SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
5th of September. From this date slow but regular improvement continued, and by the middle
of October the patient was able to walk a few yards with the aid of a stick; on the 20th November
he was sent on sick leave to Concan. The iodide of potass was given in gradually increasing
doses, till 17 grs. three times a day was reached, and this dose was continued for about a week.
Fifteen cases are mentioned in the return under the head of conjunctivitis, most of these were
very simple and cured entirely by local treatment. Three of them should have been described
under the head of rheumatic ophthalmia; they were not severe and yielded readily to combined
constitutional and local treatment. One case of keratitis is mentioned as having occurred in
May, cured apparently as there does not seem to have been any relapse. A case of cataract
was sent to Bombay for operation.
Three cases of heart disease have been admitted; two under the head of disease of the
valves, the other under that of hypertrophy. Of the former, one has been invalided, the other
has gone on sick certificate; the third after being a few days in hospital was discharged and
is doing duty.
31 cases of bronchitis have been treated in hospital; most of these have been cases of
chronic bronchitis; 13 readmissions for this disease.
Pneumonia .—Under this heading 7 cases were treated during the year. One fatal case in
which death was to be attributed to inflammation of the lung occurred in the month of August
in a phthisical patient. A case of "pneumonic" phthisis also proved fatal in August last.
Twenty-six cases of dysentery have been admitted; no severe case has occurred, at least
during the last 4 months, and none complicated with hepatitis. All have got well after a few
days of rest and treatment with castor oil and opium, or small and frequent doses of ipeca
-cuanha; the disease has in no case become chronic. Of hepatitis, 4 cases have occurred, one
of these, admitted shortly before the departure of the Regiment from Bhooj, was marked by
the occurrence of general peritonitis coming on the day after his admission and requiring and
tiphogistic treatment. The patient was better before we left, but was unable to march, and
was left in hospital at Bhooj. Eight cases were admitted as splenitis, principally of splenic
congestion; in only one case was it necessary to apply leeches; the others were treated with
tonics, principally iron and mild purgatives. A case of parasite in the kidney has been in
hospital since the arrival of the Regiment in Bombay: he had been previously admitted
under the head of stricture—a small stricture existed—and treatment was directed to this and
to the irritability of the bladder; but the case was not understood until some time after his
admission in Bombay, when the parasites were found in the urine. No treatment that has yet
been tried has appeared to give any relief to the symptoms, except the introduction of opiate
suppositories. A case of calculus was treated in hospital for a few days; the calculus was of the
oxalate of lime variety; it was passed through the urethra, and as the symptoms completely
disappeared after the passing of the stone, the man was discharged; he will probably, however,
make his appearance again at hospital before very long.
4 cases of stricture arc mentioned in the return; two of these have been readmissions,
so that there are in fact two patients only. One was discharged cured, the other underwent
palliative treatment only; the stricture still exists, but he is much improved and is doing his
d u t y .
5 cases of gonorrhœa have been admitted; in one of these, acute orchitis occurred, and
the case was tedious and protracted in consequence.