193
SIND DISTRICT OF THE ARMY.
tive; 17° is the highest, which was for the month of May; 3° the lowest noted in September.
In the previous month it was slightly higher, 4°. It is during these two months that the at
-mosphere is loaded nearly to saturation; and it was in these months observed also that no
breeze was perceptible. The general direction of the wind was from January to 15th April
N.N.W. and N.E. From April to end of July, E. and S. E., while in October, November, and
December, the prevailing winds were from the E. and N.E. As the above observations are from
a reliable source, I am glad to be able to record them, as they quite remove the misconceptions
which were found in the previous year in respect to the relative temperature of Jacobabad and
Haidarabad, and which it is now evident were based on erroneous data.
47. The system of conservancy known under the name of Trench-latrines, which was
sought to be introduced in the Belooch regiment at Kurrachee in 1871, and which was empha-
tically condemned for the reasons stated in my report for that year, was ordered to be carried
into practice in the month of April last. Shortly afterwards the nuisance became so intoler-
able that a committee, of which I was president, was appointed by the officer commanding
the district to report on the subject. We had the ground dug up in several places around
the latrines and found that its uniform condition was a mixture of rounded stones—in size
varying from that of a nutmeg to a small orange—and a slight sandy soil, containing very little
alluvial matter. The proportion of these in every four parts, was estimated at—stones 1,
alluvial deposit 1, sand 2; and it was, therefore, a simple impossibility to expect a deodorizing
action to follow the burying human excrement in such a mixture. The stench was very great
and extended to a considerable distance on all sides; and we gave it as our opinion that,
if it was determined to persevere with the system, it would be necessary to discontinue filling
up the trenches with the soil and other matters dug from them, and employ exclusively allu-
vial soil brought from a distance; otherwise the nuisance would not merely increase, but eventu-
ally prove a fruitful source of danger to the community. The system was abandoned and the
men reverted to the use of the regimental latrines, which are built of pucka brick and fitted
with iron pans. These are kept clean. At Haidarabad also it was, at one time, in contem-
plation to introduce the trench-latrines in the 29th Regiment N.I. It was not, however, put
into execution, the nature of the ground there presenting even still greater difficulties than at
Kurrachee, it being entirely composed of stones and sand. The conservancy on the old plan is
efficiently carried out in the regiment, and the nightsoil is removed in filth-carts between sunset
and sunrise to a nullah nearly 3 miles distant from the lines: In the hospital the Dry-earth
system is in force; and to insure its thoroughness, I directed, as in the other Belooch hospital,
also separate receptacles to be used, so as to avoid mixture of the solids and fluids. In the
regimental hospitals at Jacobabad the same system has been introduced—in the 30th N. I.
with good results—but in the regiments of Sind Horse with only partial success.
48. In consequence, as I understand, of my having last year brought to the notice of the
Commissioner in Sind the very unsatisfactory sanitary condition of the station of Jacobabad, orders
were issued to cut down a number of the trees and also to thin the others as far as practicable.
On visiting the station in December last, I noticed that some progress had been made in dimi-
nishing their number; but, seeing they have been permitted to multiply to such an enormous
extent for several years past, the ones that have thus been removed do not appear to have pro-
duced any appreciable diminution in the vast number still remaining. Those lining the sides of
the roads require judicious thinning only; but of the rest one-half might be removed altogether
with great advantage. Whether this is done or not, there should certainly go forth an order
that all trees, according to their size, should have their lower branches freely lopped, so as to
oppose no obstacle to the breeze sweeping over the ground from one end of camp to the other.
In connection with this matter much requires to be done in removing all undergrowth and
neglected vegetation, which I observed in far too great abundance throughout camp. These
not only intercept the breeze but accumulate rubbish and debris at their roots, in turn add
their quota to the already too numerous agents at work in propagating disease. One plant
I noticed in particular, which greatly preponderated. This is the " Yock" (kalotropis
gigantea), a plant, I believe, held in considerable estimation by the natives, but which should not
on that account be allowed to grow at pleasure all over the cantonment to the prejudice of the
residents. The numerous nullahs and water-courses which, on the laying out of the canton-
ment were deemed requisite to carry nourishment to the young trees, are now no longer
necessary. The trees have grown up and do not stand in need of such constant watering; and
to keep open these nullahs, therefore, and to allow them to be yearly filled by the Indus, is to
keep up, to a large extent, one of the chief sources of mischief to be found at Jacobabad—I
mean the evil of hypersaturation of the atmosphere, and encouraging and actually providing
countless receptacles for the generation of a poison which already exists in too great abundance
and—do what we will—must ever remain one of the scourges of the place. Were one-fourth
or even one-third of these water-courses filled up, the evil I have depicted would undoubtedly
be considerably diminished, and that without calling into existence a single inconvenience worth
a moment's consideration.
49 s