77
POONA DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
evil odours did not swell the sick list. On the 6th December the regiment marched from
Poona, and, after leaving two complete companies at Sátára, reached Kolhápur on the 19th
of the same month.
On the march and during the manœuvres, the men were very healthy, though their tents
were often drenched, and the ground on which they slept sodden with rain. The weeding
out of the old and sickly men, and the hard regular work of the remainder, were, perhaps, the
causes of the good health of the regiment, under rather trying circumstances.
Ague.—The number of admissions for ague this year is less than it was in 1871. As
bearing on the sanitariness of this station, it is worthy to note, that 16 of the 21 cases which
were admitted in May, occurred in men who had just returned from wood-cutting in the
Komra jungles; and that out of the 35 ague patients, admitted in September, only 6 were
natives of the Bombay Presidency proper. The number of admissions were smallest, 8, in
February and greatest, 35, in September. At the beginning of the latter month, there was
a long "break", and the weather was hot and muggy, as it usually is after the monsoon, and,
consequently, ague was very prevalent. Towards the latter end of the month rain fell, and
though the number of admissions became less, it is a curious fact that every ague patient in
hospital had an attack of bronchitis, of greater or less severity. Those patients who were
suffering from other diseases were not thus effected by the change of weather. The treatment
was quinine or liquor arsenicalis, given in doses proportionate to the gravity of the disease.
The medicine is now invariably given by the mouth—subcutaneous injection having been
abandoned.
Remittent fever.—Fourteen cases of remittent fever were treated during the year. One
terminated fatally, being complicated with bronchitis and leucocythemia, depending on enlarged
spleen.
Venereal diseases.—The use of lock hospitals is well illustrated by the following figures.
During the year 1871 the regiment was stationed in Mhow, where there is or was a well
- m a n a g e d l o c k h o s p i t a l . T h e a d m i s s i o n s o n a c c o u n t o f d i s e a s e s d u e t o i m p u r e i n t e r c o u r s e
were as follows:—
Gonorrhœa . . . 1
Epididymitis . . . 3
Syphilis primary . . . 3
Indurated bubo . . . 1
Syphilis secondary . . . 12
Total . . . 20
In Kolhápur there are no arrangements for the examination of prostitutes, and the seclu--
sion of those found diseased : here are the results of want of supervision :—
Gonorrhœa . . .
1 9
Epididymitis . . . 3
Syphilis primary . . .
6
Syphilis secondary . . . 18
Total . . . 46
Five cases of gonorrhœal rheumatism were admitted, but as they were first admitted as
gonorrhoea., they are not included in the comparative list.
Treatment of Gonorrhœa.—At the beginning of the year I was so disheartened by the
regular occurrence of gonorrhœal rheumatism, as a sequela to the disease when treated in the
old-fashioned way, that I anxiously searched for a new plan. That originated, if I mistake
not, by Dr. Campbell of the " Dreadnought" seemed safe, and judging from the published
cases efficacious. It was adopted accordingly, and every case of gonorrhœa was injected with a
solution of permanganate of potass (5 grains to the ounce of water) three times a day. When
there was much scalding the acridity of the urine was counteracted by small doses of liquor
potass, nitre, and sweet spirit of nitre. Fourteen patients were treated in this way, and not
one suffered from gonorrhœal rheumatism, while the five who were treated in the old way all
suffered from it severely. In the treatment of gonorrhœal rheumatism, anti-rheumatic medicines
are of little use ; a liberal diet with stimulants and tonics is more beneficial than colchicum and
potass. Attention should always be paid to the gleet which almost invariably co-exists with
the rheumatism, and, I believe, in some way causes it.
Dysentery.—Fourteen cases of this disease were admitted last year : all of a mild type, and
yielded readily to the ipecacuanha treatment.
Diarrhœa.—Eleven slight cases of diarrhœa were treated : all were traceable to cold or to
errors in diet.
20 s