141.
NORTHERN DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
The portion of the lines now used as a hospital is hardly sufficient for the purpose, the
ventilation is bad and cannot well be improved, as the rooms on the other side of the walls
are occupied by the men of the detachment, and it is not, therefore, possible to obtain a current
of air through the rooms.
DETACHMENT H. M. 's 9TH REGIMENT N.I.
SADRA.—In Medical Charge of Apothecary N. CONWAY ; Strength 50.
1. The average strength of the detachments of this corps has been fifty (50). Number
treated during the year forty-three (43) ; and discharged cured to duty the same number, 43.
2. The majority of the admissions were cases of fever, of which fifteen were under treat-
ment for that form named dengue. The admissions for this fever commenced the day after
arrival of the detachment, in July last, from Ahmedabad. The most distressing symptoms were
the severe frontal and lumbar ache, and pains generally with some swelling of the large joints,
commonly the wrists, knees, and ankles ; and, invariably, florid or chalky looking condition of
tongue, without much thirst, also without striking defect in urinary secretion ; and the fever
usually subsided, not as in other fevers, in free diaphoresis. There was also absence of any
exanthematous eruption of the skin, and the patients were strikingly relieved after acting on
the stomach and bowels freely.
3. There were many cases, I believe, of this disease in the same corps when this detach-
ment left Ahmedabad in July last ; so that having been predisposed to the malady prior to
leaving, the night exposure to a cool and moist atmosphere, and day exposure to strong solar
light and heat, on the march to this place, sufficed to bring about that change or neurosis of
both the cerebral and spinal nervous systems, which caused such altered conditions or materies
morbi in the blood, which by being pernicious to health caused nature to get rid of them in
somewhat similar manner as in acute urticaria ; as it has been noticed that such cases as had
vomiting as a symptom before admission into hospital, suffered less or more quickly recovered
than those who were not so affected or acted on by treatment. Very few if any of the treated
were noticed to suffer from the severe aching and troublesome pains of the joints and bones of
extremities ; that usually followed a week or two after recovery from the primary attack in
many of the townspeople, chiefly among those of studious habits or addicted to much mental
labour or excitement.
4. The temperature of the last hot season has been somewhat greater than that of the
previous three or four years. The rains commenced earlier, were lighter, and more fairly distri-
buted among the days of the season ; but the cold weather has been somewhat late in setting
in this year. The thermometer's maximum has been, in June, 112˚ ; minimum, in January,
50˚ ; and mean 81˚ in February and December. The fall of rain from the 15th of June to the
16th of September has been about the usual quantity, viz., 31 inches and 86 cents.
5. The water-supply has been plentiful and good from river and wells.
6. The prevailing diseases among the troops and other inhabitants of the camp have
been fevers, including dengue, which latter was very common here and in the surrounding
villages during the months of May, June, July, and August. The disease commenced in April,
and continued up to October.
7. The general sanitary condition of the camp has been very bad during the hot and wet
months. The existence of extensive heaps of all kinds of filth allowed to collect were pointed
out, and were recommended to be removed along with their sources, the Pagahs of the Guico-
war's contingent, if possible. Results of recommendation tolerably good.
DETACHMENT H. M.'s 3RD REGIMENT N.I.
SADRA.—In Medical Charge of Apothecary W. CONWAY ; Strength 48.
The average strength of the detachments of this corps has been 48 ; admissions or number
treated during the year 21 ; and discharged cured to duty 21.
2. The sickness during the year among them has been chiefly fevers of the ordinary
kind or simple continued and ague, and a few cases of muscular and synovial rheumatism,
the after-effects of dengue, from which disease the patients were recovering before leaving
Ahmedabad for this station in March last ; so that, for that epidemic disease, there has not
been a single admission here during the year from any of the details of this corps.
3.
The state of the lines and subsidiary buildings including the hospital and the general
sanitary condition of the camp, is tolerably good.
36 s