70
SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
native country for change of air. Of the staff and details 23 were admitted, 1 remained, 21
discharged well, 2 died ("one Bright's disease") and another from remittent fever; 1 discharged
in column "otherwise" and sent for change of air to his native climate.
The daily average number of sick of Staff was
. . .
. . .
... 0.77.
Do.
do. do. of detachment 10th Regiment N.L.I. ... 7.65.
Do.
do.
do.
do.
11th
do. N.I. ... 5.00.
The total number of sick of the bazar and civil population, presenting themselves for
treatment in hospital was 214; this number is smaller than usual this year, as the people in the
Pettah bazar and civil population were not allowed entrance to the Fort until August, owing
to the existence of cholera and small-pox, the latter of which became epidemic in the bazar
(40 cases and 3 deaths) and led to the necessity as stated of isolating the cases outside the
Pettah in huts, until finally the epidemic was extinguished and had disappeared. The obvious
exposure of the Pettah bazar and civil population to sickness and epidemics (it being on and
in direct communication with the main trunk road connecting the Deccan with Hindoostan
and Central India), points clearly to the necessity of providing without delay as recommended
a dispensary and establishment therein, so as to secure the Garrison and Fort from contracting
the prevailing diseases and epidemics of this neighbourhood, unhealthy for many months of
the year.
The diseases among the troops, and staff and details, &c., worth bringing to notice are
chiefly ague, 109 cases—some severe and protracted—accompanied with occasional complications
of head, chest, spleen, liver, or bowels: all recovered and there were no deaths. The treatment,
consisted in diaphoretics, salines, aperients, quinine in large doses, arsenic, liberal diet, warm
flannel clothing, &c.
Remittent Fever four cases, of which there were 2 deaths. The character of the fevers of
t h i s y e a r b e i n g o f a n e x c e e d i n g l y l o w , a d y n a mi c a n d s o me w h a t t y p h o i d f o r m, w i t h c e r e b r a l ,
bronchial, or abdominal complications, leave but little chance of recovery to native constitutions;
one case occurred and proved fatal in a sepoy of the detachment 11th N.I., who wholly re-
covered from the fever, but died from exhaustion, produced from excessive diarrhœa and
dysentery which it was found could not be checked even with the greatest care and attention.
Another sepoy of the same corps had, however, a similar attack, with severe bronchial affections,
lasting for about a month, and ultimately recovered.
The 3rd case was that of a muleteer of the Garrison Commissariat, whose case was attend-
ed with extreme prostration, low, adynamic and urgent bronchial affection, and, ultimately, a
wasting diarrhœa, to which he succumbed after an illness of four days. The medical officer in
attendance states, this man only came too late to hospital and when his case was hopeless.
The 4th was that of a European, a Private of the 83rd Regiment, who was left here,
being unable to proceed with his detachment on duty to Poona. This man was laid up with
low, adynamic fever; had daily remissions and exacerbations, lasting for over 50 days, with intense
articular and muscular neuralgia, but without further complications to any great extent of the
internal organs, with the exception of the head, which for sometime (about 10 days) was
more or less affected, and the patient wandering and delirious. The prostration in this case was
extreme and protracted, accompanied for nearly 6 weeks with dark brown fur and fissured
tongue, dental sordes, and sacral bed sores, and some few abdominal petechiœ. Yet the patient
slowly improved to convalescence, and was given over finally to the officer in charge of his
detachment for further disposal, change of air, &c. The treatment adopted in all cases was
much like that for ague.
Chronic Rheumatism in all 33 cases, most of them in old men who, owing to the change of
weather in July, August, and September, &c., were forced into hospital. Of these 27 were
discharged well to duty, 2 remaining at end of the year, and the remainder 4 being worn out in
the service, were unfit and invalided. The case of synovial rheumatism was long and
tedious, lasting from 6th September to 10th December, but was returned well to duty. The
treatment consisted generally in alkalies with iodide of potassium, infusion chyretta, counter-
irritation blisters, warm flannel clothing, good diet, &c.
Bronchitis Chronic and Bronchial Catarrh. —Of these there were 8 cases: all recovered
with the exception of one of old standing, and this had to be invalided, the man being worn
out and unfit for further service. Treatment consisted in alteratives, aperients, tonic, expec
torants and counter-irritation to chest, warm flannel clothing, good diet, quiet and rest, with
freedom from drill and duty for some time.
Pneumonial phthisis, this case was at first admitted once or twice with bronchitis chronic;
then with the above disease, on which account he became finally so debilitated and unfit for
further service, that he was invalided.
Dysentery.—Of these there were 8 cases in the detachment 11th Regiment N.I., one case
in the detachment 10th Regiment N.L.I., and one in the Staff, making 8 cases. Most of them
were sharp attacks but soon recovered. One man was admitted three times for this complaint,
and being old and worn out and "unfit" for further service, was finally invalided.