PRESIDENCY DIVISION, ADEN, AND BOMBAY MARINE. 5
The principal disease treated has been ague, of which there have been 14 cases. One, a
particularly obstinate one that had been sent from Rajkote to Hindoostan on sick leave, was
away for nearly a year, came to Bombay on his way to Aden, was under treatment here for
four months, and was at last brought before a special committee and invalided.
Two cases of leprosy occurred, both in men, who were invalided.
The details are quartered in the Esplanade peudalls, a tolerably healthy situation, but
rather damp in the monsoon, at which time, however, there are seldom many of them in
Bombay.
SANITARY REPORT OF THE SENIOR MEDICAL OFFICER ON THE HEALTH OF THE
NATIVE TROOPS IN THE BOMBAY GARRISON DURING THE YEAR 1872.
The troops in Garrison have been as follows :—
H.M.'s 19th Regiment N. I. average strength
. . . . . . 630
" 2 1 s t do.
N. I. or B. M. do. ...... 563
Detachment 11th do.
N. I.
do. ...... 158
Wings 17th and 26th Regiment N. I. were temporarily in Bombay during the visit
of the Viceroy, but are not included in this report.
Total average strength
...
...
... 1,351
The health of the troops has not been quite as good as in 1871, itself an unhealthy year ;
for though the admissions have been 176 less, the strength has been also 247 less. The per-
centage of treated to strength has been 97.6 against 93.5 in 1871. The deaths have been
ten, being a percentage of 0.71 to strength, and 0.75 to treated against 0.62 and 0.68 in 1871.
The only improvement has been in the daily average sick of the 19th Regiment, which has
fallen from 28.6 in 1871 to 20.6 in 1872. The detachment of the 11th Regiment has been
much more unhealthy than in 1871, its admissions having been 143 from a strength of 158
against 103 from a strength of 177, and its daily average having risen from 3 to 5.9.
There has been no cholera among the troops, with the exception of one child of a sepoy
of the 11th Regiment brought to hospital in a dying state in the month of July. But in
October last, seven cases occurred in the lines of the lascars at Colaba, of which one was
brought to hospital, and a tent was pitched near the Esplanade pendalls in which the man
was treated. The case terminated fatally, as did all those that occurred in the lines. Surgeon
Seward, then in medical charge of the Marine Battalion, visited the lines, and in his letter No
107 of 21st October 1872, to the Assistant Quarter Master General, Bombay District, reported
very fully on their extremely unsatisfactory condition, and at his recommendation stringent
measures of purification were carried out by the Health Officer.
Diarrhœa was prevalent during the month of July in the 19th Regiment and detach-
ment of the 11th, and the Medical Officer in charge states many cases that were treated would
have no doubt been allied to cholera, unless remedies had been given at once ; for this purpose
remedies were kept and the lines visited several times during the 24 hours by the Hospital
Assistant and myself.
Small-pox showed itself in the 19th Regiment in the month of January, and continued
till August, during which time twenty-five cases occurred : four proved fatal—all children. In
the month of May, three cases occurred in the 21st Regiment ; two recurits recovered, one
child died : all these cases were treated in the smallpox hospital in the Esplanade pendalls.
Scurvy.—In the 21st Regiment, sixteen cases have been treated in the hospital as scurvy,
besides several as scorbutic rheumatism; and there has been a strongtaint of the disease through-
out the regiment, both among the men and in the families. In the 19th Regiment, scurvy
has been more or less prevalent throughout the year, and increased greatly during November
and December. The whole regiment was inspected, and 57 were found tainted, but sufficiently
well to do their duty ; these were ordered up to hospital daily for medicine ; thirty-two
were admitted into hospital—here with care and better diet they were soon cured. The
Medical Officer states, " I attribute the prevalence of scurvy in the regiment in a great
measure to the impure state of the atmosphere surrounding the lines, and to the half-cured
fish and indifferent food purchased by the men." The same remark will apply equally to the
men of the 21st Regiment.
Vaccination has been regularly carried on during the year, both primary among the
children, and re-vaccination among the adults.
Primarily vaccinated 168, successful 124, unsuccessful 44.
2 s