78
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
Principal dis-
eases.
Hospital .—The hospital is precisely as described last year. It is scrupulously clean.
The latrine at end of ward is not used. The patients frequent the old outside latrine.
I do not, however, see the necessity for keeping up the old latrine. Those attached to
the ends of wards (see plan sent last year) are kept clean. There is no objection to
their being used. They ought not to be allowed to become a nuisance if properly looked
to. Drainage, ventilation, and water-supply are severally good. The walls of the ward
look untidy from the plaster falling off in flakes, owing, it is said, to brackish water
having been used in mixing the mortar and consequent deliquescence of the salts. This
is to be remedied in due course.
Principal diseases .—The strength of the regiment on date of inspection is given
below. The huts number 753, which gives 3.16 persons to each house. The admissions
into hospital since last inspection are 261 with 5 deaths, or about 6.6 per 1,000 of
strength, 12 now sent away on sick certificate, and 16 invalided (pensioned). The health
of the troops has been good. The deaths amongst the families and followers are returned
as 63, or on the raito of 38.7 per mille of population. No epidemic disease prevailed except
small-pox, of which 22 cases occurred amongst the families and followers, but without a
death. The present rate of sick in hospital is 5 only, all unimportant cases.
Troops.
European Commissioned and Non-commissioned...
...
... ...
10
Native Commissioned
...
...
...
...
...
...
16 —
Non-commissioned Rank and File
...
...
... ... 677
Pension and. Recruit Boys...
...
...
...
... ... 56
749
Families, &c.
Adults
Males ...
...
...
...
."
".
."
149
Females
..
...
...
...
...
...
... 752
Children
Males ...
...
....
...
...
...
...
...
363
Females
...
...
...
...
...
...
... 361
1,625
Total Natives... 2,374
Vaccination.
The large mortality amongst families will receive further attention and illustrations
in my annual report.
Vaccination .—190 vaccinations have been performed, 153 of which mentioned as suc-
cessful. By the returns furnished, the number of individuals unprotected either by
previous vaccination or small-pox is as follows. The Medical Officer has been directed to
vaccinate these :—
Rank and File ...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
20
Recruits ......
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
7
Recruit Boys
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
6
W o m e n . . .
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
207
Children ...
...
...
... ... ... ...
52
Total... 282
Climate.
Lines.
16th Regiment Native Infantry.
This corps remained in Bellary throughout the year. Surgeon D. R.
Thompson, M.D., who was in medical charge, reports as follows :
—
Climate .—As in the previous years the months of March, April, and May were very
hot, but even in these months the nights and early mornings were pleasant, in consequence
of the westerly and north-westly wind which prevails there becoming cool by 9 P. M. The
climate during this period and up to the commencement of the monsoon from the north-east,
which set in a little later than usual, was very healthy ; but, as it rained very heavily for a
few days, so as, comparatively with former years, to flood the place after the monsoon began,
the atmosphere remained humid for a longer period, and favored the prevalence of dis-
ease of a rheumatic character. Dengue, therefore, which was introduced into the station
at about this time, prevailed as an epidemic. But I do not consider that the other diseases
for which patients were treated can be clearly ascribed to any particular state of the
climate.
Lines.—The lines are divided into ranges of huts, separated by broad streets with
a cut-drain running along each side. The barracks are well away to the east of the lines.
The lines stand on high ground which slopes well from north to south, favoring surface
drainage completely. The neighbourhood is clean ; the position of the lines is healthy.