Drainage.
Probable cause of malaria.
Plan.
Accommodation.
90
SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY. OF BOMBAY.
The cantonment is situate on a perfectly (practically level) homogeneous, self-draining
sand, containing no known underlying stratum of clay or other im
-pervious medium, and this topographical condition ought to secure
it a healthy character; but that it is a malarious station is unquestion
-
able: and it can only be accounted for by the soil being highly
impregnated with organic matter, such as fallen leaves, decayed weed, and jungle, and in
the immediate vicinity of the camp, the lines, and every adjacent village, the filth, litter,
and excreta which being dessiccated by the intense sun's rays, pulverized by various causes, and
wafted to and fro by the changeable winds and electrical conditions of the atmosphere, is
deposited over the widespread area, and then subjected to the decomposing effects of the
moisture and heat of a tropical monsoon ; this the sand absorbs and becomes contaminated,
and when the fierce rays of the sun beat upon such a soil after the rains, the mephitic
moisture is drawn up to the surface by capillary attraction, and gives off malaria of the
most noxious kind.
The decomposition of all the roots and fibres, which are always left in the earth, of the
dry crops alone, over such an immense tract of country as is cultivated, add materially to the
mischief; and the filthy habits of the natives of every gaum, "and even those within the canton
- m e n t , a r e s o d i s g u s t i n g a s t o a c c o u n t f o r a v e r y c o n s i d e r a b l e p o r t i o n o f t h e m a l a r i o u s d i s e a s e
extant. These are highly probable, if not certain causes of disease, and they are preventible
and removeable causes and should be attacked rigorously.
The entire civil native population of all cities, cantonments, and villages, should be
Village sanitation in
vicinity of cantonment.
legally compelled to have proper domestic latrines, well arranged, and
with appointed places at a distance to deposit the filth.
The lines are situated to the north-west of the cantonment: they face south-east, and are
Lines' situation.
in close proximity to the bazar. Their situation is favourable were it
not for some closely adjacent nullahs. which are too largely used as
Latrines by both the troops and the camp followers.
T h e y a r e b u i l t i n b o c k s , t w o d e e p a n d d i v i d e d b y a m a i n s t r e e t 4 5 f e e t w i d e , a n d i n r o w s
of sixteen, each divided by a cross street 25 feet broad, as in the sketch
I append. The native officers' houses are on the north—one opposite
each block—they are ample and commodious, and in good repair.
The rear ground and school and the regimental wells are also on the
north, the store room, quarter-guard, and armoury face south.
Each block is divided into 24 dwellings, consisting of an inner room and verandah, the
attached form gives the measurements and cubic space of the dwelling of each native officer,
non-commissioned officer, and private. The huts and subsidiary buildings are in very fair
repair, they are tolerably cool, and well shaded by large trees; but they are small, low
and dark and in the rains damp and murky. I strongly advocate a much more liberal grant
Condition.
of cubic space, and a better description of dwelling for the native
soldier than now exists..
It, is said there ere no cess nits within the lines the refuse water with all its
is thrown out on the ground, in front of each dwelling, and allowed
to evaporate; and there is a channel which conveys impure water from
the interior of the hut through an opening in the wall to the street in front, where it is
Cess pits.
Hut drainage.
allowed to flow at large. Both these arrangements are objectionable
but it is difficult to suggest any other that the natives would accept
and use.
There can be little doubt that at night every one of these receptacles, within the dwell
- i n g s , a r e u s e d a s u r i n a l s , i f n o t a l s o a s l a t r i n e s , b y e v e r y m e m b e r o f t h e f a m i l y , f o r t h e r e a s o n
that the proper latrines are situate some distance from the lines; and cold, fear of the dark,
and laziness combined, deter them from making use of them—thus, there is a pregnant cause
of disease, in each dwelling, throughout the lines. Every morning these channels are sluiced
from the interior of each dwelling with water, and the liquid filth flows over the ground within
a yard or two of the huts, to generate its miasma to the detriment of all around.
Should a case of cholera occur at night, and the discharges be sluiced in this manner
through these channels to the open ground within the lines, the consequences might be very
serious. When we consider that this objectionable system exists in all, or almost all the
native regiments in the presidency, it suggests an urgent remedy.
The guardroom and cells are in good repair, and sufficiently roomy for all purposes.
There is no gymnasium to afford the men healthy recreation. I would strongly recom-
mend a covered shed being built for this purpose.