94
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
The unhealthy months in Beluchistan and Afghanistan were July, August, September,
and part of October. During these months fever, diarrhœa, and dysentery caused numerous
admissions. As soon as the cold weather set in, about the middle of October, the health of
the men improved, with the exception that at this time, owing to the sudden alternations in
temperature, dysentery—the result, I believe, of chills—is somewhat frequent. During the
rest of the year the men were remarkably healthy, except that during the winter they suffered
somewhat from diseases of the respiratory system, which, although not so very numerous,
were very fatal. Seven cases of pneumonia occurred during the month of August; their
cause was obscure.
10. Admissions into hospital, 655; discharged to duty, 550; died, 41; granted sick leave,
16; transferred to other hospitals, 8; sent to the depôt to be
invalided, 8; disease changed, 20; and 13 remained in hospital
at the close of the year.
Of the 655 cases treated, 242 were for ague; pneumonia 24, of which more than 50 per
cent. died; dysentery 46, the majority being cases of a mild type, but with a death-rate of
6.5 per cent.; bronchitis 12, with a death-rate of 25 per cent.; cholera 16, of which 56.3 per
cent. died; contusions 41; general debility 21; diarrhœa 89; ulcers 12; boils 11; wounds
(battle) 10; syncope from over-work 1; and heat apoplexy 1.
The following are the diseases from which the men who were granted sick leave were
suffering; syphilis 1, debility, scurvy 1, diarrhœa 6, ague 2, rheumatism 2, and dysentery 2.
In the affair at Khooshki-ua-Khud one officer and three sowars were killed in the field,
one sowar died within twelve hours, and twenty-one were wounded. Of these eleven were
treated out of hospital, their wounds being trivial, and were as follows:—Five were sword
wounds of the bridle hand and one a sword wound of the sword hand—(the enemy always
tried either to wound the back of the head or else cut the bridle hand)—three were wounds
by sword-cuts on the left thigh, one by sword-cut on the head, and one contusion of back
from supposed musket blow.
The following were the wounds of the men admitted into hospital:—Three sword wounds
of the bridle hand, one sword wound of sword hand, one sword wound of chest, two sword
wounds of scalp (bone not exposed); one gunshot wound of elbow joint (non-penetrating),
one wound of left foot, and one gunshot wound of chest (penetrating).
In the case of gunshot wound of the chest the bullet entered at the sixth left intercostal
space about two inches from the left nipple, and lodged in the chest; the man died within
twelve hours of his admission from internal hœmorrhage.
Of those killed in the field one had received eight sword-cuts on the face and head,
a deep cut on the outer side of the thigh, and one cut extending through the first four
metacarpal bones, and nearly severing the bridle hand from the body. The sword-cuts on
the face and head were as follows:—One removing a piece of the lower jaw; another divid
- i n g b o t h c h e e k s a n d r a m i o f t h e l o w e r j a w ; o n e p e n e t r a t i n g t h r o u g h t h e n a s a l , e t h m o i d
and sphenoid bones to the brain; three longitudinal sword-cuts from the frontal protuber
-ance to the occipital bone, and allowing most of the brain substance to escape.
Another had the face completely smashed in, and was most probably first wounded in
the face by a sword and afterwards by the butt end of a musket.
Another man was killed by a bullet wound of the neck, the bullet entering just below the
thyroid gland towards the right side and passing out behind on the left side between the
occipital bone and atlas. There was also a deep wound on the back of the neck from a
sword-cut, exposing the spinal cord.
Another was killed by a bullet wound of the chest, the bullet passing through the ensi
- f o r m c a r t i l a g e a n d l o d g i n g i n t h e c h e s t .
11. Of the 655 cases admitted into hospital during the year 41 died, and 6 deaths
occurred out of hospital. The following were the causes of
death: pneumonia 13, cholera 9, dysentery 4, bronchitis 3,
ague 2, gunshot wound of lungs 2, gunshot wound of neck 1, remittent fever 1, syncope
from over-work 1, diarrhœa 1, asphyxia from drowning 1, apoplexy congestive 1, rupture of
intestine 1, sword wound of hand 1, no appreciable disease 1, simple continued fever 1,
hepatitis with suppuration 1, scurvy 1, sword wound of skull 1, and not diagnosed 1. The
death-rate is 8.06 per cent., which is very high, but is not so much to be wondered at during
a campaign with plenty of hard work in a severe climate, and with such fatal diseases as
pneumonia and bronchitis of frequent occurrence, and also to the fact that during the year
the regiment suffered from an epidemic of cholera and lost several men in action and
by accident.
12. On 14th August cholera appeared at Khoosh-dil-Khan among the followers of the
2nd Sikh Infantry, and rapidly spread to the sepoys of that
Regiment. On 16th August a syce belonging to the 3rd Sind
Details of treated.
Mortality, and its causes.
Epidemics.