35
SOUTHERN DISTRICT
of arms, and accountrements and daily rollcalls, Ball practice at the range annually. They
have on an average from 6 to 7 nights in bed per week.
Drill.— Daily amount of drill mornings from 5-30 to 7 o'clock, evenings from 4-30 to 5 Drill .
or 6 o’clock. Besides Sundays and Native feast days, every Thursday in the week is a holi-
day.
Vaccination .—Here again I have to report that the out-break of dengue and the march Vaccination .
of the Regiment to Quilon interfered with vaccination operations.
Number.
Cases vaccinated
up to August.
Successful
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
82
Unsuccessful ...
..,
...
...
...
...
... 5
Total ... 87
Epidemic Diseases.—“ Dengue " occurred as an epidemic in the Regiment and a. EpidemicDis
¬
detailed report on it forwarded in November.
eases.
Hospital .—Hospital remains in a good sanitary condition.
.
During prevalence of dengue, recourse was had to tents for the accommodation of the
numerous sick.
General conclusions.— The general health of the Regiment had been seriously inter- General con-
rupted about the middle of August, by the out-break of dengue, in an epidemic form, it clusions,
spread through the Rank and File of the Corps, like wild fire in the space of two months,
and attacked also the families and camp followers, sparing but a very few. The actual
number of sick treated in Hospital for the year under review therefore far exceeds the
total of past years and stands even above the numerical strength of the regiment, the per-
centage of sick to strength being 126. There were, however, no casualties among the men
from the epidemic fever itself The five deaths during the year were from the causes,
namely, two of consumption, one pneumonia, one general dropsy, and one dysentery,
(following close upon severe attack of dengue). Among the families who suffered from
dengue, two children succumbed to it from convulsions. The only other event which
requires to be noted is the departure of the 26th Regiment, from Trichinopoly on Monday
morning the 9th December, on its march en route to Quilon, at the close of the year, having
arrived safely at Palamcottah, from which station the present report dates.
Deputy Surgeon-General W. Johnston, M.D., inspected the 26th, and
reports on it as follows :—
Water-supply .—From tanks whose source of supply is an irrigating channel taking off Water-supply.
from the river to the north-west of the town. These tanks are preserved against contami-
nation under Municipal control. Numerous wells exist, but the water is not esteemed from
containing an excess of saline matter.
Duties.—The ordinary regimental duties which during the year have been routine Duties.
and in no way excessive.
Principal diseases.—The percentage of sick to strength has during the year been 24. Principal
In August and September 1872, it rose to 94 percent., during the epidemic prevalence of Diseases.
“ Dengue.” Eliminating the cases of this disease the percentage of sick to strength is less
by 12 as compared with the previous year.
Vaccination.—Duly practised amongst the men and families of the corps. Vaccinated Vaccination.
during the year 85, successful 80, unsuccessful 5. There are now in the lines of this Regi-
ment 248 persons, unprotected by vaccination, men, women, and children, and the explana-
tion afforded by the Medical Officer to admit for so unsatisfactory a state of things is that
during the epidemic prevalence of “Dengue ” the work of vaccination came to a stand still
owing to the superstitious dread of the sepoys, their families and retainers.
Vaccination will be resumed when the regiment reaches its cantonment.
3 8
ţ
1
)
.
Z i a t i b t
The 38th continued to form part of the garrison of Trichichnopoly during
1872, and was under the medical charge of Surgeon-Major J. A. Cox who writes
as follows :—
Climate—I consider the climate of Trichinopoly to be healthy, there are seldom very Climate.
hot winds, and the nights are almost invariably pretty cool.
Lines.— The lines situated at the southern end of the cantonment on a gently rising Lines.
ground, a higher elevation than the town of Trichinopoly, an open midan to the east and
south, a native bazaar to the north, and a few scattered houses to the west, the site is con-
sidered a healthy one.
The houses of the sepoys are generally one to two feet below regulation height, conse-
quently they are a little hotter than they ought to be.