29
NORTHERN DISTRICT.
fore of its cause and origin and not first questioned. Did all those affected come from the
same street in the lines, or different ones ? I found as follows.
B. Company's Lines
...
...
...
...
...
... 2
C.
do....
...
... 3
E.
do.
...
. . . ...
...
...
...
3
F.
do....
...
... 6
H.
do....
...
.
2
Total ... 16
From this it was evident that the nucleus of the disease was not brought to the
regimental lines by any single individual, but that it was all at once wide-spread, and that
all were contaminated. Then how did it happen ? That point, I thought, may be cleared up by
asking how these 16 men were engaged the evening before the morning of the attack.
They were all, except one who was on the Quarter guard, off duty, and visited the Regimen-
tal Bazaar, as usual. On that day many persons had also come to Regimental Bazaar from
across the river with grain, &c., from the Balasoor neighbourhood, where the fever was
prevalent, and in all probability some were at that time affected and had given the disease
to the sepoys. I have no doubt in my mind, but it was in this way that it first got footing
in the station. But then how did the man, on the Quarter guard, get the fever, simulta-
neously with the rest ? Simply being visited by one of the others, a friend of his, who is
included in the 16. During all that day, viz., September 9th, men were reported sick with
exactly the same history and symptoms which I have noted ; by evening time the number had
risen to 32. At this period, I confess, I was rather mystified at not seeing a single case in
which a rash was apparent or temperature over 101° F., but when I considered and
asked the men, how long was the fever on them before they came to hospital, the answer
was invariably 3, 4, or 6 hours in no instance did any report sick immediately, and many not
until they were necessitated from their pains to throw themselves down and roll in agony.
From this exceedingly rapid invasion of the disease, it very soon became impossible to
take notes on individual cases or indeed to classify them according to the different symp-
toms which became apparent. One of my assistants got incapacitated, and the other had
more than enough to do in attending to the wants of the inmates in Hospital, besides
numerous calls from the families in the lines, as the disease had rapidly disseminated itself
among them, and was daily prostrating them in large numbers. The general train of
symptoms in all the cases admitted to hospital were high fever, temperature never more
than 102° F. which was only seen in a very few, intense frontal head-ache, in no case
was it absent and lasted until the fever passed off, generally after 48 hours, severe pains
in loins, and back pains and stiffness in all the joints and muscles of back of neck, with a
general feeling of wretchedness, sleeplessness, and prostration ; lips and fingers appeared
swollen and a sensation of bursting felt in them, many had loss of power over the flexor
muscles of the hands, soreness of heels and soles of feet were complained of by many,
while others had swelling of the knee and ankle joints, the latter most noticeable in the
space between tondo Achillis and malleolus.
About 50 per cent. had vomiting
Do.
1
do.
conjunctivitis.
Do.
8
do.
diarrhœa.
Do.
5
do.
rash (initial) similar to nettle rash.
Do.
8
do.
rash (terminal).
a general fluffiness or scaly desquamation.
About 20 per cent. had odematous feet. The urine of the men with œdematous feet
was pale, and of a low sp. gr. .1,003, no albumen. One man showed typhoid symptoms and
two men were delirious. Average number of days spent in hospital 7.
The longest period in hospital 31 days. The treatment adopted was more on the
expectant plan, than remedial.
Forty-one cases were re-admitted, about half of them returned with a relapse of fever
and pains, the rest had to come to hospital from an increase of pains to such an extent as
to incapacitate them from duty.
All those who had been in Hospital previous to the outbreak, and the orderlies told
off to attend on the sick were in turn attacked.
From the admissions it will be seen that the disease rapidly reached its acme and then
gradually declined, yet not without prostrating nearly every man of the regiment.
Subjoined is a tabular form of the number affected among the families and followers
in the lines.
8