12
SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
The general health of the Regiment during the past year may be said to have been
good, and has certainly improved as compared with the previous year, if the admissions into
hospital is any criterion, being 64 less.
The prevailing diseases have been fever and diarrhœa, 600 from the former and 32 from
the latter. Since Dr. Harris relinquished charge of the Regiment, and with the approach
of the cold season, the former class of affections has considerably augmented; the sick list
is, I fear, higher than any of the Native Infantry Regiments in camp, many of the cases
assuming a low type and being characterized by a great tendency to relapse. This is attri
-butable, in my opinion, to the greater exposure of the men, (whose constitutions have not
yet completely recovered from the effects of service in the climate of Kattywar, at Dwarka and
Barda Chowkey in 1866-67 and 1868) to the sudden variations in temperature, especially
at this season of the year, on the more exposed guards they have been employed on, viz., at
Gunnesh Khind and Yerrowda.
A very marked decrease, I am pleased to observe, has taken place in admissions from
venereal affections, being 31 as compared with 74 in the previous year.
In addition to the casualties above noticed, three more occurred in the month of October,
two from diarrhœa, one in a Sepoy of the 5th Regiment, Hydrabad Contingent, who was pro
-ceeding on sick leave to Hindoostan, the other a Sepoy of this Regiment who came in with
fever and was in a very cachectic state from the first, and the third from chronic bronchitis,
and asthma in a Bandsman who was to have been sent before the Annual Invaliding Board.
During the past year, two men were discharged, 61 recruits have joined, 13 men pro
-ceeded on sick leave, 2 of whom died, and 25 have been invalided.
The fall of rain has been unusually large, 38 inches and 87 cents having been registered,
or nearly 14 inches over the average.
Vaccination has been successfully carried out.
H. M.' s 24th Regiment N. I.
Poona.—In Medical Charge of Assistant Surgeon, G. A. MACONACHIE, Strength 653.
The 24th Regiment N. I., was stationed in two places during the year 1870, viz.,
Poona and Deesa. It also marched on one occasion from Poona to Bombay and back to
Poona in March, and on another occasion in October from Poona to Deesa. This Report is
for the year from 1st January until December 31st 1870.
The average number of fighting men in this Regiment for the year 1870 has been 653,
whose medical history is included here; 41 men have been stationed at Mount Aboo in
November and December, but their history is not included here.
The number of diseases of all classes occurring during the year has been 516 including
17 men in hospital on 31st December 1870.
Dividing these into classes, they may be arranged in the following order:—
General Diseases
A. 254
2 7 8
5 1 6
B . 2 4
Local Diseases . . .
1 7 2
Diseases not included in these
66
Three deaths occurred in hospital during the year; one death occurred in a dooly while
being brought to hospital.
Giving a short monthly diary of the Regiment on January 1st 1870, there were 15 men
in hospital and 33 were admitted during the month. These were chiefly malarial fevers and