90
SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
Surroundings sanitarily satisfactory : lines clear and open, locality well raised, each
man's quarters having 1,800 cubic feet ; but ventilation defective. Water by wells abundant
and good, food comparatively cheap, duties involving little night work, conservancy efficient,
permanent latrines throughout.
The hospital (inspected November 13th) very suitable, with ample accommodation,
complete out-offices, and adequate equipment. Vaccination was duly attended to.
H. M.'s 18th Regiment N. I.
DEESA.—In medical charge of Surgeon J. C. LUCAS; Strength, 583.
1. The regiment has been stationed at Deesa for the last year. There is one detach
-ment on duty at Sadra, which consists of 1 Native officer and
54 men. There have been 34 escort parties this year, 209 men
having been on this duty.
2. The latrines situated in the bed of the river, on a level below the lines, are on the
trench system : they consist of two square-shaped enclosures
( one for each sex ), but without any roofs to them. There are
no receptacles provided for the excreta, and, as a consequence, the soil and ground water in
the immediate vicinity cannot but be saturated with impurities. In the rains the river water
must be contaminated with sewage both from surface washings and percolation of sub-soil
or ground water. Another great disadvantage in these latrines is their distance from the
lines ; it is more than we can expect men, much less women and children, to go 4 to 600
yards, especially in dark nights and rough weather, to this place provided for their use.
The consequence is, the excretions are voided in the immediate vicinity of their huts.
3. The water used for drinking and washing purposes is derived from six wells in the
lines, the sub-soil depth of which at 8 A.M. on 28th December
1875 was 32 feet 5 inches, 31 feet 9 inches, 32 feet 5 inches,
32 feet 2 inches, 13 feet 8 inches, and 9 feet 10 inches. The supply as derived from these
sources seems ample, and the quality excellent, judging from the physical characters, though,
after boiling and keeping it in a dark room for 3 or 4 days in a tall glass-jar, a very small
quantity of suspended matter is observed to deposit at the bottom of the vessel.
4. Though the food in this station is abundant and cheap, still the men look ill-nourished ;
I have seen several scorbutic cases, though vegetables are so plentiful.
5 . T h e b o o t s w o r n b y t h e s e p o y s a r e b y n o m e a n s g o o d ; t h e y a r e w r e t c h e d , u n s i g h t l y ,
and ill-fitting. Shoe-bite is a frequent cause of admission into
hospital.
6. The duties are the ordinary routine. During the cold weather running drill is per
-
formed daily by men under 15 years' service. Commencing with
300 yards, the distance is gradually increased, until, after about
6 weeks, 1,000 yards have to be run daily, the pace not exceeding 6 miles an hour. The
duties, on the whole, are not excessive, and seem to me to be conducive to health.
Location and Movement of
Corps.
Latrines.
Water.
Clothing.
Duties, &c.
Marches.
7. There has been no regular marching-out this year.
8. There has been no over-crowding in hospital. In the event of additional admission
the two contingent wards outside the hospital building could be utilised ; each of these
is able to hold 8 or 9 beds. One of these I use for ophthalmic cases, as this room is dark,
and has blue paper in the windows; the other I reserve for women and children and ob
-stetric cases. There is no kitchen to the hospital ; and as 2 servants—the dhobie and leech
-man of the establishment—have been recently discharged, one of the rooms occupied by them
can be used for cooking purposes if wanted. The hospital latrines are built of permanent
masonry; receptacles are here provided for the reception of the excreta, which are removed
daily. There is no urinal, and this I consider no little deficiency. Deodorization and
disinfection are properly carried out by free use of carbolic acid, &c. The water from the well
in the hospital compound is good. The sub-soil depth of this well is 56 feet 10 inches.
9. The average strength of the regiment during the year has been 583, the total
admissions in hospital 732, total treated 755, no deaths, invalided 30, and treated to strength
129.50 per cent. The largest number of admissions and re-admissions have been from ague ;
the majority of cases have been of the quotidian type without any splenic complication, and
yielded readily to sulphate of cinchonidine administered in 20-grain doses twice or thrice
a day. I have seen only 2 cases of genuine dysentery in this hospital, in one of which there
a was thread of malaria running through it, and which excited some interest and curiosity in
my mind ; the paroxysms of the latter alternated with the intestinal flux, and in which I ob-