POONA DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
the former is 59 and of the latter 8; these attacks of fever have been simple and uncompli
-
cated, yielding to simple antiperiodic and tonic remedies.
Admitted for rheumatism, 3 patients with chronic disease.
Secondary syphilis, 1 admission.
Scurvy, 2 admissions, severe, in one instance resulting from Sind fever, in the other in
-
stance preceded by mental anxiety and worry, but no fever; disease of eye—simple conjunc
-
tivitis, 6 admissions, which all yielded readily to treatment; disease of ear—otitis, caused im
-
pairment of hearing which was considered to be temporary—sick leave was given. Diseases of
respiratory system—two cases of bronchitis acute, made good recoveries; pneumonia 1 case,
complicated with miliary tubercle causing lobular pneumonia, proved fatal; phthisis, 4, under
treatment 1. Two patients died out of hospital, phthisical; one patient has been invalided, he
had earned a pension and was unfit for duty; diseases of the stomach—2 cases of dyspepsia,
which required some tonics.
Admissions for diarrhœa 4, cured by carminative and astringents; cases of colic 5, caused
by unripe fruit and indigestible food, requiring gently stimulant and carminative laxatives;
urinary system—retention of urine 1 case, resulting from stricture and spasm of urethra at the
neck of the bladder, relieved by catheter No. 2 and subsequent use of bougies. Orchitis 2
cases, one simple, the other complicated with infiltration of urine, urethral stricture, gonorrhœa
and ulceration of the scrotum, leaving the testicles at first almost completely uncovered.
Diseases of cellular tissue, 4 admissions of slight abscess; diseases of the cutaneous system,
boils and ulcers constitute by far the majority, appearing chiefly on the extremities. Scabies—
from this disease 7 admissions; in most of these cases the disease was communicated by
a
mangy dog, patients said.
Dracunculus has been more common, but the disease was imported and is not endemic in
Seroor, where river water alone is used; admissions for debility 3, induced by fever and
other exhausting disease; general injuries—2admissions for burns, neither extensive nor severe;
local injuries—upper extremity 2 contusions, lower extremity 34, in both instances chiefly
caused by bites and kicks of horses in the lines and on parade; sprains too have a similar
origin by falls on parade chiefly. Thus fevers, local injuries and skin diseases, form the
great majority of the admissions during the past year; they have been in general of a trivial and
unimportant nature, and requiring only short detention in hospital in most instances for their
cure.
During the past year two deaths have occurred in Seroor, one man died from pneumonia
complicated with infiltrated tubercle, the other man died of narcotic poison from an over
-
dose of cannabis indica. He lived 16 hours after he had taken the poison, became active and
intelligent, ordered his horse for morning parade, sat down and suddenly expired in syncope,
or he may in the interval have taken a second overdose. There was no chance of finding out
the truth, and none of his family could give any assistance or information, although he died in
his own house.
Two fatal cases occurred out of hospital, the patients were suffering from phthisis
pulmonalis, and obtained sick leave to visit their friends; the disease advanced rapidly and
proved fatal to both of them whilst they were absent on sick leave.
No epidemic of small-pox or cholera has occurred in Seroor or in the vicinity, and through
-
out the Talooka no severe form of disease has been reported, and the year may be said to
have been exceptionally healthy throughout the district.
Vaccination has been carefully practiced and successfully, I have also performed in very
many cases re-vaccination with varying success.
Fourteen men, old and of long service, have been invalided and pensioned during the year.
35