13. All cases not vaccinated were operated on when small-pox was found to exist in
the pettah, with the exception of two boys and one girl, infants,
who will soon be vaccinated.
Vaccination and re-vaccination.
14. Six cases were sent before the annual Invaliding Board at Bombay, and all were
passed ; of these three cases were for heart disease, and one each
for abdominal aneurism, varicose veins of both legs, and old age.
Invaliding and its eauses.
36
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
this scheme with the exception of making a large reservoir instead of the covered well. The
Suckur tank and well have also been ordered to be cleaned out during the year 1878. This
I sincerely trust will end the vexed question of the water supply. In concluding these
remarks on the water supply of the fort I may mention that no injurious effects have been
attributable to the drinking water from the present available sources of supply, and this
I think is very much in its favour, although the albuminoid ammonia may be in excess of
the prescribed standard, and I believe that the potable water here would compare favourably
with that of most of the other stations with regard to its purity.
Duties, exercise, and amuse-
ments.
Hospital, &c.
5. The food as supplied here is of fair quality, but higher prices were paid in conse-
quence of the famine. There is, as usual, a great want of green
vegetable food during the hot months, owing to the scarcity
of water for irrigation purposes.
Food.
6. The duties for the year have been excessively heavy ; owing to the removal of the
Europeans, all the guard duties have fallen on native troops ;
and I have no doubt that this has been the cause of the greater
number of admissions into hospital in this as compared with last
year.
7. The hospital, with the buildings attached, forms a long line of buildings extending
for about fifty yards along the south-eastern wall. It is in the
same sanitary condition as described in my last report. The
new hospital will not be built this year (1878).
General health and physique.
8. The general health has been very fair, when we con
-sider the hard duty the men have had.
9. The climate is very healthy. The greater number of the fever cases have been
admitted during the latter portion of the year, and the admissions
for rheumatism and diseases of the respiratory system have
been more during the months of January and February. The
average amount of daily sick is more this year, being 7.3 as compared with 5.5 of last year.
The healthiest months are March, April, May, and June.
10. There were in all 230 cases admitted into hospital : of these there were 113 admitted
for malarious fever ; 28 for wounds and accidents, chiefly shoe-
bites ; 20 for eye diseases, chiefly acute ophthalmia ; 9 for rheu
-matism; 7 for respiratory diseases ; 7 for dysentery ; 2 for remittent fever ; 2 for diarrhœa ;
and one each for venereal disease (gonorrhœa), scurvy, and hepatitis.
Influence of climate or local
circumstances on health.
Details of treated.
11. One death occurred in June last from a foreign body having become impacted in
the æsophagus. One death from heart disease occurred out of
hospital.
Mortality and its causes.
12. There were no cases of epidemic disease amongst the troops. There were several
cases of small-pox in the pettah at the foot of the hill, but as
quarantine was established between the fort and pettah we had
no cases.
Epidemics.
15. The want of pucka-built drains for the lines is one requirement, another is the new
hospital promised so long ago. A dead-house, bathroom, and
operating-room for our present hospital are much needed.
Requirements and recom
-mendations.