60
SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY,
hospital were, on my recommendation, excused from running drill for a period of 8 days; but
did not find it necessary to report any man as permanently unfit for it. The Regiment
performed the march from Deesa to Bhooj, a distance of 200 miles, with the greatest ease,
presenting no unusual amount of sickness. The whole distance was performed by seventeen
marches with 4 halts, the marches varied in length from 7½ to 16 miles, and the men were
always marched off the ground in the early morning, at such time as enabled them to arrive
at the new camping-ground at or a little before sunrise.
Recreation. —There is a small gymnasium kept up in the Regiment containing horizontal
and parallel bars, ladder, horse, trapeze, &c.; every recruit goes through a course of instruc-
tion in it, and is also exercised with the Indian clubs. There is also a "talim khana" where
wrestling and sword-stick practice is carried on voluntarily by the men. These exercises
have been found to exercise a beneficial influence on the health of the men, more especially the
recruits, and the only injuries resulting from them, which have come under my notice, have
been trivial cases of sprain, contusion, &c.
Sickness.—Ague has been very prevalent among the men all through the year, having
furnished no less. than 479 of the total 971 admissions; this was more especially the case in
January and again in July and August. In the month of November it furnished 50 out of
105 admissions; the majority of these cases have been of a comparatively mild nature, and have
yielded readily to treatment.
Cholera.
—No cases of this disease have occurred during the year.
Scurvy. —No cases have been registered under this head during the year, but several cases
under treatment for other affections have been observed to exhibit a scorbutic taint. One
man under treatment for secondary syphilis during the month of December, became affected
with scurvy of a very bad form, and for some time was in a very critical condition; he was
still in hospital under treatment at the end of the year.
Vaccination
has been carefully kept up in the Regimental lines and bazaar, and revaccina
-tion has been performed in several persons about the age of puberty.
H. M.'s 19th Regiment N. I.
Bhooj.—In Medical charge of Surgeon WAKEFIELD, subsequently of Surgeon ARTHUR ADEY,
Strength 605.
Admissions into hospital
9 0 7
Deaths
4
Average daily sick
2 0 · 7
The usual annual return exhibits in a tabular form most of the statistical information
which is needed in forming an estimate of the health of the Regiment from which it is compiled.
The number of readmissions for various diseases, which is an important item, are not men
-tioned in the return; these have amounted to 274 for all cases, in a total of admissions of 907.
It will be understood that any remarks made on the cases that have been treated in hospital,
have reference almost entirely to those that have occurred during the last four months of the
year 1870.
Taking them in their order as they are noted in the tabular Form N., th e chief in num
-ber are as usual, ague with intermittent fever. The admissions for this disease alone amount
for the whole year to 512, of which 209 were readmissions. Comparing this with the total of
admissions for all diseases the numbers are:—
Admission for all diseases
9 0 7
Do. for fever
5 1 2
Readmissions for all diseases
2 7 4
Do. for fever
2 0 9