6
A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
ire vision; 1 varicose veins; and 1 partial loss of power in right arm. 7 men below 15 years'
service were also discharged the service on account of disabilities unfitting them for service
in the ranks.
Principal Causes of Sickness.
12. The principal causes of sickness during the year have
been ague, diarrhœa, and rheumatism.
13. 9 deaths occurred in hospital; their causes were as follows:—1 from extrava
-sation of urine following extensive inflammation in the ischio
-rectal fossa, 1 from remittent fever (pneumonia), 1 from
scurvy (œdema of lungs), 1 from diarrhœa and great debility, 1 from chronic bronchitis and
emphysema, 3 from phthisis, and 1 from ague, quotidian (prostration).
Principal Causes of Mortality.
Mortality according to Race.
14. The different races contributed to the mortality as
follows:—1 Punjabee Sikh, 1 Mussulman, 1 Purdasee Brahmin,
4 Mahrattas, 2 Purwarrees.
15. 3 cases of small-pox occurred among the sepoys; they all did well. 6 cases
also occurred among the followers and families; these latter
were all, with the sanction of the Deputy Surgeon-General,
transferred for treatment to the Goculdass or Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy hospitals. No cases
of cholera occurred in the regiment, but several cases were
reported in the neighbouring streets.
Small-pox.
Cholera.
Vaccination and Re-vaccination.
16. These have been practised regularly and successfully.
as shown in the following table:—
VACCINATION.
RE-VACCINATION.
Nu mb e r o f
Primary
Operations.
Successful. Unsuccessful.
Number of
Persons
operated on.
Number of
Persons
operated on.
Successful. Unsuccessful.
43
39
4
40
84
49
35
17. The general health of the regiment has been quite as good as during the previous
year, and although the duty has been hard, the men have not
been any the worse for it. The recruits enlisted, have been
fairly good specimens of their race, and have, with one or two
exceptions, proved equal to the work required of them.
18. Under this head I am desirous of again calling attention to the defects in the
drainage of individual houses in the lines, the urgent necessity
for a new hospital latrine, and the advisability of raising the
floor of the quarter-guard (inside) and lock-up rooms attached, and covering it with lime.
H. M.'s 21st Regiment N. I. or Marine Battalion.
BOMBAY.—In medical charge of Surgeon-Major W. DAVEY; Strength, 586.
1. The regiment has been stationary in Bombay, as is usual, throughout the entire year,
but has furnished detachments to Baghdad, Bushire, Bassadore;
to the steamer "Dalhousie," gun-boats "Huge Rose,"
"Quangtung," "Magdala," and "Abyssinia."
2. No change whatever has taken place—the men, women, and children having to resort
to the public privies, nearly a third of a mile distant from the
lines. There can be no doubt that the bathing places within
the huts are generally used as urinals, especially by the wo
- m e n a n d c h i l d r e n . A w a l k t h r o u g h t h e l i n e s i s s u f f i c i e n t l y c o n f i r m a t o r y o f t h i s , f o r t h e s t r e e t
drains, which are in communication with these bathing places, often give out strong amm
o - n i a c a l o d o u r ; b u t t h e n u i s a n c e i s m i n i m i z e d a s m u c h a s p o s s i b l e b y f l u s h i n g t h e d r a i n t w i c e
d a i l y ; a n d i f o n l y a m o r e r a p i d f l o w t h r o u g h t h e d r a i n s c o u l d b e o b t a i n e d , t h e n u i s a n c e .
General Health and Physique of
the Regiment.
Special Observations.
Location and. Movement of
Corps.
Conservancy and Sanitary Ar
-rangements.