon to do. The
wives and children of the men are very weak and unhealthy. Most of the recruit boys at
present in the service look weakly and unpromising. Hardly one of them would make
a good soldier when he comes of age. The climate of Central India does not seem to me to
suit the Deccanees and Conkanees. There are extremes of temperature here which these
men are not used to in their native country.
10. The total number of admissions in the regiment for all ranks was 878. The
daily sick were 19.4. The average strength 667. Average
strength present 610. The diseases that furnished the greater
number of admissions were in their order of frequency as follows:
—
(a) Ague and other malarious fevers, 509. There was only one case of remittent fever.
The largest number of ague cases were of the quotidian type. The chief sufferers were the
inhabitants of the Deccan and Conkan. Most of the cases were admitted frequently
suffering from the same disease. Some of them were very obstinate cases and would only
yield to the hypodermic injection of quinine for a time. These were recommended for sick
leave as a last resource.
(b) Contusions of the upper and lower extremities, 71. These included cases of shoe-
bite and minor injuries to the feet.
(c) Lung affections, 37. Of these, bronchitis and bronchial catarrh were the chief
diseases. Besides occurring as independent affections in the cold and wet weather, these
diseases often complicated ordinary malarious fevers. One case of pneumonia proved fatal.
(d) General Debility, 32. This cause furnished so many patients, because the regi-
ment had not yet shaken off the scorbutic taint and weakness acquired at Aden.
(e) Colic, 25; (f) chronic and muscular rheumatism 25; (g) diarrhœa, 21. These
were all very mild, and due to cold or indiscretion in diet.
(h) Boils, 20.
(i) Primary syphilis, 14; (j) conjunctivitis, 12; (k) guinea-worm, 12—guinea-worm
principally affected the Mahrattas; (l) scabies, 12s; (m) buboes, 8.
(n) Ulcers, 6. These cases of ulcers were very severe; some of them showed a very
marked tendency to sloughing; others were actually phagedenic, and one was markedly
scorbutic. All were very obstinate to heal; and most of them occurred in recruits just sent
up to the regiment from other stations, who were weakly, scorbutic, and badly fed. These
ulcers arose from slight injuries, such as scratches, slight burns, and so on.
(o) There were only 3 cases of dysentery. One of these was very severe, and had
to be sent on sick leave.
There were seven admissions amongst the European officers; from ague 2, general
debility 1, abscess 1, bronchitis 1, dysentery 1, lumbago 1. All were cured. One officer was
recommended for sick leave to England. His case is briefly described in my last report. After
his return from the Neilgherries, he was in a weak and irritable state, and required change
to England for the complete restoration of his health.
11. There were five deaths in all in the regiment, of which one occurred in hospital and
four out of hospital. The death in hospital was from extensive
double pneumonia. It occurred in the person of a recruit who
had recently been selected at, and sent up to Mhow from Sholapoor; and who was not in
good health to begin with. He was pale, anæmic, scorbutic, and altogether out of sorts, so
much so, that he was just about to be invalided when he caught the disease and died. Three
of the four deaths out of hospital occurred in men who were on sick leave, having been sent
away to their native places because they were suffering from chronic bronchitis, chronic
pleurisy, and malarious fevers. The fourth occurred in the lines. The man shot himself
with his rifle, and died immediately. It was a clear case of suicide, and the motive could not
be discovered. The bullet passed through the heart, causing instantaneous death.
12. There were eighteen admissions from small-pox during the year; all recovered. They
were mostly mild cases, and of the modified and distinct variety.
Five of these cases occurred in sepoys, three in women, eight in
children, and two in recruit boys. All the patients had been previously vaccinated, the
marks of vaccination being distinct in all cases except one. In only one case there were
marks of a previous attack of small-pox. Most of the cases could be traced to contagion.
All the sepoys and recruits, and nearly all the children; were at the time protected by
Details of treated.
Mortality, and its causes.
Epidemics.