23
POONA DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
shown itself in the town the usual sanitary precautions were adopted to limit its extension.
From scurvy there were only two admissions, but the diathesis was met with in several cases
of fever and rheumatism as previously mentioned. The next in point of importance were
diseases of the respiratory system, of which there were 5 from phthisis, 1 pneumonia,
1 pleuritis, 1 bronchitis, and 3 catarrh; but this does not fully show the number in whom
the phthisical diathesis was more or less developed as it was present in two of the invalids,
and in a case that died on furlough—four of these cases were from Punjab. The diseases
of the digestive system were less common than in the previous year. One case of ascites
terminated fatally and was associated with ulceration of the colon. Urinary and cutaneous
affections were of the ordinary character. Injuries were frequent, but were not accompanied
with any other effect than temporary inconvenience. The casualties have already been
alluded to; one-half of them occurred in men shortly after arrival from Tanna with atrophy or
phthisical diathesis.
Detachment of h.M.' s Poona Horse Stationed at Dhoolia.
In Medical Charge of Assistant Surgeon G. BAINBRIDGE, Strength 151.
One hundred and two patients were admitted from this detachment during the past
year, and including 6 men who remained on the 31st December 1869; a total of 108 were
treated, of whom 5 were still on the sick list at the close of the year.
Fever of the intermittent and continued forms was the most frequent cause of admis
- s i o n , t h e f o r m e r c a u s e d 5 0 p e r c e n t . a n d t h e l a t t e r 2 3 . 5 p e r c e n t . o f t h e t o t a l a d m i s s i o n s . T h e
other admissions were from slight causes for the most part, a few obstinate cases of syphilis,
one of opacity of the cornea from hereditary syphilitic taint, and one of bubo being the only
ones which were under treatment for any length of time.
No deaths occurred in hospital.
The lines of the detachment, or rather the huts in which the men live—for they do not
deserve the name of lines, require reconstruction; they are in a very unsanitary condition,
from faulty arrangement and construction, and from want of proper repair, and are rendered
more than ordinarily liable to the inroads of zymotic disease from the presence in their
vicinity of a number of "gowlees" and "mochees" houses, and other huts of various poor
persons who do not preserve their premises in a state of cleanliness.
The conservancy arrangements of the camp are tolerably satisfactory, but the plan of the
lines and the contiguity of the poor population before mentioned render perfect sanitation a
matter of great difficulty. As it may be impossible to cause the removal of these neighbour
-ing inhabitants, it will be advisable if the lines are reconstructed to build them several hun
- d r e d y a r d s t o t h e w e s t w a r d o f t h e p r e s e n t s i t e ; a n d a l l f u r t h e r b u i l d i n g o f h u t s t h e r e o n b y t h e
civil population should be prohibited.
The water supply of the camp is taken from an adjoining "nullah" at a part above
which there can be hardly any pollution. No analysis of it has been made.
No wells are in use in the camp.
Two men of the detachment died from fever on their way into Dhoolia, from outposts
whence they were sent for treatment in hospital.
h . M . ' s 2 5 t h R e g i m e n t N . L . I
Dhoolia.—In Medical Charge of Assistant Surgeon M. HEFFERNAN, Strength 457.
Dhoolia was garrisoned during the year by the 25th Regiment N. L. I., which having a
detachment of two Companies on field service in Kattywar up to the 12th December, and a full