Drainage.
Water-supply.
General con
-clusions.
128
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
Drainage .—The drainage around the hospital has been good. Dry earth is used in the
latrine; and, although it has been found impossible to make the sepoys use the dry earth as
it ought to be used, still, by constant watching and care, the latrine has been kept clean.
Water-supply .—In the old hospital compound there is a good well; at present the
hospital is supplied from one of the barrack wells.
General conclusions .—With the exception of the outbreak of dengue among the
men, and the increase in the admissions from dysentery and diarrhœa during the month of
September, when it was at its height, the year under observation does not seem to have
been an unhealthy one. The men, on the whole, seem to be well-nourished and strong, and
not prone to disease, nor do they seem to have suffered to any great extent from the change
to this foreign station.
Climate.
Natural fea
-tures.
Diseases of
the district.
Barracks.
14th Regiment W.A.I.
This corps was stationed at Rangoon during the year, and was under the
medical charge of Surgeon H. Ross, M.D.
Climate .—In Rangoon the rainy season commences about the middle of May and finishes
towards the end of October, with occasional showers both before and after dates specified.
The men seem to be affected by the sudden fall of temperature following the setting in of
the rains, bowel-complaints and bronchitis being then common. Immediately after the
rains cease, there is an increase in the number of admissions from ague. I consider Rangoon
an exceedingly healthy station for the troops.
Natural features .—Latitude 16.20, longitude 96° 16" 9'. The town of Rangoon is
situated on the left bank of the navigable river Irrawaddy some 20 miles above the sea, and
occupies the corner of an extensive alluvial plain which stretches inland from near the
junction of the Irrawaddy with the Pegn river towards the Yoma hills on the north. Grass
plains rise gently from the town towards the cantonment for the distance of about one mile
from the river side. The cantonment is occupied by the European Infantry lines, the Artil
-lery, and the Native Infantry, the two latter being separated from the former. The soil is
alluvial, consisting of sand intermixed with clay. In the neighbourhood of the great
pagoda which crowns the slope, on which the cantonment is placed, are two large tanks:
one of these contain water throughout the dry season, the other only for a short period.
Vegetation is very luxuriant immediately beyond the cantonment boundary, forming a
dense jungle of forest trees and undergrowth. Within the cantonment, the undergrowth
and the numerous trees impart a degree of beauty and pleasantness to the scene, while the
portion of land known as the public garden is laid out with great care. These gardens
constitute the principal promenade.
The water of the station is plentiful and good in the neighbourhood of the Artillery and
Infantry lines, but during the dry season it is difficult to obtain a sufficient supply.
To the east of the European lines the Royal lakes are situated, and of course there are
marshy places in its vicinity; but there are no marshes in the vicinity of the Native Infantry
lines.
Diseases of the district .—The principal diseases of the district and town are intermit
-tent fever, dysentery, and diarrhœa; the humidity of the climate is sufficient to account for
the periodic fevers, and bowel-complaints are chiefly due to the new rice eaten by the
natives.
Barracks .—The barracks consist of 10 wooden buildings roofed with shingles—eight are
occupied by the sepoys of the 14th Regiment M.N.I., and two by the B Company,
Sappers and Miners. They are raised seven feet from the ground; the space below is quite level
and clean and available for exercise for the men. Each barrack is 160 feet long and 21 feet
wide, and divided into four compartments by wooden partitions to height of wall. There is
a small room with centre door at each corner 21 feet long and 10 feet wide, with four win
- d o w s 5 x 4 e a c h , a n d o n e d o o r 7 x 1 0 . T h e s e f o u r r o o m s a r e o c c u p i e d b y t h e N a t i v e o f f i c e r s .
There are 13 doors 8 x 5, and 20 windows 5 x 4 in each barrack. There are also three
very large ridge ventilators to each barrack, and also upper wall ventilation. Each
barrack accommodates 88 men, giving an average of 668 cubic feet per man and 38 super
- f i c i a l f e e t . I c o n s i d e r t h e b u i l d i n g s o c c u p i e d b y t h e m e n a s c o n d u c i v e t o h e a l t h .
Ventilation
and drainage.
Barrack
-rooms.
Ventilation, and drainage .—Ventilation is good: each compartment of the barrack has
a brick-work square with a large chatty for burning charcoal, and over this a bamboo frame
-work is placed when necessary, and the men are thus enabled to dry their clothes during
the rains when relieved from parades.
Barrack-rooms.—The walls are clean teakwood, have never been white washed, and I
do not consider it advisable to do so. No recommendations have been made.
Water-supply
Water-supply .—An ample supply of drinking water of good quality is furnished by six
wells situated in the immediate vicinity of the lines during the greater part of the year, but
in the hot weather water can only be obtained from two wells, the rest dry up.