14
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
Ventilation of
the hospital.
General
conclusions.
Ventilation of the hospital. —Ventilation satisfactory. No overcrowding.
General conclusions .—During the past year a total of 76 cases were treated in hospital ; in
1874 the admissions were 62, thus showing an excess of 14 cases in 1875. The affections were
however, of a mild type, and, as a rule, very amenable to treatment. One death only occurred
during the year, a weakly man who succumbed to a severe attack of pneumonia.
No epidemic occurred during the year. The principal diseases, &c., were as follows :—Fevers
17, itch 11, contusions 7, wounds 6, rheumatism 5, dysentery 5, conjunctivitis 4, bronchitis 4,
abscess 3, diarrhoea 2.
4th Regiment Native Infantry.
STATION—HEAD-QUARTERS AND LEFT WING, PALAVERAM.
Arrived from Bellary in January 1875.
STATION—RIGHT WING, RANGOON.
Arrived from Palaveram on the 1st March 1876.
Average strength ...
325
Do.
do. present...
..
..
..
.
. . .
. .
321
Admissions ..
..
..
..
..
. .
. .
.
..
.
277
Daily sick ....
..
. .
. .
8
Deaths in hospital..
..
..
..
..
..
..
Do. out of do. ..
..
..
. .
. .
..
. .
Pensioned . .
..
..
..
. .
. .
. .
4
Sick leave ..
..
. .
. .
6
The following return shows the rates of sickness, deaths, and invaliding
as contrasted with previous years :—
Years.
Stations.
Rate per Cent. of
Average Strength Present.
Average Strength.
Admissions. Daily Sick. All Deaths. Pensioned. Sick Leave.
1872 ..
.. Bellary..
..
..
47.26
2.25
.76
3.65
1.52
1873 ..
.. Do. ..
..
..
48.97
2.04
.72
1.44
1.88
1874 ..
.. Palasamudram
..
47.34
1.66
.71
.71
2.43
Average ..
47.85
1.98
.73
1.93
1.94
1875 ..
.. Rangoon
..
..
86.29
2.49
..
1.23
1.84
Surgeon M. E. Murphy, M.D., was in medical charge during the year, and
reports as follows :—
Climate of the
station.
Nuisance.
Wa t e r S u p p l y Di e t .
If dieting of
troops has
been suffi-
ciently
nutritive.
Climate of the station .—The temperature of this station has been very equable during the
year, never being intensely hot or very cold. No hot winds, in the proper sense, existed. Very
little rain fell until September. The climate has consequently been very healthy for the
indigenous population, but its prolonged heat, though never very intense, is debilitating for
Europeans.
Nuisance.—There has been no nuisance during the year. The lines are kept very clean and
neat, all refuse being removed twice daily to a distance. The drains are " cutcha," but act well
owing to a slope of the ground and thorough cleanliness.
Water-supply .—Water-supply has at all times been good and abundant. It is obtained from
wells in the vicinity.
Diet.—Provisions have been abundant and fairly cheap with sufficiency of vegetables.
Compensation for dearness has been allowed. The average prices of provisions have been rice,
third sort, 9 measures per rupee ; ghee, 1 viss per rupee ; vegetables, 8 viss per rupee ; mutton, 4
seers per rupee ; dholl, 8 measures per rupee.
If dieting of troops has been sufficiently nutritive .—The bulk of the men are fairly nourished,
but it is to be feared that a considerable number, owing to the burden of large families with
dependents, deprive themselves of necessaries of life.