Small-pox.
Malarial
fevers.
12
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
Necessaries
of life.
Strength of
troops.
Health of
troops.
Necessaries of life .—These have been adequate in quantity and cheap in price.
Strength of troops .—The strength of Native troops has been 3,539, consisting of 2,007 Hindus,
1,274 Mahomedans, and 258 denominated Christians.
Health of troops. —This has been on the whole satisfactory. The health-efficiency of the 13th,
14th, and 37th Regiments has improved, although the 13th N.I. has had a daily average of
19 . 35 and the 37th N.I. of 16 . 77 sick. In both these corps, however, the ratio of deaths in
hospital to strength was only 0.56.
The following table speaks for itself on this point :—
Regiments.
Stations.
Average
Strength.
Percentage
of Treated
to Average
Strength.
Percentage
of Deaths
to Average
Strength.
Body Guard
..
..
Madras
..
...
119
65.54
0.84
4th Regiment N.I.
Palaveram ..
..
325
86.15
. .
10th do. do...
Madras
..
564
76.59
1.77
13th do. do...
.
Do.
..
..
713
67.04
0.56
14th do. do... Vellore
..
..
600
35.16
0.5
37th do. do... ..
Madras
..
..
710
50.70
0.56
Native Details, Mount ..
.. St. Thomas' Mount..
153
38.56
..
Native Infantry Depôt..
Palaveram..
..
94
147.87
16.99
As usual the Native Infantry Depôt at Palaveram swells greatly the ratio of sickness and
mortality.
The principal diseases have been fevers, skin diseases, dysentery and diarrhœa, wounds and
injuries, rheumatism, general debility, diseases of the eye, and diseases of the respiratory
organs.
Their frequency and fatality. are shown in the following table :—
Diseases.
Treated. Deaths.
Fevers
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
436
5
Skin diseases
..
..
..
..
..
..
405
,.
Bowel-complaints
Diarrhœa 105—3
207
6
Do. 102—3
Wounds and injuries
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
117
. .
Rheumatism
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
111
. .
General debility ..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
103
4
Diseases of the eye
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
87
. .
Diseases of the respiratory organs, including phthisis
..
..
83
8
Invaliding
and sick
leave.
Cholera.
Movements
of troops.
Invaliding and sick leave.—114 were invalided and 230 have had sick leave granted to them in
this division. The numbers in each corps are as follows :—
Corps.
Invalided. Sent on
Sick Leave.
Body Guard
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
4
3
4th Regiment N.I.
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
4
6
10th do. do.
..
..
..
....
50
27
13th do. do.
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
13
16
14th do. do.
..
..
..
..
..
5
37th do. do.
...
..
..
..
..
..
..
33
101
Native Details, Mount ..
..
..
..
..
..
..
1
Native Infantry Depot, Palaveram ..
..
..
..
..
7
70
Total ..
111
229
In the 37th and 10th Regiments the figures bulk largely, but the prospect of the former's
marching in the cold season rendered it necessary thus to dispose of all men below par. The
latter corps returned from foreign service in the beginning of the year, and brought forward all
debilitated and sickly men for leave and pension.
Cholera.—Although this disease has been epidemic in several stations, it cannot be said to
have been so among the troops or their followers. One case in the Native Infantry Depôt at
Palaveram and two in the 37th Regiment N.I. were all that occurred in 1875.
Small-pox.—This disease did not prevail epidemically, but there was one sporadic case in the
4th Regiment N.I. at Palaveram.
Malarial fevers .—These have occurred to a remarkably less extent in the year under review
than in that which preceded it. In 1875 there were 436 cases and 5 deaths, against 645 and 8
deaths in 1874. This class of affections, however, still plays a large part in causing inefficiency
for duty among the troops.
Movements of troops.—Early in 1875 the 10th Regiment N.I. from Burmaha n d
t h e 4 t h
Regiment N.I. from Bellary came into this division. Two companies of the 14th Regiment N.I.