NORTHERN DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
115
the purpose, in the bed of the Bunass. Thus, something has been effected to ameliorate the con
-dition of the inhabitants ; but, although the conservancv has been improved, yet, contrasted
with last year, the health of the civil population has been very ba
d. From January till May, an epidemic of discrete small-pox prevailed,
but the ratio of deaths was very small. By the end of June the pandemic wave of dengu
e reached Deesa, and upwards of 95 per centum of all inhabitants were sufferers. No deaths re
-sulted. When dengue had all but disappeared, in September and October a low adynamic fever
of the remittent type, raged for many days ; upwards of 10 deaths per diem were reported. Total
deaths amounted to 393, and, estimating the population at 9,000, this shows a deathrate of
43.6 per thousand. Males suffered much more from bowel complaint than females. Then
were 21 deaths of the former and 9 of the latter. One old man died from the effects of snake
-bite. I subjoin a statement showing the mortality in the bazars during the year :—
STATEMENT showing the Mortality in the Sudder and Regimental Bazars, Deesa,
daring the year 1872.
Cholera.
Small-pox.
Ague and
Remittent
Fevers.
Bowel
Affections.
Accident or
Violence.
Snakebite.
All other
Causes.
Ma l e s .
Fe ma l e s .
Ma l e s .
F e m a l e s .
Mal es .
F e ma l e s .
Mal es.
F e ma l e s .
Ma l e s .
F e ma l e s .
Mal es.
F e ma l e s .
Males.
F e ma l e s .
January . . .
. . .
. . .
4
1
15
10
1
2
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
1
2
February . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
2
1
2
. . .
. . .
. . . . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
March . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
6
3
4
1
. . .
. . . . . .
. . .
1
2
April . . .
. . .
. . .
1
. . .
11
6
1
1
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
2
2
May . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
6
8
3
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
1
June . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
4
2
4
1
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
1
July . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
4
4
. . .
. . .
1
. . .
1
. . .
. . .
2
August . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
8
10
1
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . . . . .
1
. . .
September . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
17
11
3
2
1
. . .
. . .
. . .
2
3
October . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
37
53
1
1
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
1
. . .
November . . .
. . .
. . .
. . . . . .
35
45
1
. . .
. . .
. . . . . .
. . .
1
1
December . . .
. . .
. . .
. . . . . .
19
14
. . .
1
. . .
. . . . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
Total . . . . . .
. . .
5
1
164
167
21
9
2
. . .
1
. . .
9
14
4 . D u r i n g J a n u a r y t h e c o l d w a s s e v e r e , t h e t h e r m o m e t e r s t a n d i n g a s l o w a s 4 0°8 F . ;
in February the lowest temperature was 44°F. Up till the beginning
of March the air was bracing and exhilarating : the hot season began
by the middle of March and lasted till the middle of June. In May the heat was very great,
and the highest temperature prevailed, the thermometer indicating 115° F. in the shade. The
prevailing winds were from the S.S.W. and S.W. No rain fell.
5 . B l i n d i n g d u s t a n d s a n d s t o r m s w e r e f r e q u e n t t o w a r d s e v e n i n g . A t n i g h t f a l l t h e r e w a s
often a lull in the breeze from the S.W., and occasionally not a breath of air was felt, and the
atmosphere became oppressive and stagnant. The nights were hot and sultry, and refreshing
sleep could only be obtained towards morning.
6 . M i a s m a t i c d i s e a s e s a r e a l w a y s a t a m i n i m u m d u r i n g t h e h o t s e a s o n .
7 . T h e p e r i o d i c a l r a i n s b e g a n i n t h e m i d d l e o f J u n e , a n d f e l l n i n e d a y s o n l y d u r i n g
this month, aggregating 2.14 inches : the highest temperature was 113° F., which the rain
reduced to 77°.1 F.
8. July and August were cool, owing to the rain which fell 18 days durin the former
and 21 days in the latter, and the total rainfall during the above two months was 22 inches.
9. September and October were hot and sultry, and frequently the atmosphere was
charged with electricity.
10. November and December were cold—lowest temperature in the former 47° F., in
the latter 43° F.
No rain fell during the last three months of the year.
11. During the year the mean monthly range was 41°.2 F. ; mean daily range 26° F.
12.
The mean of the barometer readings for the year was 29.516 inches : the baromet0ric
range was small, the mean monthly range being .105 inches. Rain fell on 54 days, and the
total for the year amounted to 24.344 inches. Highest temperature 115°.4 F.—lowest 40°.8 F.
13. The following are the meteorological observations taken at Deesa Observatory
during the year, viz.:—
Health of civil population.
Cli mate.