SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
10.
Since writing the above I have observed certain remarks on this subject from the
Medical Officer at Mehidpoor, Dr. Heffernan.
11.
On such cases, I do believe, many valuable medicines are expended without a corres-
ponding valuable result ; nor does it appear to me that the less expensive hypodermic treat-
ment, so safe and yet so effective where rheumatic or neuralgic affections do really exist, is
sufficiently or so frequently resorted to as might be, since the blebs and ulceration following
such operations are not caused by the fluid " prophylactic," but chiefly from irritation arising
from forced puncture with blunt instruments or clumsiness.
12.
I have never observed bad results, nor do I use these delicate instruments as issued
from the Government Stores, preferring my own private ones, which enter as readily as a
lancet manufactured by a first class artizan.
13.
I have seen very good results in these cases by the injection both of morphia and
atrophine, though I prefer the latter in neuralgia.
14.
Bronchitis and asthma are the more prominent of these among natives, and,
Diseases of the respira-
tory organs.
although some cases are to a certain extent feigned, the stethoscope is
the great detector in " stage coughs."
15. This disease, in former years productive of great loss in all arms of the service, is at
a minimum now, thanks to the establishment of lock hospitals and
improved official scrutiny ; consequently, I shall not dwell on the re-
cords from medical officers in change of regiments—these being satisfactory.
16. Hepatic lesions and, what I believe are concomitant, diarrhœa and dysentery, are
small in number by comparison with others above enumerated : these
will be recorded in the returns hereafter, and few are of great
severity.
17.
In most of the stations within these two divisions a very goodly show of vegetables
appeared in the bazars on my tour of inspection ; yet scurvy is report
ed as occurring during the hot seasons from diminution of such anti-
scorbutics, and this offers a fine field for the malingerer, anxious to get to his friends for three
or six months on sick leave.
18. During the nine years of incumbency as Superintendent, Medical Department at Aden,
where good vegetables do not abound even in the cold season, this disease, in its extreme, was
of a most malignant type during the former years, especially in regiments of one year's service,
the men preferring to hoard their pay, but by judicious recommendations from medical officers
and the staff, they were induced to treat themselves, in subsequent years, with limes or any
extra vegetables obtainable, in addition to the free rations supplied by the State at this special
station. And this had its good result, since extreme cases from the lines were afterwards rare,
and usually cured or benefited by the common scurvy-mixture—rum, limejuice, sugar, infus.
cheretta—out of hospital. In short, during my latter years of administration, this disease was
met with only in the milder form ; and at the island of Perim, where pumpkins of a dry cha-
racter, unnourishing, were the almost sole vegetable ration—an outpost where formerly men
died, and were brought to Aden dying. The introduction of kokum and currystuff, with a
daily supply of limejuice, reduced this disease to a minimum before I left Aden, nor do I
think the average of scurvy cases sent to India for change, consequent on this disease, from regi-
ments there stationed, is much above others from up-country garrisons within this presidency.
I flatter myself I have seen more of this affection, both in European and native, than has
fallen to the lot of many. It is a dietetic disease, and must be met by dieting. Physicking
is injurious, save to alleviate excessive diarrhœa when occurring.
Syphilis.
Other Diseases.
Scurvy.
Alimentary canal.
19. Diseases of the alimentary canal are apparently numerous
as usual, but chiefly mild, not requiring much comment.
20. Cases of coup-de-soleil and heat-apoplexy have not been numerous ; the distinctive
Coup-de-soleil and heat-
apoplexy.
origin is, in the former, the sun's rays directly affecting the brain and
nervous system ; whilst in the latter disease, ( and I have treated
many at Aden from among British seamen on board Collier merchant
vessels, engineers, and stokers) a heated sultry atmosphere, the autopsies showing congestion
of the lungs—asphyxia in fact—owing to the supply of air being cut off, the unchanged
venous blood of the pulmonary artery passes into the minute radicles of the pulmonary veins,
but their peculiar excitability requiring arterial blood to excite them, stagnation takes place
in the pulmonary radicles, and death occurs chiefly from this cause—not owing to venous
blood being distributed through the system and " poisoning" it, as was the idea of Bichat.
21. This dreaded disease is reported as having occurred at Neemuch, Mehidpoor, Augur,
and Mhow—contiguous stations—and from the last pertinent remarks
are made, as to the mode of its origin and invasion, by Surgeons
Cholera.
Major Murray, H. M.'s 10th Regiment N. I., and Thorold, Staff, also Surgeon Riddell, H. M.' s