On the march,
or on ship
board.
Water-supply.
Provisions.
Duty and
exercises.
Drill.
22
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
Medical topo
-graphy.
The vegetation of the district consists principally of acacias, casuarinas, palmyras and
sago palms, mango, and banyan trees.
The fruits comprise mango, custard-apple, pomegranate, orange, citron, lime, guava,
roselle, &c., while amongst vegetables, yarns, onions, brinjalls, sweet-potatoes, tomatoes,
chillies, turmeric, cucumbers, and various kinds of gourds are common. Most description of
European vegetables also thrive readily.
Of the grains and pulses very many descriptions of paddy, cumboo, raggi, cholum, and
some half dozen varieties of gram are commonly cultivated, while of oils are extracted cocoa
-nut, mustard, cotton, rape, linseed, castor.
Medical topography.—The chief classes of disease common in the district are of mala
-rial origin, fevers of intermittent and remittent type, and dysentery; rheumatic affections
are also common, and both cholera and small-pox may be said to be endemic. Leprosy in
its two forms is also met with. Chest affections, chiefly bronchitis, and severe types of con-
junctivitis, often characterized by intense chirmisis, are also common. Among the poorer
classes, indolent ulcers are very frequent.
On the march, or on ship board.—The regiment left Tonghoo on the 4th January 1872,
and arrived at Rangoon on the 14th instant. Sailed from Rangoon on the 22nd, and arrived
at Vizianagrum on 28th instant.
Water-supply. —The supply has been ample from many wells, but it is rather saline in
flavor. The Analyst of Potable Waters, Dr. Nicholson, R.A., considered it in other respects
pure and wholesome.
Exercises.
Vaccination.
Diseases.
Provisions .—Provisions have been neither cheap nor plentiful, nor yet excessively dear.
Duty and exercises.—Ordinary garrison and regimental duty of a light nature, not
injuriously affecting health. Five and a half nights in bed.
Drill. —During the first nine months of the year the amount of drill has been very light
-battalion drill but twice or thrice weekly; since then in preparation for inspection and
review; has necessarily been somewhat heavier, but never excessive. No recommendations
seemed called for.
Exercises.— The officers support a cricket club for the men's amusement, but have not
been well seconded. Gardens have been originated by both Wing Officers, and may fairly be
pronounced a success.
Vaccination.—Vaccination has been thoroughly kept up. There has been no case of
small-pox in the regiment during the past year. One case (confluent) occurred amongst the
followers; result recovery. Nearly the whole regiment has been re-vaccinated. Out of 525
operations, 218 have been successful, 203 unsuccessful, and 104 doubtful; while amongst the
women and children of 125 operations, 75 have been successful, 27 unsuccessful, and 23
doubtful,
Diseases.—Fevers, dysentery, and diarrhœa have prevailed to no greater extent than
might have been expected in a regiment just after completing its tour of foreign service.
The type of all was asthenic, requiring in many cases the moderate exhibition of extra diet
and stimulants. The regiment fortunately almost completely escaped the severe cholera
epidemic that prevailed all through this Northern Division, and which during the months
of May, June, July, and August visited the town and surrounding villages. On my recom
-mendation the men and families were ordered to avoid the town as much as possible, and to
abstain from indulgence in fruit. There have not been any of the marginal causes existing,
to which the occurrence of such diseases may be attributed.
General con
-clusions.
General conclusions.— On the return of the regiment from foreign service, the men
were generally debilitated, and it was found necessary to invalid 49, while during the past
year 17 men have been granted sick leave to their native villages for lengthened periods. It
will be seen that but one case of cholera occurred on the 17th July, but there were three
cases amongst the followers, viz., on the 15th June, 24th July, and the 8th August, while
there was also a bad case of choleraic diarrhœa in the regiment on the 8th July, not returned
as cholera, because suppression of urine was never complete.
The whole five cases made good recoveries, treatment being the same in all, a line of
treatment which has hitherto, in bad cholera epidemics, given me a most satisfactory and
high proportion of recoveries to deaths, viz., R. potassa chlorate, 3i., soda Bacarb, 3i.,
sodii chloride 3ii., aqua 3viii., ft. mist. 3ii., every half hour, the patient to drink cold water
copiously, and to be freely exposed to the air.
During the last quarter itch has been very prevalent, owing perhaps to salt fish diet.
Weekly inspections were held until the disease was weeded out. Vizianagrum has fortu
-nately not been visited with dengue fever, though it has been prevalent at Vizagapatam, 28
miles to the south, and at Bimlipatam, 17 miles to south-east.
The late Deputy Inspector-General Blacklock inspected the corps in 1872,
and wrote as follows:—
Lines , &c.
Lines, &c.—The place of arms is at the north side of a nearly level parade ground of
about 25 acres in extent, nearly two miles south-west from the centre of the town. The