70
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
5. This year the price of food has risen considerably, although there has been no
famine. There is always a great dearth of vegetables.
6. Parade three times a week, musketry practice in the cold season, and guards.
There is a gymnasium, at which all recruits and young soldiers
attend; and some of the men fish and shoot. Duties have not
exercised an unfavourable influence on health.
7. The hospital is situated 60 yards to the north of the lines. The roof has been
thoroughly repaired, and the want of light and ventilation
remedied. There has been no overcrowding. The flooring is
in very bad repair; this I trust will soon be remedied.
8 . T h e m e n w e r e i n v e r y g o o d h e a l t h o n t h e i r a r r i v a l f r o m D e l h i , b u t h a v e t o a c e r t a i n
extent deteriorated since. Being chiefly composed of Hindus
(Mahrattas), they are not of very good physique.
9. The cantonment of Mehidpur has been always considered one of the unhealthiest
stations to which a Native Infantry regiment is liable to
be sent. Its low situation, proximity to the native town,—in
which sanitary measures are held in contempt,—periodical
inundations, and very bad water supply, render the place very unhealthy. Malaria is in conse--
quence endemic, and is the chief cause of sickness. The climate, though pleasant, is almost
all the year far from being invigorating. The local circumstances enumerated above can
never be fully remedied, and the place is always likely to remain unhealthy. The best plan
would be to abandon the station altogether, or else, if it is necessary to have a wing of a
regiment stationed here, to build a fresh camp on a better site.
10. Under this heading I purpose giving details of treated of the whole regiment from
1st January 1877 to 7th March, and of the right wing from the
latter date to the end of the year. Twenty cases remained under
treatment at the end of last year. There were 147 admissions from an average daily strength
of 629.8 up to 7th March; and 13 deaths—7 in and 6 out of hospital. Of the 147 admis--
sions, 51 were from ague, 34 from affections of the chest, 17 from contusions and slight
injuries, 16 from diarrhœa and dysentery, 1 each from sunstroke, acute hepatitis, and
pericarditis; the remaining few from trifling complaints. The admissions from ague do
not call for any comment. Chest affections, both pneumonia and bronchitis, were very severe
on the march. The great prevalence of this disease was due to exposure to cold, and fatigue.
The total number of admissions from the 8th March up to the end of the year from the
right wing, of an average strength of 353.5, was 466, with one death. This compares very
favourably with the admissions of the different regiments stationed here from time to time.
The principal diseases treated in the wing at Mehidpur were—in their order of frequency—-
malarious fever, intestinal disorders, chest affections, diseases of the eye, and rheumatism.
Malarious fever was the chief cause of admission—323, or nearly three-fourths of the total
treated, being under this head. They were principally cases of ague. Only one case of
remittent fever was admitted. The disease was most prevalent during the months of Septem--
ber and October. There was nothing special in their treatment. Quinine, cinchonidine, and
liquor arsenicalis were administered as required. A few obstinate cases were transferred to
Agar, where they rapidly improved. Recruits suffered a great deal from ague.
11. There were fourteen deaths; thirteen occurred on the march from Delhi to Agar
(seven in, and six out of hospital); one death occurred at
Mehidpur. The deaths in hospital were one each from malig--
nant cholera, pericarditis, hepatitis, and diarrhœa, and four from pneumonia. The deaths
out of hospital were one each from ague, asthma, and bronchitis, and three from pneumonia.
12. Small-pox was raging in the town in the hot weather. Two cases of cholera
occurred in December. It had been raging for some time at
Ujeen, 26 miles from this, and I believe the first case that oc--
curred must have contracted the disease at that place, where he was on duty. The man was
attacked on the third day after arrival from Ujeen, and died in two days. No other case oc-
curred for a fortnight, when a camp follower was attacked, but this man recovered. On the
occurrence of the first case a tent was pitched at the extreme end of the parade ground, and
all precautionary measures were taken to prevent the disease from spreading. Cholera has
not visited the town of Mehidpur this year.
Food.
Duties, exercise, and amuse
-ments: their effects on health.
Hospital and its immediate sur
-roundings: present condition, hy
- g i e n i c a n d o t h e r w i s e .
General health and physique.
Influence of climate or local
circumstances on health.
Details of treated.
Mortality and its causes.
Epidemics.