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NORTHERN DISTRICT.
Diseases.—No epidemic prevailed during the year. As usual in this station about the Diseases.
giving over of the rains and the setting in of the cold weather during the months of August,
September, and October, there was a slight increase of malarial fever cases, due probably to
exhalation arising from the soil that had become saturated with moisture during the rains,
and is not in my opinion owing to any defective sanitary arrangement.
The average strength of the detachment for the year ending 31st December 1872 was
270, and the number admitted sick 276. Of this 153 cases were attributable to malarial
fever alone. Comparing the total admissions for 1872 with that for 1871, there is an
increase this year of 59 cases, chiefly under the head of fever. Of other diseases, rheumatism
produced the next largest number of admissions this year. From this cause there were 20
cases. Next in frequency come ulcers, of which there were 18 admissions, and the dysentery,
of which there were 12, of diseases besides those above mentioned there were but a few cases
each under various headings.
One case of hepatitis in an officer produced some anxiety at one time. On the 8th
day after rigor and fever had set in, with bulging of the side and severe pain in right
hypochondrum, the bowels were relieved by enema. Subsequently two motions were passed
of a greenish color, containing white curdy-particles (very much like pus), shreds of lymph,
and some blood. After this date, with the exception of passing a little blood by the bowels,
occasionally the patient made a steady recovery, and is now convalescent. Four casualties
occurred during the year, one officer admitted for general debility died subsequently of
delirium tremens. Another native officer while under treatment for an abscess, symp-
toms of diabetes melitus were discovered, the abscess commenced to slough, and he gradu-
ally sank and died. One private died quite suddenly in hospital ten hours after admission
for a slight attack of ague, and another died in hospital of valve disease of heart about a
month after its detection.
The families, like the men, suffered principally from fever during the past year, but the
fever on the whole was mild. Only 11 deaths occurred among the families from fever.
The whole detachment, men and families alike, were free from all epidemics. Dengue has
not appeared in this station. Vaccination has been carried on steadily in the wing. Sixty-
six cases were vaccinated during the year-57 successful and 9 men unsuccessful. During
the year a large hospital for the detachment, commenced in September 1871, was finished,
and has been occupied since the 13th of November 1872. This hospital has space in it for
50 beds, with 1,147 cubic feet per cot, is well ventilated by numerous doors and large
windows, placed opposite each other, and also by numerous small permanently open venti-
lators. It has also a ridge ventilation. The hospital is puckah built of stones in lime
plastered, with lime inside, and smoothly polished. The flooring is of concrete. The roof
tiled. It is situated on high ground, and has a basement about three feet in height, and
is on the whole satisfactory. No latrine for the hospital has as yet been built, but I am
informed that the subject is now under consideration. At present a temporary shed is used
for this purpose.
As the year 1872 is the last that this detachment would remain at Sumbulpore, it would.
not be amiss now to give the total sick each year, and the number each year attributable
to malarial fever in this wing during its five years' stay at this station, and with that object
the following table is drawn up :—
Years.
Average Strength
in the
Detachment.
Total
Admitted
Sick.
Number duo
to Malarial
Fever.
Admissions
from all
Other Causes.
Deaths from
all Causes
included.
1868 ... ...
310
889
779
110
10
1869 ... ...
290
981
874
110
9
1870 ... ...
275
474
354
120
5
1871 ... ...
269
217
106
111
3
1872 ... ...
270
276
153
123
4
Total...
1,414
2,840
2 , 2 6 6
574
31
From the above table it will be seen that out of a total of 2,840 admissions during the
past five years, 2,266 cases were due to malarial fever and only 574 were admissions from
all other diseases, ; or in other words, there were in this wing during the last five years four
times as much of fever cases as there were of all other diseases put together. 1868-69 pro-
duced the largest numbers, being 779 and 844 respectively. These large numbers were
due to the unhealthy locality of the lines, and to the miserable huts the men were living in.
But in 1870 the new lines were fast being built, and, as houses were completed, the
men were transferred into them. The admissions for fever that year fell to 351. In 1871
the new lines were completed, and the whole detachment occupied their new quarters,
That year the admissions for fever were only 106, and last year there were 153. Malarial
fever is endemic in this station, and cases of it occur throughout the year ; but during the
months of August., September, and October there has always been an increase of sickness
7