92
SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
for this low form of pneumonia except assisting nature ; blisters fail completely, warmth to
chest soothes the patients, good nourishment and stimulants are administered, together with
medicines when malaria is suspected to exist in the system.
During the year two cases of sunstroke occurred among the men, and about 4 among the
followers of the Regiment, they all resulted from direct exposure to the sun and were of the
worst form, viz., the cardiac ; all the cases baffled treatment.
Diarrhœa and dysentery are also very common and obstinate affections ; they occur in men
chiefly of the scorbutic diathesis ; one death is recorded from dysentery. Ipecacuanha, in large
doses is the plan of treatment adopted for dysentery. The cases of diarrhœa are very obstinate
and persist often, notwithstanding the administration of all known astringents. Regulation
of diet and tonics occasionally succeed, but often a change of air is necessary to recovery.
There was one death from strangulation of the small intestines ; the patient was subject
to attacks of colic, and when admitted one night with severe pain in the abdomen, the Hos
-pital Assistant attributed the pain to colic, and treated him accordingly. When seen by me
next morning he was in great agony and very low ; he died in a few hours after. On post
mortem, strangulation of a small portion of small intestines occasioned by a volvulus was noticed,
the adjacent parts of the gut being in a state of incipient gangrene. Numbers of admissions
occur throughout the year from contusions, and these, even when very slight, terminate often
in intractable sores.
The hospital, as has often been pointed out by my predecessor, is not sufficiently large for
the number of patients admitted ; those not very ill are allowed to remain in the lines, and
these sometimes from neglect become serious,
R e p o r t b y
t h e D e
p u t y I n s p e c t o r G e n e r a l o f H o s p i t a l s , S i n d .
There has been no alteration in the distribution of the troops during the past year. As
compared with the previous year, there has been an increase in the hospital admissions in
Upper Sind, and a decrease in Lower Sind at the stations of Hydrabad and Kurrachee ; at
the latter station the decrease is more than one-half of the number admitted for treatment
during the previous year. Annexed is a tabulated statement showing the admissions, dis
-charges, and deaths during the year.
The mortality has been greater, it amounted to 93 and in the previous year to 72.
Fever, pneumonia and dysentery have been the most prevalent diseases, and in the majority
of cases the cause of death.
The past year has been considered a healthy one ; the heat was not excessive at any
time and the rainfall about the average. In 1869 the rainfall was unusual, and heat and
damp caused a large amount of fever. Towards the end of that year the health of many was
so much impaired as to render them unable to resist a recurrence of fever, and to this is to
be attributed the increase in the number of deaths during the past year.
The lines at Jacobabad and Hydrabad are in good order and in good sanitary condition ;
at Kurrachee the lines are wanting in ventilation, and the roofs are insufficient to resist
even a moderate fall of rain. The situation has the advantage of being near the only good
water to be found at the station. On a late inspection, I found the walls dry, but if the
repairs of the roofs are deferred until after another fall of rain, I fear they will be just as damp
as they were last year. I believe it has been proposed to move the Regiment into the Euro
- p e a n d e p Ô t b a r r a c k s , b u t I q u e s t i o n i f t h e c h a n g e w o u l d b e f o u n d b e n e f i c i a l . T h e r o o f s o f
these buildings are also faulty, and when rain falls there is hardly a dry spot to be found in
them. I consider they could not be occupied with safety, until the walls have been thoroughly
scraped and cleaned, and the floors dug out and replaced. Even then, I fear there is a
risk of their not proving suitable quarters for native soldiers.