PRESIDENCY DIVISION, ADEN, AND BOMBAY MARINE.
sometimes proved most effectual in checking the accessions of fever ; but, as mentioned by
Surgeon-Major Gilbert in his report for 1871, the formation of sloughing ulcers at the point of
injection forms a great objection to this mode of treatment. I am inclined to think that this
tendency to suppuration and ulceration is particularly developed in patients with scorbutic
taint.
Rheumatism is one of the diseases which gives most trouble in native regiments. It
is so easy to feign pain, and so difficult to say positively that it does not exist, that it is one
of the most common forms of malingering ; but many cases occur where the scorbutic taint so
marks the disease that there can be no doubt of its existence ; these cases are marked by
swelling of the joints, hardening of the muscles with contraction of the flexors ; they are gene-
rally very obstinate, and seem to be best treated by the combination of iodide of potassium
with chlorate of potash, lime-juice, &c. Occasionally cases of general arthritic rheumatism
with a considerable amount of fever occur, and these, I find, yield most readily to alkaline
treatment, with the use of woollens, the patient not being allowed to use any other kind of
clothing.
Scurvy.—Seventeen cases were treated, under this heading, besides several that were
treated under the head of rheumatism. 10 have been discharged to duty, 4 sent on sick certifi-
cate, 1 invalided, and 2 remain. Both among the men and families, there has been a strong
tendency to scurvy, the principal cause of this seems to be that the men, to live as cheaply as
possible, eat a great deal of stale fish and very little vegetables ; but it seems probable that the
tainted atmosphere so often prevailing in the lines, and caused by the Sonapoor drain, may
have some influence in producing an unhealthy condition of the blood.
Bronchitis.—Twenty-four cases have been treated, of which seven remained from 71, and
17 were fresh admissions ; of these one complicated with heart disease died, 11 returned to
duty, 3 were sent away on sick certificate, 7 were invalided, and 2 remain under treatment.
Diarrhœa.—Twenty-one cases were admitted, none proved fatal, and there is nothing
particular to remark about them.
Dysentery.—Nine cases were treated, all of an ordinary character.
Boils and Contusions. —Thirty-six of the former and 33 of the latter have been treated,
the latter comprise the cases commonly known as shoebite, a most troublesome complaint in
native regiments ; for the native foot, unaccustomed to confinement, would be easily galled by
the best-fitting shoe, and, of course, suffers still more readily from such shoes as the sepoys
wear ; but the admissions from this cause are often unnecessarily numerous, as if treated at
once with simple dressing and sticking plaster, the necessity for admission into hospital may
very frequently be obviated.
There has been no cholera in the regiment during the year.
During the month of May, 3 cases of small-pox were treated in the Esplanade pendalls : of
these, 2 recruits recovered, one child died.
V a c c i n a t i o n
Vaccination has been carefully carried on during the year : 292 operations have been
performed ; of these 92 were primary, 72 successful, 20 unsuccessful; and 200 were re-vaccina-
tions, 50 successful, 150 unsuccessful.
Deaths.—Three occurred in the hospital : 1 from remittent fever, the only case of the
disease during the year, 1 from bronchitis complicated with heart disease, and 1 from pneu-
m o n i a
From the annexed table for the last 10 years it will be seen that the health of the regi-
ment in 1872 has been above the average.
The lines of the regiment judged by their natural position and advantages should be
healthy : fairly open on three sides, east, west, and south, near to the sea, and situated on a
deep bed of porous sand, which rapidly carries off all surface waters, not allowing any stagnant
pools to remain to produce malaria, the surface drainage well provided for, there ought not
to be any malarious exhalation. And I do not think that there is anything that can be
strictly so-called, but there are several circumstances that tend to neutralize these advantages.
1st, the houses of sepoys are very small, built apparently to accommodate a single man ; when
occupied by a married man with a family they are crowded to a dangerous degree ; 2nd, the
space between the rows of houses with the exception of the principal streets are too narrow ;
3rd, the system of house drainage is objectionable, causing a mass of damp, often fœtid, earth at
the door of every hut. This drainage was the subject of an exhaustive report by Surgeon
Seward in September last, addressed to the Commandant, Marine Battalion, and was also
reported upon by a mixed Military and Medical Committee in November last, by whom a plan
for its alteration and correction was suggested ; 4th, there still remains the greatest perhaps of
all the influences affecting the sanitary condition of the lines of the 21st Regiment. 1 allude to
the noxious emanations from the Sonapoor drain. This has been so forcibly brought under