130
A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
Vaccination.
17. 14 cases were vaccinated, and 28 re-vaccinated suc-
cessfully.
18. The general health of the men has been unsatisfactory, as will be seen from the
large number of re-admissions—434—as compared with the ac-
tual number of men treated-290, and their physique is de-
cidedly below par—the inevitable result of service in such
a trying climate on this frontier.
19. The number of recruits entertained during the year was 39, and they suffered very
General Health and Physique of
the Men.
Special Observations.
much from fever, as recruits always do here for the first 2 or
3 years of their service, more especially natives of the Dec-
can.
20. The regiment has suffered considerably from sickness during the year, although
the mortality was not so high as in 1874. The cause of the
unusual prevalence of malarious fever may be traced to the
large extent of the surrounding country flooded during the inundation season and the long
i
time it took to dry up. The average number of daily sick was 10 . 7, proportion of daily sick
to strength 3·01 per cent., admissions to strength 197˙47 per cent., deaths to strength 1˙1 2
per cent., deaths to treated 5 6 , t r e a t e d t o s t r e n g t h 2 0 3.
3 7 , a v e r a g e n u m b e r o f d a y s i n h o s p i t a l
of actual number of persons treated 13 . 47, average number of days in hospital of total treated
5.39.
21. There are no pupils attached to the regiment, but the hospital assistants receive
instruction in materia medica, medicine, and surgery. On the former subject they are
examined twice a week ; on the latter clinically as opportunity offers.
ANNUAL REPORT ON SIND SORE FOR 1875.
During the year 57 cases of boils and ulcers were treated, 36 of the former and 21 of
the latter. As no definite conclusion has been arrived at yet as regards the cause and
origin of these sores I may refer to my report for 1873, copy of which I append for a de-
scription of the disease. Boils recur annually in the hot season, and may be caused by the
excessive action of the skin, or probably are of parasitic origin. The fact of having once
suffered from " Sind ulcers" appears to me to secure an immunity to patients of healthy con-
stitution from a recurrence of ulcers but not boils.
ANNUAL REPORT ON SIND SORE FOR 1873.
The Sind sore, in my opinion, may be ascribed to climatic causes, as all ordinary wounds
that came under treatment were prone to unhealthy action, and assumed the characteristic
appearance of the Sind ulcer, which is the result of a boil. The Sind boil is of a furunculoid
nature, and is a small, red, circumscribed, hard tumour, very painful, as the inflammation im-
plicates the skin and subjacent areolar tissue, and, as a rule, terminates in suppuration and
ulceration. The ulcer is at first covered with dark, granular matter, the edges are irregular
and frequently undermined, and the discharge thin and dark-coloured. The predisposing
causes are the debilitating effects of malaria on the system giving rise to anæmia and a
relaxed and impaired state of constitution ; the exciting causes are the excessive heat and
moisture during the months of June, July, and August, and in all probability the drinking
water which soaks rapidly into the wells at that time of the year through ground saturated
with organic matter. The treatment has been perfect rest to the part, the ulcer touched
with nitric acid, followed by a poultice, and afterwards a lotion of carbolic acid, quinine
and iron being administered at the same time. In the most obstinate cases change of air is
essential to the healing of the sore.
REMARKS BY DEPUTY SURGEON-GENERAL J. R. MILLER, M.D.
The lines, built 4 years ago, need not be again described. Like those of the other two
regiments they are substantial. Cross-ventilation, in place of from the door to the roof, is
required, and also separate accommodation for the trooper's saddles and accoutrements.
Were these matters attended to, the lines would be entirely satisfactory.
This is the only regiment which has abolished the system of open latrines between the
lines of pendalls.
The ordinary duties of the men are not prejudicial to health, but Surgeon MacRury says
it is a different matter when they are absent on out-post duty. The men have at those times
Resumé of the whole.