14
SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
Leaving Poona in wings on the 15th and 16th of October, the Regiment reached Ah
-medabad by train on the evenings of the 16th and 17th, halting a couple days there; the march to
Deesa commenced and lasted to or until the 29th October, when the camp at Deesa was reached.
During the march from Ahmedabad, two halts took place at intervals of three days each. The
marches were short and performed in the early mornings, but on account of the exceedingly
bad state of the roads, they were very fatiguing and protracted. The roads in the district
through which the Regiment passed, are mere sandy tracks bounded in places by cactus
hedges. From the traffic of generations these tracts have become very difficult marching
ground. The loose sand of many inches of surface depth filled the boots, causing abrasions
and great fatigue. No large bodies of troops had passed over these roads for five years, and
the ordinary camping grounds as a rule were in an indifferent sanitary condition. The water
was in abundant quantity and fair quality seemingly; in some places it was impregnated,
with a salt, probably nitrate of potash, and was indifferently useful for cooking purposes, but
no bad effects arose from it. During the month the health of the Regiment was good, a
considerable number of men suffered from shoe-bites, but this was at once alleviated by caus
-ing them to march without shoes or boots. The temperature varied greatly at different parts
of the day and of the march, at first the heat at Ahmedabad was very oppressive, changing
little by day or night, and the men suffered considerably, but it gave rise to no active disease;
as the march progressed the temperature continued very high by day, but fell comparatively
low at night and in the early morning. A considerable number of men fell out at this time
while marching, suffering from colic and a small number suffering from diarrhœa. Means
were taken to put a stop to these complaints at once. Every man on falling out of the
ranks, was immediately seen and supplied with medicine, and if unable to proceed after a
short rest, was put into a hospital cart or dhooly and conveyed to camp. A very small
proportion only required this, the greater number after the short rest being able to proceed
on the march. Almost all these men were quite well before the end of the daily march, and
it was found unnecessary to admit them into hospital for further treatment. The average
sick list during the march was 15. No deaths nor dangerous sickness occurred on the way
from Ahmedabad to Deesa.
On the 1st of November, 13 remained under treatment and 52 were admitted during the
month. These were chiefly fevers and affections of the respiratory organs. The change of
temperature at this season which was found to prevail in Deesa, viz., considerable cold,
immediately began to tell on the men, and colds began to prevail amongst both officers and
men. These were not very grave in character so that there were very few applications to
the hospital for treatment. A death occurred in the case of a private who happening to
come off a guard on the evening of his death, complained of a difficulty of breathing, and he
fell into a state of syncope; he died while being brought to hospital in a dhooly within an
hour of the first attack. On post mortem examination extensive effusion into the sac of the
pericardium was found. The average number of daily sick this mouth was 14; on the 1st of
December, 11 remained under treatment and 40 were admitted during the month. The
month was very healthy on the whole; fever and affections of the respiratory organs prevailed.
During the year 1870, fifty-one native officers and men were sent before the Annual
Invaliding Committee at Poona, of these thirty-four were considered by it as unfit for further
military service. The remainder were chiefly men who having served a large number of
years were considered by the Commanding Officer to be entitled to their discharge, but who
might have been considered perhaps as not totally unfit for further service.
El even men had l eave grant ed on medi cal cert i fi cat e duri ng t he year for vari ous di seases;
the average time they spent in hospital, previous to obtaining leave on sick certificate was
69 days, and they obtained leave for periods varying from three months to one year. Four
of these were afterwards recommended to be discharged the service by the General Invalid-