123
NORTHERN DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
ficial feet and 818 cubic feet per man; but they are estimated by the Engineer Department
as capable of receiving 52 patients by crowding, giving 55 superficial feet and 503 cubic feet.
To each regiment is assigned 1 room—80 × 18 × 7½—and two small end rooms—9 × 8 × 8—-
one of which has been heretofore used as a guard-room, and an enclosed verandah 30 × 8 × 8 —
one-half of which has been used as a reception room and office. The ventilation of the build
-ing was indifferent, but has been somewhat improved by the introduction of skylights in the
vaulted roof, and by opening two doors on the eastern verandah to allow of more thorough
perfiation. This has counteracted to some extent the unavoidable crowding in the rains, but
after the monsoon a surgical case in the 10th N.L.I., and four in the 16th N.I., subsequently,
assumed a sloughing character, and had to be removed to tents, and the hospital walls scraped
and white-washed. The disease had formerly appeared in 1870 from overcrowding and im
-perfect ventilation, engendering an impure hospital atmosphere. Shortly after our arrival,
the inadequacy of accommodation for the sick of native troops, was brought under the notice
of the military authorities by me, as senior medical officer Indian service; and a second hospi
-tal was recommended for the sick of one of the regiments stationed here, and which has since
been sanctioned. In consequence of the crowded state of the hospital, tents had to be pitched
in the compound after the rains, when there were 112 men on the sick list.
The water-supply is derived from four wells, two of which are assigned to each regiment;
and from another—that is used by the lower castes—that is commom to both corps. It was
barely sufficient last season for the requirements of the native troops, but by management it
lasted until the setting in of the monsoon, the officers having had to depend on an allowance
from a private well. The well in the hospital compound was the only one that completely failed,
and it dried up early in the season. The wells are situated between the lines and permanent
latrines. The quality of the water was reported to be not so good as could be desired, and a
fresh analysis was obtained from the Chemical Analyser to Government, which confirmed his
former opinion. The sample sent from the well of the 10th N.L.I. was found to be less pure
than that of the 16th N.I. well, and to contain a large proportion of solids, chlorides, and
nitrates, from the well being more liable to receive the surface drainage of the lines after heavy
rain. The analysis is subjoined : —
Report of Analysis of Water from Wells of 10th and 16th .N. Mhow , 4th May 1872.
10th N.L.I.
16th N.L.I.
Grains per Gallon.
Total solids dried at about 280° F. . . .
48.16
27.16
Loss on ignition . . .
5.04
.28
Chlorine . . .
4.78
1.49
Sulphuric Acid . . .
1.54
1.05
Lime
.
.
.
6.58
8.61
Magnesia . . .
3.15
2.65
Hardness before boiling . . .
29.75
22.02
" after " . . .
14.00
5.252
Ammonia.
Indistillate from carbonate of soda . . .
0.131
. 0 1 1 7
" from permanganate of potash . . .
.0105
.0117
Of nitrates and nitrites . . .
1890
.0483
Oxygen.
Total required by the water at 140° F. in presence of
acid
.
.
.
.0350
.0336
After evaporation to about 1/10w i t h c h l o r i d e o f a l u m i
-
num and redilution . . .
.0112
. 0 0 7 0
Sediment.
10th N.L.I. Well water.
Scanty, chiefly vegetable debris, and carbo
-nate of lime crystals, a few paramecia.
16th N.I. Well water.
Chiefly vegetable debris, a few carbonate of
lime crystals, a few paramecia and actinophry
-nia.