16
A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
advantageous than the other, for the water does not get properly oxygenated, and on the
other hand it acquires a chalybeate taste. I consider that alternate layers of gravel, char-
-coal, and sand, on the principle of the Macnamara filters, would be more suitable for this
purpose ; and, if the water is allowed to percolate slowly through them from a height of 8 or
10 feet, the water would be aërated and have a pleasanter taste.
5. The vegetables which are sold in the bazaar and issued by the Commissariat have
very little antiscorbutic properties. Potatoes should be issued
twice or three times a week to every sepoy instead of pumpkins
and water-melons. I would also recommend that tamarind and limes should be issued as
articles of diet alternately with cocum, which, owing to its age, deteriorates in quality. In
the bazaar the articles of food are very dear and often inferior in quality.
6. Owing to the reduction of the strength by invaliding, sick leave, and furlough,
while the duties remained the same, the men had proportion
-
ately increased duties to perform, so that they had scarcely
2½ nights in bed at one time ; and when it is remembered that the men had been suffer--
ing from scurvy, and had become very much weakened after three years' residence in
a trying climate, it will be evident that many were found unequal to the work. After
a prolonged residence at Aden very few were inclined for gymnastics ; still about a dozen
men or so used to be regularly seen practising gymnastics of an evening. Some of the
men employ their leisure hours in following their favourite pursuit in the way of tailoring,
carpentering ; some are silversmiths and some work in leather.
7. The head-quarter detachment left Aden on the 16th November for Vingorla, where
it arrived on the 27th idem. During the voyage an excellent
set of rules was issued, in accordance with which the families
and men were kept on deck for a certain number of hours daily so as to allow the holds to
be washed and disinfected ; the " tween decks" were swept twice daily, and every morning
solution of carbolic acid was sprinkled over the place so as to purify the air, especially as the
port holes could not be kept open owing to the weather. On board the only cases of
sickness were bowel-complaints and ague ; one case of the former proved serious, but he
rapidly regained his health on the march. Leaving Vingorla on the 2nd December the
detachment arrived at the top of Parpuli Ghát on the third day ; but as the three days'
continuous march had given rise to a large number of foot-sore and shoe-bite cases, and as
it was deemed necessary that the men should have a little rest, a halt for an extra day was
ordered on the recommendation of the medical officer. The remaining marches were made
without any difficulty. There was no serious case of sickness on the way, and the detachment
arrived in Belgaum on the 10th December. The halting places between Vingorla and
Belgaum were Akheri, Danowli, Parpuli Ghát, Kanur, Data, and Bachi. At Danowli
the encamping ground was damp, being too close to a nullah which was full and surrounded
by rice-fields. The water-supply was good, except at Akheri, where it was muddy. There
are wells at Akheri, Parpuli Ghát, Data, and Bachi ; the one at the Ghá ts is particularly
good. At Danowli the water is obtained from the nullah, and at Kanur from the
Ghatprabah River. The men, on the whole, improved very much during the march.
8. Since Dr. Simpson wrote the last report, the roof of the hospital has been thoroughly
altered, and the building as it is now is as good as can be
desired. The building of the new mess-house for the officers
of the European regiments has not interfered with the free circulation of air. The only
requirements now are a small dark room for the purpose of making ophthalmascopic
examinations and a well-illuminated room facing the south for operative purposes and for
examinations, as the room at present used as the office is rendered dark by the side
verandahs.
9. The total number of admissions from all causes during the year was 317 ; the
actual number of persons treated was 204 and re-admissions 113.
Of these 272 were discharged cured, 24 were sent to India on
sick leave. There was only one death in hospital from remittent fever with pleurisy
supervening. The patient caught a severe chill while on sentry duty at the main gate one
night, when a cold breeze suddenly set in ; a severe attack of fever followed. He was ill one
day in the lines ; on the third day after his admission pleurisy supervened, and he died on the
fifth day. There were 4 deaths in the lines, of which 3 took place in one day—a private
having shot a subedar and a blacksmith and another sepoy of the Native Artillery ; he then
shot himself. The other case was also from a self-inflicted gun-shot wound: fragments of
the bullet were found lodged in the left lung ; it had fractured two or three of the adjoining
ribs, the stomach was penetrated right through in two places, but the heart was quite
untouched. The total number invalided since the last annual report was 20.
Food.
Duties, &c.
Marches.
Hospital.
Sickness, Mortality, and Invaliding.