92
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
weather the openings are closed to a certain extent with salitas, &c. Detachments, &c., have
as a rule been in tents.
3. The trench system of latrines has been used during the year, and answers very well;
care is also taken that the men do not resort to the surrounding
country. Rubbish is burnt.
4. At the halting places on the line of march the water varied in quality: at most of
them it was very good and pure, while at some few others it
was somewhat brackish.
At Khooshdil Khan the water is obtained from water-courses, which run through the
camp, and which have their origin some three or four miles distant. During the summer the
diarrhœa from which the men suffered was, to a certain extent, attributed to the water; but as
far as it was able to be judged, it was free from contamination. If the water was at fault, I
think it must have been owing to the mineral matters in it. and also that they may have been
in a more concentrated state during this season. It would be an advantage if' the water-
supply could be obtained from its source.
5. The men of the Regiment serving in Afghanistan have been on rations during the
year. The daily rations is atta, 1 seer; ghee, 1 chittack; dhall, 2
chittacks, and salt,⅓ chittack, which is ample as far as it goes;
but if an issue of meat and vegetables were added, I think it would contribute to the general
state of health of the men, and render them better able to withstand the fatal effects
of acute disease. The men as a rule supply themselves with meat and vegetables when
they can obtain them, but during the summer months no vegetables were procurable; if
meat and vegetables cannot be given as ration, it seems very necessary that some arrange
-ment should be made that the men should always be able to obtain them at a cheap rate;
this especially refers to vegetables.
The diarrhœa from which the men suffered during the summer was partly attributed
to old, coarse, or damaged atta and damaged ghee issued in the rations at various times
during that season, and also to the want of vegetables.
The men were well and sufficiently clothed. The Government issue of warm clothing is
one blanket, two pairs of socks, one jersey, one pair of putties, one pair of warm gloves, one
posteen, one pair of boots, and one water-proof sheet.
This by itself would not be sufficient for so cold a climate as Afghanistan, but as the
men have always served in a climate with a marked cold season, and have before served up
in these parts, they are well provided with warm clothing of their own. Two jerseys instead
of one would be advisable; they require washing, and if a man has only one he has to be
without it while it is being washed, and is liable to suffer in consequence. Drawers would
contribute to protect the men from cold. The jerseys should be thick, without any opening
in front, come well up to the neck, and should be sufficiently long to completely cover the
abdomen.
6. The duties have been very heavy during the year. From the 1st January to the
end of March the Regiment was constantly on the march, and
at the same time was furnishing numerous detachments, recon
-noitring parties, and escorts. During the remainder of the
year the head-quarters of the Regiment were stationary, with the exception of one march of
about thirty-five miles, but was still furnishing numerous detachments, &c.
The average minimum nights in bed for the year was 3¼, and at times the men were
very hard-worked, i n some weeks onl y get t i ng 4/ 55, ½ 9/ 6, 11/ 5 0/ 5, 11/ 5 0/ 5, 11/ 4 9/ 4, and 11/ 5 0/ 5 ni ght s i n bed,
respectively, and in twenty weeks during the year they were under 3.
The men seem to have borne the hard work of the campaign very well, and the general
state of health of the Regiment was good up to about the month of August; they then seemed
to be getting very fagged and debilitated, and at this time, out of 252 nights since leaving
Jacobabad in October 1878, 109 had been spent on duty.
The duties of the Regiment became somewhat lighter in September, and in October
the general state of health of the Regiment became good, and continued to improve up to
the end of the year.
7. The sick were treated in tents up to the end of November, when they were moved
into a temporary hospital, which gave ample accommodation.
Boosa is supplied for the men to lie on, and an issue of firewood
is given, and on cold days an extra supply is obtained.
8. The general state of health of the men on active service in Afghanistan has been
on the whole very good, considering the amount of hard work
they have had and the severe climate in which they have served.
Conservancy.
Water-supply.
Food and clothing.
Duties, exercise, and amuse
-ments; their effect on health.
Hospital and its immediate sur
- r o u n d i n g s ; p r e s e n t c o n d i t i o n ,
hygienic or otherwise.
General health and physique.