Rooms and
general con
-struction.
Ventilation
and drainage.
Nuisance
during the
year.
Water-supply.
Sanitary ar
rangements.
Diet.
Duty.
Drill.
Exercises.
Vaccination.
Have hospital.
wards proper
- l y l i m e w a s h e d .
General con
-clusions.
65
MYSORE DIVISION.
Position of lines .—The situation of the huts or lines is well elevated and admits of
good drainage. On the whole the lines are built across the direction of the prevailing
winds, so that the huts may not be too much exposed to cold or malarious winds. With the
exception of intermittent fever, the situation may be said to be healthy.
Position of
lines.
Rooms and general construction.—The huts are constructed in the usual native fashion,
the light being insufficient ; ventilation is derived from the roof and the door. They do not
appear to exercise any injurious influence on health.
Ventilation and drainage.— The ventilation of the barrack guards has been good. In
the huts the ventilation is derived from the doors and roof, similar to most native huts.
The state of the drains, exterior to the huts being in some cases too level and always
absorbent. has been frequently represented.
Any nuisance during the year .—The latrines are cleaned out daily. There are no
urinals or ash-pits. The drains are cleaned daily, and also refuse is removed from the huts.
Water-supply.—The supply of water has been good throughout the year. It is derived
from wells, the water rising from the bottom, and springing from rocks in the vicinity, and
is of good quality.
Sanitary arrangements .—The sanitary state of the lines has been well attended to, and
I am not aware of any local cause of disease that requires removal. A large extent of country
requires improvement to remove malaria.
Diet .—Provisions have been plentiful and moderately cheap. There has been a good
supply of vegetables, and money, as compensation for the difference in the price of rice, has
been given to the sepoys. The men obtain their own diet. In the case of men with large
families the pay is not sufficient to obtain enough nutritive food.
Clothing.—The
uniform of the troops has been sufficient, and changed according to the
climate or to the season of the year. The native clothing is insufficient for a climate in
which the changes of temperature are so great.
Foot soreness from defective boots .—There have been numerous cases of foot soreness,
principally, I think, from stockings not being worn along with the boots. If the soreness
has been slight, the wearing of boots has been excused on my recommendation.
Duty.—The duty consists of guard duties once a week and drill or parades three or four
times a week. Average number of nights in bed six in seven.
Drill.—The drill takes place between the hours of 5 and 7 A.M. in the hot weather, and
between 6 and 7½ A.M. in the cool, and three or four times a week, Adjutant's or minor drills
in the evening after 5 P.M. No prejudicial effect has been observed.
Exercises.—None provided. Cricket has been established by subscription among the
Officers for the Drummers and Bandsmen, but I do not think the game is much sought after.
Vaccination .—Vaccination has not been so well carried out this year, the matter used
having frequently failed. Two cases of small-pox were admitted. No death has occurred.
No men of the regiment have been vaccinated.
Diseases .—Intermittent fever has been very prevalent during the two first and last two
months of the year, and never entirely absent. There has been no cholera, diarrhœa, or
dysentery.
Phthisis pulmonalis and other chest diseases .—Phthisis pulmonalis is not frequent in
this station. Influenza, phthisis pulmonalis, and other chest diseases are caused by the rapid
changes of temperature and insufficient clothing in undress, or from constitutional causes.
Clothing.
Diseases.
Phthisis pul-
monalis and
other chest
diseases.
Foot soreness
from defec-
tive boots.
entilation very good. It is afforded by numerous windows and doors and
by roof ventilators.
Drainage and latrines.—The drainage from the compound is not very satisfactory, as
there is a considerable flow of water through the hospital gate. The drainage of the bath-
room is carried off by a gutter through the wall of the hospital compound, Dry earth is
provided for use in the latrines, but the use thereof has not always been attended to by men
using the latrine, which is cleaned out by conservancy arrangements daily,
Hospital.
Drainage and
latrines.
Have the hospital Wards been property limewashed .—The hospital was thoroughly
washed and painted in March.
General conclusions .—Intermittent fever is the prevailing disease in this station. It is
not merely due to causes within the cantonment, but is endemic in the country generally.
There does not appear to be any particular disease arising from any local cause, or defective
sanitary arrangements. General debility is a frequent result from attacks of fever, or is directly
due to the depressing effects of the climate. The fever itself also excites or induces constitu-
tional or organic diseases, most illness being complicated with a morbid state of constitution
induced by malaria. The fever is most prevalent during the cold months of the year and after
the rains when the ground is saturated with moisture. To effect an improvement, a great
extension of agriculture and the general drainage of the surrounding country would be neces-
sary, and the substitution of dry for wet cultivation. Influenza, catarrhs, bronchitis, &c.,
are frequent, and are due to malaria or rapid changes of temperature. Improvements in the
undress or native clothing as a protection from cold, and a more substantial diet is advisable.
17