46 MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
allow a small sum for paving each bathing place and latrine, and providing a ready escape
of all waste waters, and in all new lines make provision for this upon a standard plan.
Some years ago, upon my representation in my then capacity of Sanitary Commissioner,
I suggested this system, and the Government ordered a few privies to be constructed in the
lines of the 39th Regiment at this station. They were built and duly reported upon, but I
do not know what orders were passed by His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief and
Government. I believe the cost did not exceed Rupees 1-8-0 for each latrine, which would be
about Rupees 1,000 for an entire regiment of 600 rank and file, with the usual complement
of Native Commissioned and Non-commissioned officers.
In another part of this report the appalling mortality amongst the families and follow-
ers living in the lines of native regiments is shown, and I cannot but attribute much of this
to the damp and polluted sub-soil, the result of years of bad drainage and sewerage.
STATIONAL.
Bangalore.
New lines for
the two na-
tive regi-
ments under
construction.
Bangalore.— Steady progress is being made in the main sanitary requirements of this
important station. Drainage by V-section stone drains has been much extended, and, as
before remarked, the cantonment is better drained than any town in Southern India. In
other matters, as provision of latrine accommodation, attention paid to the water-supply
(the most of this as derived from wells located in the great centres of population, especially
in tie Ulsoor Valley as reported last year, has been pronounced unfit for drinking by the
Analyst of Potable Waters), cleanliness of the streets, provision of markets and slaughter-
houses, and attention to general conservancy, Bangalore may, I think, claim a pre-eminence.
There is still, however, one blot to be erased, and that is, the use by the native com-
munity generally of cess-pit privies and the habit of herding their cattle in the yards of
their houses and storing the manure in pits. This has for sometime past, as explained in
former reports, engaged the attention of the municipality, and many cess-pit privies have
been filled in, while measures are being gradually taken, by opening out the lanes and
bye-streets, to afford access by scavengers to houses, so as to remove those caste objections
referred to in my last year's report. The separation of cattle—cows and buffaloes—from
the dwellings of the people is a more difficult matter, and one that we can scarcely hope to
grapple with for a long time to come.
The practice is so intimately bound up with the domestic life of the native community
that any attempt to meddle with it would give the greatest umbrage, and unfortunately the
Hindu cannot be brought to see anything filthy or defiling in the excreta of these animals.
New lines for the two native regiments under construction .— I have already referred to
the new lines to be constructed at this station for the two native regiments. The lines for
one corps have been commenced since my last report, and are far advanced, and they will
be an immense improvement of the old lines. The dimensions of the huts for each rank,
the width of streets, and the general plan. are upon the " standard plan," and the lines are to
be drained by V-section drains fitting in with the general drainage of the cantonment. The
foundations of the huts are stone in mud, and the walls sun-burnt brick in mud, with good
substantial tiled roofs. The floors of the houses are to be six inches above the level of the
courtyards. The yards are to be made of well-rammed earth with a proper slope for good
drainage, and each is to be furnished with the small latrine and bathing place I have advo-
cated elsewhere, and the necessity for which I brought to notice in my Annual Inspection
Reports. a copy of which was submitted for the information of the General Officer Command-
ing. I am informed by the Assistant Quartermaster-
General, that on receipt of this communication, inquiry
was made, and that it was ascertained that no provision
had been made in the estimate, but that immediate
orders were issued that my plan of latrine and bathing
place as shown in the marginal sketch was to be adopted.
In that sketch A. is the ablution yard, B. the latrine,
C. and D. the drains to drain both the courtyard and
lavatory and privy from which solid excreta are removed
by hand, E. the V-section street drain. In regard to
these street drains they are not yet commenced. They
are to be made by the Department Public Works and
ought immediately to be taken in hand so as to be com-
pleted by the time the lines are ready for occupation, as it would be a grave sanitary error
to allow the lines to be occupied till the system of drainage is also completed.
In regard to the water-supply for European troops, although the subject more properly
belongs to the report by the Deputy Inspector-General, British Medical Service, I may
state that since last report the "Dhobies' Wells " have been connected with the main Ulsoor
works by pipes, and. that the water is now distributed by one and the same main, a measure
which I suggested some years ago on economical grounds, but which was then vetoed by