POONA DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
47
ing nausea and vomiting, that the patients could hardly be induced to take them, while they
did not seem nearly so advantageous as the same quantity when retained on the stomach.
Six men died during the year.
The Regimental lines are built on rocky ground elevated in the centre and sloping downwards
in all directions. The situation is dry, with the exception of a small portion on the northern
and eastern direction, where the adjacent ground being black soil it is rather damp during
and some time after rain. The lines consist of eight double rows of huts running from
S. E. to N. W., separated by streets of about 50 feet in width, the street between the right
and left wing being 150 feet wide. Each row of huts is divided into four sections, the Sube
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dars' houses being at the S. E. end and the Jemadars' at the opposite extremity. The privates'
huts vary in length from 162/3 feet to 15½, and in breadth from 13 feet to 82/3, the height sloping
f r om 11 f eet t o 5½. The i nt er s t i ces of t he r oof s whi ch ar e s i ngl e t i l ed, and t he door s whi ch
are generally open, seem to admit of sufficient ventilation. The huts are "kutcha" built and
seem old, and occasionally the walls of a hut crumble down during the monsoon, or some of the
rafters give way with considerable danger to the lives of the inhabitants.
The hospital consists of one large ward 96 feet by 22, and 16 in height, with two doors
and seven windows on each side which can be opened when necessary. There are also three
revolving ventilators in the roof, but these unfortunately admit a large quantity of water in the
rains. On each side is an open verandah 10 feet broad, of the same length as the ward ; at
the south-west extremity there are three small rooms, that in the centre 22 by 8½ is used as a
surgery, and on each side, 8½ feet square, one is used for the hospital orderly and one as a store
room. On the opposite end are three similar rooms, that in the centre painted dark-blue and
used as an ophthalmic ward, and the others used as a bathroom and a store-room.
There is another building adjoining the hospital, of a similar construction but not so long,
the main ward being 50 feet in length ; it was formerly the artillery hospital, but is now used as
a ward for infectious diseases.
The latrine is at the back of the hospital connected with it by a covered passage, it is
30 × 12, and 8 feet high.
Behind the hospital there are three buildings 15' 7" × 12', and 8 feet high, which
seem to have been intended for cook-rooms, one for each of the three principal castes, Marathas,
Mussulmans and Purwarees. Two of these houses are now appropriated as quarters for the
first class hospital servants and the third is used as as cook-room, being the only one avail
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able for all castes. There are also three similar houses behind the Artillery hospital, used as
quarters for the second class servants.
The Deputy Inspector General in his Annual Report of the Poona Division says : It is
highly satisfactory to be able to report that in the several military establishments visited, I
found, with very few exceptions, that every thing was going on very satisfactorily, and that
great care and attention were paid to hospital duties, whether as regards the welfare of the
patients, the preservation of medicines and instruments, or keeping carefully the records as
ordered by the regulations. There has been but very little sickness or mortality among the
native troops.
There was the threat of an epidemic of cholera, the disease being brought to Poona
by pilgrims returning from Punderpore. Due precautionary measures were taken by the
Deputy Inspector General. A small hospital was formed at each entrance of the city or can
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tonment where a medical subordinate with appropriate remedies and a few policemen were
stationed; and no one suffering from the disease or a non-resident of the place was allowed
to enter.
A Hospital Assistant was sent to await the arrival of each train as it came from the
eastward, and any passenger reported as suffering from diarrhœa, &c., was at once sent to the