16
SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
• rocks, and the salt is removed on camels' backs to the sea-shore for being shipped. The
working of these rocks has formed large and extensive caves- going in various directions into
•
the interior of the rocks ; these are of various depths, and are situated at various heights
the sides of the rocks. The working of these cases is hazardous and full of danger ; sometimes
•
the roof or the sides of these caves fall in, burying alive the labourers. In some parts of these
rocks, there are mines which yield very transparent pieces of rock-salt.. Large quantities of
salt are carried by country boats to Muscat and other ports.
There aré some sulphurous springs right opposite to the Bassadore station, but situated
on the Persian Coast ; there being a channel of sea-water about 7 miles in width between it
and Bassadore. The spring itself is situated very far into the interior of the chain of rocks,
but the stream of the water flows through a deep and narrow, winding ravine, formed no
doubt by a gigantic splitting of the rocks in ages gone by, until it emerges on the, sea-shore
where it looses itself into the sea. The water is charged with common salt (which may be
seen deposited along the sides of the stream), and sulphuretted hydrogen gas, and holds a
little free sulphur.
On the Persian Coast about 30 miles from Bassadore in a north-eastern direction, there is
a place called Khamir. In the rocks in its neighbourhood there are sulphur mines.Sulphur
is thus extracted from its.ore. The ore of sulphur which principally consists of clay (white),
and sulphur is dug out of the rocks. The ore is then heaped over shallow excavations made
for the purpose in the neighbourhood of the mines, the heaps are then set fire to when, the
sulphur melts out of its ore and collects in the hollows, where it subsequently solidifies, and is
then removed in large pieces. The workers of these mines loose nearly 1/2o f t h e s u l p h u r i n
their attempts to melt out the sulphur, by thus setting fire to the ore in open air. Not far
from these mines, there are some hot sulphurous springs of water. They are highly charged
with sulphuretted hydrogen gas, so that the gas is smelt distinctly at the distance of a mile
.from these springs, the water also holds a little free sulphur.
There are four or five springs situated close to one another, all of them are hot with the
exception of a small one, which is quite cold, though situated close to the others.
These sulphurous and other mineral springs, I have described briefly above, are resorted:
•
to by most of the natives of these and distant parts, whenevér they have some lingering and
troublesome affection, be it phthisis, fever, rheumatism, or syphilis, and some of them attribute
wonderful cures to these mineral baths ; but how far their statements are to be relied upon is
a different question altogether. But the generality of these natives seem to have a great faith
in the beneficial effects of these baths.
The most prevailing diseases among the natives of these parts, are malarious fevers,
enlarged spleen, phthisis—especially among the people of Abyssinian extraction—various
affections of the eye, but principally granular conjunctivitis, trichiasis, districhiasis, ulcers, and
opacites of the cornea, pterygiam, indolent and scorbutic ulcers, principally on the. lower ex--
tremities, piles, and carious teeth. The originating cause of most of the above affections may
be attributed to uncleanly habits and meagre diet, in a word, to a total neglect of the most
ordinary and essential rules of sanitation.
The natives have a common idea that sores or inflamed eyes ought not to be touched
with water, and I have been often asked by these patients, whether it was injurious to wash
a sore, or wash the face because of bad eyes, or not. In my previous report I have shown fully
the cause of the prevailing diseases in question.
As regards the general nature of the climate, description of lines, &c., I have already
enlarged fully on these points in my report for 1871, and, therefore, I do not deem it necessary
to say anything about them here, as the general nature of the climate during the year under
report has been almost the same.
DETACHMENT H. M.'S 21ST REGIMENT N. I.
On Board H. M's Steamer Quangtaug.—In Medical Charge of Assistant Apothecary
T. HUNTLEY ; Strength S.
During the past year two detachements of the 21st Regiment M.N.I., have served on
board H. M.'s Bombay Marine Steamer Quangtung, consisting of a naique and seven privates.
One detachment being relieved by the other in the month of April.
Nineteen cases have been treated during the year ; of these eighteen were fresh admis-
sions, one case remaining from 1871 of the admissions. Dyspepsia furnishes five cases; rheuma--
tism, bronchitis, colic and anæmia two each, all of whom have been discharged to duty ; one
case of ringworm was admitted in the Persian Gulf. The remaining admissions consist of single