SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
In 1869 permanent latrines for the troops were erected, and have been a great improve
-ment on the former primitive system that had heretofore prevailed, of allowing the troops
as well as the inhabitants of the sudder baazar to resort to a field on the opposite bank of the
river, which must have led to fouling of the ground in the vicinity of the lines, as women and
children could hardly cross the river in the rains for the purpose of nature. A tank cart,
however, is still very much required for working of the latrines to remove the excreta of
upwards of 800 individuals beyond camp limits. The small establishment of regimental
sweepers is quite inadequate for the purpose, and in the event of sickness there would be
serious inconvenience in carrying out the work. Only one tank cart is allowed to a native
infantry regiment, and as one had been in use with the Wing at Tanna, the one at regimental
head quarters was checked by the Control Department. Representation has been made by
the regimental authorities of the great necessity of having a cart allowed to ensure efficient
conservancy arrangements, but the matter has not yet been settled finally. In the course of
the present year a proposal was made to substitute trench latrines for the present permanent
ones; but on careful examination the Board of Health found that the ground was too rocky
with too little soil on the surface, that the drainage slope was towards the river in the
vicinity of which the lines are situated, that the lines were hemmed in with buildings, and
that there was no open ground available excepting on the windward side of camp on the
parade ground, and accordingly reported that this station was unsuited for the institution of
such experiment as regards the troops.
The sudder bazaar is situated to the south of the lines and consists of a wide street from
north to south, and small streets or lanes at right angles. The population has averaged 5,105
persons from 1861 to 1870, and is now 4,850. The mortality amongst the inhabitants has
averaged 120 yearly, or 2.3 per cent. during the last ten years, and the deaths from cholera
from 1861 to 1868 have averaged 30 annually or 0.5 per cent. The conservancy of the bazaar
has been duly attended to, and an endeavour was made to accustom the inhabitants to the
use of latrines. A small latrine was accordingly built to accommodate fifteen females, but
the arrangement was not popular with the more respectable inhabitants, who preferred to
follow their old custom and to resort to a field on the opposite bank of the river, which, how-
ever, is not easily accessible for women and children during the rains. Their views, however,
in this respect might in time be got over were there not financial difficulties to overcome,
before latrines could be erected for public use.
The place has been free from epidemic disease for upwards of two years, when cholera
appeared in the end of November with the advent of pilgrims from Punderpore. The
disease had previously broken out in the town of Malligaum on the 16th November
simultaneously with the arrival of the pilgrims, and subsided sometime after the depar--
ture of about 250 of them. There was no sickness present in the town before their
arrival, and though disease was afterwards found to have occurred amongst them at
Egutpoora, they were said to be then free from the malady, and to have no direct intercourse
with those who were first attacked. In the town there were 18 cases and 12 deaths, and in
the sudder baazar 24 cases and 11 deaths, and in the troops one fatal case. The first attacked
were "Momins" upon whom it fell most severely, for out of 13 attacked 11 died. The greater
mortality of this class has been explained by their predisposition to epidemic disease at the
time, by their long strict abstinence from food during the day, as it was "Rumzan," their
fast month. The opinion held by native officials that the disease was confined to Momins
was not supported by the sudder bazaar return, where it attacked Hindoos in greater proportion,
and more especially selected women and children; as out of 24 cases 15 were Hindoos, 8
Mussulman, and 1 Christian, of whom 8 were women and 14 children. The season previously
had been a healthy one, and the cold weather was then setting in, though it was more or
less cloudy and warm for the period of the year. As soon as it was known that cholera had