vi
causes which appear to have produced this greater prevalence of bowel diseases
amongst the troops stationed in the Deccan will be discussed further on. In
the Northern Division there has been a marked and general falling off in the
frequency of admissions for diarrhœa and dysentery. The regiments at Ahmeda
- b a d , Mh o w, Me h i d p o r e , a n d Nu s s e e r a b a d s h o w t h e l a r g e s t n u mb e r t r e a t e d
for these diseases. In Sind diarrhœa has been slightly less frequent, but
dysentery has prevailed more. The regiments at Jacobabad have been the chief
sufferers.
18. Guinea-worm has nearly disappeared from amongst the troops of the
Presidency Division, only 6 cases having occurred during
the year, viz., 3 in Bombay, one at Tanna, and 2 at
Aden, the latter probably imported. In the Poona Division there has been a general
increase, and time total has risen from 37 to 72. At Dharwar, the station of all
others which formerly was most infested with this parasite, there has, I am glad
to say, been no increase, only 14 cases having been treated. Several admissions
occurred at Poona, Kirkee, Malligaum, Kolapore, and Kaladgi, all of them stations
which were free from the disease in 1876. The Northern Division returns nearly the
same total as before, with the same general distribution of admissions, Mehidpore
and Neemuch showi ng, as usual , t he great est number. In Si nd t he cases have di mi ni shed from 17 t o 8. The t ot al t reat ed for t he whol e army was 155 as com-pared wi t h 136 i n t he year previ ous. Under t he subj ect of wat er suppl y t he cause of t he great er preval ence of gui nea-worm i n t he Poona Di vi si on wi l l be al l uded t o.
19. There has been a further diminution in the total treated under this
heading, the numbers having fallen from 2984 in 1876
to 2658 in the year under review. The fact that there
has been little or no line building in progress, nor many movements involving
lengthened marches, will be a sufficient explanation of the reduction that has
taken place in the frequency of admissions for injury.
20. A late and copious rainfall in the Deccan resulted in an extraordinary
development of malarions fevers during the last three
months. of the year. The civil population of the.
eastern and southern districts suffered most severely, nor did the troops escape.
The 19th N. I. at Sholapore shows 567 admissions from fever as compared with
104 in the previous year. The change, however, to Kurrachee in November
effected a great and sudden improvement in the health of the regiment. The
Northern Division, in consequence of a short rainfall, has been less malarious
than usual. The 10th N. I. does not as yet seem to have derived much benefit
by its transfer from Mehidpore to Neemuch; an excessive amount of sickness
still exists amongst the men. The regiment, during its stay at the former
station, became so saturated with malaria that the full effects of the change
will not be manifested for seine time to come. The fruits of the abandonment
of Barda Chowki are already seen in the lessened returns of sick from the 28th
N. I. A moderate overflow of the Indus has resulted in the climate of Sind
having been somewhat less malarious than was the case after the extensive
i n undations of 1876.
21. No effort has been spared to maintain the lines, so far as their many
weighty defects will permit, in the best sanitary con
-
dition possible. I must here again bring prominently
to notice the vital need which exists for the thorough drainage of the subsoil
in the majority of the cantonments. I have no hesitation in asserting that this
dampness of the ground on which the sepoys live is the main source
of the malarious fever and lung diseases which cause so great a loss of
strength annually. As an extreme instance of the evil, nothing can well
be more instructive than the history of Mehidpore, where the camp stands
on a site which is below the level of the river when iu flood; this ground is not
Guinea-worm.
Injuries.
Effects of Climate on health.
Lines.