2
SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
8. Twenty-eight cases of contusions have been admitted, but none of any interest.
9. Six admissions for scurvy ; two of these died when away on sick leave, the rest re--
covered.
10. One case of small-pox of a mild form was admitted and discharged cured; and four
cases of chicken-pox were treated.
11. Vaccination has been carefully carried on during the year ; one hundred and twenty
-eight children have been vaccinated, all successfully except two.
12. No cholera has appeared during the year in the Regiment.
13. Five deaths have occurred, one from ague, a very delicate weakly man, long
subject to the disease came into hospital greatly exhausted and died on the third day. One from
remittent fever, had been suffering for some days in the Lines before reporting himself sick,
he was then exceedingly debilitated, and died on the third day. One from dysentery brought
in the last stage of exhaustion and died the following day. One of idiopathic tetanus ;
had been subject to frequent attacks of fever, which had greatly impaired. his health, complain
-ed of stiffness of the muscles of the face and jaws for some days in the lines before he was
brought to hospital, he died on the seventh day. One from pneumonia, a very weak man,
whose constitution had been worn out from frequent attacks of low fever, gradually sank, and
died on the twentieth day.
14. The health of the Regiment during the past year has been very good. In 1869 the
admissions were five hundred and one, and in this year, three hundred and ninety-six. How--
ever, there has been an increase in the death rate, in 1869 only two fatal cases occurred, in
this (1870) five. But this, I think, may be attributed to the debilitated and exhausted state
of some of the men, in whom the disease proved fatal, before they came under treatment.
15. No change has been made in the Marine Lines during the year. One pendall was
burnt down, bat has since been rebuilt. In the hospital two separate wards are much re--
quired, one for treatment of cases such as small-pox, &c., requiring to be isolated, and one
for females, for such cases as cannot be advantageously treated in the lines. Wattle and
daub partitions are required in four of the servants' houses ; they are at present occupied by
two or three families each—and the mat partitions put up by the servants themselves, are
both insufficient and dangerous from their liability to take fire. The floors of the servants'
houses are very damp during the rains, and require to be raised. There is no proper bathing
place for the servants, and small portions of each room should be chunamed for that purpose.
The pestilential odour arising from the exposed mud (which is surcharged with sewage
matter) at the outlet of the large drain opening into the Back Bay, at certain times during the
month, when the tides are at their lowest, and which produces nausea in the healthiest and
strongest, and consequently must have a very deleterious effect on the health of invalids,
convalescents and the sick in hospital, was represented in December by the Board of Health.
The drain ought to be carried out by means of iron pipes to such a distance as would prevent
the mud from ever being exposed to solar influences by the receding tides.
1 6 . T h e r a i n f a l l d u r i n g t h e y e a r h a s b e e n s e v e n t y - f i v e i n c h e s , a n d s i x t y - t h r e e c e n t s .
1 7 . T h e w a t e r s u p p l y i s g o o d a n d a b u n d a n t , f r o m w e l l s a n d t h e V e h a r W a t e r W o r k s .
The Regiment has sent Detachments to Persian Gulf, Strength 86 ; and Jinjeera, Strength
91.—Health good.
The Deputy Inspector General inspected the Regiment and Reports :
—
" The location of the Hospital is bad as could be, shut in as it is on all sides but that
facing eastward. The compound is but a narrow strip, the Lines being immediately in rear
and to one side. The situation of the Lines is highly objectionable, but this has, no doubt, of-
-ten been pointed out. The men composing the Corps are Mussulmans, Jews, Purvarees,