74
SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
five cases and three deaths; one European Officer, Captain Newton, the Quartermaster of the
Regiment, died of the disease in eight hours; he had previously been much weakened by
diarrhœa and imprudent exposure. Small-pox of a similar type to that of former years prevailed
for a short time with similar result; there were over a thousand admissions from fever; the
total number of admissions was 1,660, of deaths 24 to a strength of 723; the average number
of daily sick was 60. The remark as to the progressively increasing length of time spent in
hospital by each patient applies to this year as well as to last, while the number of admissions
was little more than fifty per cent. greater than that of the preceding year; the number of
average daily sick was nearly double.
During the past year (1870, with the strength of the Regiment reduced to 635, there were
1,079 admissions, 12 deaths, and a daily average number of sick amounting to 40.6. These
numbers show a slight improvement in the health of the men over last year, but as before
remarked, a great portion of this improvement is to be attributed to the absence on sick leave
of so large a number of the weakly and scurvy-stricken patients of the previous year.
Fever as usual constituted the greatest number of admissions, namely, 656 with 3 deaths;
two of these fatal cases had bronchial symptoms, the third was complicated with diarrhœa
all. three men had long service and were weakly. The former complication, that of bronchitis,
I have found peculiarly difficult to combat; the only plan of treatment I have found
successful was a stimulating one. A free administration of stimulants is the more necessary,
as the complication generally occurs, and is of course most dangerous, in the old and weakly;
alcohol too, seemed to me to have a peculiarly smoothing effect on the irritated bronchial
tubes.
There were no cases of cholera nor of small-pox during the year.
Of scurvy there were 29 cases and one death; the fatal case occurred in the person of a
man who had suffered severely from the disease in the previous year; he died more from ex
-haustion than anything else.
Of dysentery there were ten cases, all of which yielded to treatment—ipecacuanha was
given to all the patients with the best results.
Vaccination was successfully carried on throughout the year, with the exception of a
short interval in the hot weather when the supply of lymph failed. Fresh lymph having been
procured from Mhow, vaccination was resumed and carried on to the end of the year. I have
never observed any ill consequences from vaccinating during the hot and rainy seasons at
Nusseerabad. There have been occasionally a larger number of unsuccessful operations in a
month during these seasons than in the cold weather, but by no means invariably so.
An attempt was made to carry out the trench system of conservancy in this Regiment at
Nusseerabad, but as no suitable ground could be got nearer than about 1,200 yards from the
left flank of the lines, the attempt had to be given up. " Pucka " latrines for the whole
Regiment not having been erected, temporary tatty ones were put up and found to answer
fairly, being furnished of course with the usual appliances.
The European Officers who have been with the Regiment since its arrival in Nusseerabad,
or who joined soon afterwards, suffered considerably this year; even when not actually on the
sick list, they were in bad health, complaining of loss of sleep and appetite, general feeling
of malaise, &c. In fact no one, not a native of the place should be in Nusseerabad for more
than three years without change; Europeans, and Natives if southern, are alike affected by
the climate and water. The digestive system becomes primarily affected, and if residence in
the place be prolonged, serious organic mischief may result, but in any case the patient
becomes utterly, unfit for work.
The Regiment marched out of Nusseerabad on the 7th of December in high spirits at
leaving a station they cordially hated; ever since during the march the men have been
improving in appearance. The sick list, though large, showed favourably beside that of the