8
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
Duties, exercise, and amuse-
ments: their effect on health.
6. The duties at this station are very light, and the
amusements of the men are principally of their own invention.
7 . T h e r e g i m e n t a l h o s p i t a l i s s i t u a t e d t o t h e w e s t o f t h e l i n e s , a b o u t 1 5 0 y a r d s f r o m
the river Taptee. It is an upper-storied building, roomy and
well ventilated; the wards of the hospital afford accommoda-
tion for 22 patients, and the spacious and roomy verandahs
above and below afford room for as many more. I have had as
many as 80 men in hospital, which perhaps was a little overcrowded, but the ventilation is
good, principally from the doors and windows. The native village of Utava lies at the back
of the.hospital, about 150 yards distant,—much too close, I think, though I cannot say I have
traced any ill effects from it as yet ; in other respects the situation is undoubtedly good.
8. There is no doubt that the general health and physique of the men have not improved
since their residence at Surat. This may be attributed to drink,
malaria, and the enervating nature of the climate,—certainly not
to their duties. They are a fine-looking body of men, but men are constantly falling out
from parade, from faintness and indigestion. There is no malingering about this, as the men
who do this are always sent to me for inspection. I think, however, the dearness of grain
may have had some e ffect in producing this state of things.
9 . I
d o n o t k n o w o f a n y s p e c i a l c a u s e s f u r t h e r t h a n t h o s e a l r e a d y e n u m e r a t e d f o r t h e
ill-health of the men. The only additional cause that may have
had an indirectly bad effect on the health has been the small
amount of rainfall, much below the usual average—viz., 18
inches 25 cents.
10. The total number of admissions from all causes was 1,501, a considerable increase
over last year, which was 1,194 ; of these ague gives 672,
febricula 409, remittent fever 16, dysentery 27, diarrhœa 47,
bronchitis 51. These are the principal admissions from grave disease, and the following facts
are elicited thereby, viz., that compared with last year there was a great increase of sickness
from malarious fever, less from bowel complaint, and an increase from chest disease, prin-
cipally bronchitis ; ulcers, as usual, give a large number of admissions, viz., 54, principally
from shoe-bite. Two cases of cholera ending fatally were admitted for treatment. The
treatment of these diseases has been carried on much as usual, the only thing to remark
being that, owing to dearness of provisions, men under treatment showed rapid signs of
great weakness, entailing a large use of medical comforts.
11. The mortality has been less than last year, the number of deaths in hospital
exclusive of cholera being four, including cholera six ; one
death occurred from enteritis, one from intermittent fever
complicated with bronchitis, one was a case of suicide by hanging when under treatment for
ague, and one death was from remittent fever. These were all ordinary cases, requiring no
special remark, and, considering the actual amount of sickness, is very favourable as com-
pared with last year. I believe this may be attributed in some measure to the habits of the
men as regards drinking having much improved, after the subject having been fully and
forcibly explained to them ; four men have died out of hospital, viz., two from ague, one from
remittent fever, and one from chronic diarrhœa.
12. There was an epidemic of small-pox in Surat and the suburbs, and indeed, I believe,
all over the country in the immediate neighbourhood, at the
beginning of the year, which fortunately did not materially affect
the regiment; four cases only occurred, amongst the women and children. The measures
adopted were to forbid intercourse with the city, to strictly carry out vaccination, and isolate
the cases in tents.
13. Vaccination and re-vaccination have been well and successfully carried on; the
lymph has been remarkably good.
The Hospital and its immedi-
ate surroundings, hygienic and
otherwise.
General health and physique.
Influence of climate or local cir-
cumstances on health.
Details of treated.
Mortality and its causes.
Epidemics.
Vaccination and re-vaccination.
Invaliding and its causes.
14. Thirty-one men have been invalided from the follow-
ing causes :—
Chronic rheumatism
..
4
Syphilitic affections
2
Disease of the lungs
3
Disease of the stomach and bowels ...
... 3
Disease of spleen
1
Ulcer
1
Varicose veins
...
3
Old age and debility
14