NORTHERN DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
43
7. The hospital in use is the same as that reported on last year; certain improvements
have been made, the roof was thoroughly repaired before the
rains, and the unevenness of the floor formerly complained of
has been remedied by covering it all over with a layer of con-
crete 3 inches deep, which answers very well. The accommo-
-dation provided was altogether inadequate during the last four months of the year, when the
sick-rate was so high, and many men on the sick-list were therefore allowed to live in the lines.
The hospital itself is clean and well-ventilated, and its immediate vicinity in a good
sanitary condition. A portion of the permanent latrine near the hospital is set apart for the
use of the patients, and is kept in good order by the hospital sweepers.
A suitable house has recently been built for the senior hospital assistant, but the other
subordinates being unprovided with quarters, occupy one of the corner-rooms of the hospital.
The hospital still lacks a bathing-room and a dead-house.
8. The general health of the regiment now, at the end of the year 1879, cannot be
described as otherwise than bad, although the number actually
"remaining" on the sick list is only 58. During the first half
of the year the sickness was only slightly in excess of that which obtained in 1878, but from
July to December malarial fever, in many cases of a severe type, prevailed to an unprecedented
extent, greatly impairing the efficiency of the regiment. Some idea of the helpless condition
to which the regiment was reduced in the months of September and October may be formed
when I state that the admissions during those two months alone amounted to 972, of which
859 were due to malarial fever. The highest monthly "average daily sick" was 158.8 (in
September), and the lowest 15.2 (in May); the highest number on the sick-list on any one
day was 243 (on the 22nd September). Many of the men who have returned to duty,
present the, undoubted aspect of chronic malarial poisoning, the result of repeated attacks of
ague, and still frequently apply at hospital for treatment; debility being, I think, the prevail-
-ing ailment, while congested spleen has of late become quite common in the regiment (many
of the children even being affected with it). There is no doubt that many of these men
require change of air, but I know that were I to begin to make a selection of cases requiring
such change, I should be embarrassed by the conflicting claims of over 100 men.
Under these circumstances I regret that I cannot speak so encouragingly of the general
health and physique of the regiment as I was able to do last year. The standard for recruits
having recently been lowered, a few of the recruits lately enlisted were hardly up to the general
standard of the regiment, but all those passed have been carefully examined by myself, and
I rejected many on account of defective vision and other disabilities.
9. There is no doubt that the climate of Baroda during the year, the constant variations
of temperature during the rains, and the cold nights and morn--
ings towards the end of the year, the flooding of portions of the
lines, and the inundation of the ground (outside cantonment
limits) in their vicinity, have been. largely productive of admissions for fever, and my own
belief is that the regiment will for some time to come feel the effects of the ordeal it has
passed through.
10. The total admissions for the year were 2,097, and the average daily number of sick
58.8, giving an average daily percentage of sick to strength for
the year of 8.7. It is worthy of mention, however, that the first
half of the year furnished 382 admissions only, with an average daily sick of 24.1. Of the
total admissions, 1,437 were due to malarial fever, in many instances of a severe type, being
complicated with pneumonia, congestion of spleen, bronchial catarrh, anæmia, &c., and followed
by great debility; of the above cases, 10 were registered as "remittent fever," and 1,427 as
"ague," of which latter 1,137 were quotidian, 243 tertian, 1 quartan, and 46 irregular in
type.
Dysentery furnished 13 admissions, and diarrhœa 107; only 26 were registered as cases
of spleen diseases, but (as already mentioned) large numbers of the fever cases treated had
congested spleen as a complication. Respiratory diseases and rheumatism were rather more
prevalent than during the previous year; so also were eye diseases, which numbered 46, most
of them being cases of conjunctivitis, which was rather prevalent among the families during
portions of the year. Venereal disease has not prevailed to any great extent; only five cases
were registered, as scurvy, but many men in hospital for other affections showed traces of
the disease. A few cases of chicken-pox occurred, but no small-pox or cholera. Among other
cases worthy of mention, I may refer to—
(a) A severe case of diarrhoea admitted in February; neither the urine nor the bile
were suppressed, but the patient was collapsed and almost at death's door, there being no
pulse perceptible and the action of the heart exceedingly feeble. I remained with him
myself for four hours, and gave him drachm-doses of tincture of digitalis at an hour's
Hospital and its immediate
surroundings; present condition,
hygienic and otherwise.
General health and physique.
Influence of climate or local
circumstances on health.
Details of treated.