33
POONA DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
post duty in the more unhealthy districts of Khandeish, where intermittent fever is endemic
after the rains. If suffering only from uncomplicated intermittent fever, they rapidly recover
their health on rejoining head quarters; where however more serious visceral complications
coexist, the same happy results do not follow. The climate of Seroor for 8 months of the year
is extremely dry, it is therefore least adapted as a residence for men suffering from organic
visceral disease.
The camp followers are as a rule healthy, the children suffer from colds, coryza, bronchitis
and diarrhœa, these are chiefly caused by exposure to cold and damp, or errors of diet; many
of the children suffer from intestinal worms, Causing fever and in some instances convulsions.
The ascaris lumbricoides is most common, the ova of the parasite may have been introduced in
raw or badly cooked food, or in water (drinking) into the stomach, the presence of these
parasites sometimes causes severe gastric disturbance. In a case I recently treated the more
common symptoms of cholera were pretty accurately imitated—there were these: urine
suppressed, voice husky, features pinched, eyes sunk, pulse imperceptible over radius, but dis
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tinguishable along the side of tendon of radial muscle and thready to the touch, purging and
vomiting of watery fluid had been going on for more than 24 hours. The latter symptom was
incessant and had been very distressing since the commencement of the attack ; the fingers
were shrunken and cramps in the calf of the leg at times were complained of, and thirst.
From the severity and duration of the symptoms there was not that intense mental and physical
depression which I have often seen in cholera. The patient was a syce, and I thought bad
been eating raw grain or other substance which caused this alarming train of symptoms. I con
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ceived that the suppression of urine demanded immediate attention. Having therefore first su
c -
ceeded in quieting the irritability of the stomach, I gave as diuretics nitric ether and tincture
of cantharidis, combined with diffusible stimulants ; liquid nourishment in small quantities was
given, but vomiting occurred always after food, but the diffusible stimulants had an effect
although urine had not yet been secreted. The medicine was therefore again continued, urine
was secreted, and after a few more doses of the medicine, an enormous round worm was ex
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pelled from the stomach by mouth with immediate and complete relief of these rather severe symp
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toms, and after a few days he resumed duty. The patient had been under treatment before
the parasite was expelled about 20 hours; during this period the vomiting was at times severe,
but it was unaccompanied with that intense depression and other alarming severer symptoms of
cholera collapse.
The water for the domestic purposes of the Regiment is obtained from the adjoining
river, distant about ¾ mile from the lines, which is a running stream at all seasons of the
year; the stream of course diminishes in the cold and hot season but it is always running,
clear, good and abundant. The channel of the river is perverted from its legitimate use and
used for cultivating melons; the melon beds of course receive manure, and are irrigated by
the stream which again receives impurities from the beds which mix in the water and
pollute the stream. It sometimes also happens that when the stream is small the river is bunded,
to irrigate these melon beds, irrespective altogether of the wants of others, and thus the stream
becomes muddy or stagnant. For obvious reasons channels of rivers are unsuited for the
cultivation of melons. The food of the native soldier depends so much upon his caste,
religion, his financial circumstances, and the natural products of the district, that it is
difficult to form an accurate estimate either of the amount or the quality of his daily
ration. Some who have the desire to hoard money can readily have the means of grati
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fying it as the sepoy is permitted to buy his own food, unrestricted both as to the
quality and amount of his diet. Others again who have large families and other relatives
in numbers to support on their small pay, must necessarily live cheaply and sacrifice quality
for quantity, and at times it may be their ration is inferior. Of his own accord, however,
the sowar lives well, up to his means, and in this Regiment the men have the appearance
of being well fed, and well nourished. A very few, who have contracted a taste for
intoxicating drugs, gratify it, and to do so must stint themselves in other articles of
diet. Excessive indulgence in narcotics besides impairs digestion and assimilation, and gives
to those who indulge in them a lean, anœmic, and cachetic appearance.
9s