Climate of the
station.
Natural
features of the
district.
Diseases of
the district.
If regiment
has been on
the march.
Ventilation
and drainage
for the men's huts.
Water-
supply.
Sanitary
arrangements.
Diet.
Duty.
Epidemic
diseases.
Ventilation of
the hospital.
General
conclusions.
Lines.
Water-
supply.
Conservancy.
Hospital.
16
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
The following medical officers held charge during the year :—
Surgeon W. Price, M.D.,
Surgeon-Major J. Dougall, M . D . ,
Do. J. FitzGerald,
and the first-named reports as under :—
Climate of the station .—There has been nothing unusual in the climate during the year.
Natural features of the district.—As has frequently been brought to notice by medical officers
of former regiments stationed in Perambore, the lines are surrounded by bazaars with narrow,
dirty, badly-drained streets, a sewage farm, burning and burying grounds, and stagnant pools.
These causes must act more or less injuriously on the health of the regiment.
Diseases of the district .—The principal endemic diseases appear to be rheumatism and inter
-mittent fever, with occasional cases of cholera and small-pox.
If regiment has been on the march .—The head-quarters left Tonghoo on the 30th December
1874 and arrived in Madras on the 29th January 1875. The right wing left Tonghoo on the
29th February and arrived in Madras on the 28th March 1875.
Ventilation and drainage for the men's huts.—Both the ventilation and drainage of the barrack
and guard rooms are good. As mentioned, the ventilation of the huts is very imperfect, but the
drainage around the huts is good, consisting as it does of well-formed pucka drains which are flushed
twice daily.
Water-supply.—There is a drinking fountain containing an abundant and constant supply of
Red Hill Tank water for each wing of the regiment.
Sanitary arrangements.—The sanitary arrangements in the lines are most carefully carried
out, and there do not appear to be any local causes of disease requiring removal.
Diet.—Provisions have been plentiful; vegetables abundant: the sepoys received compensation
on account of dearness of rice.
Duty.—The average number of nights per week in bed have been 3.56.
Epidemic diseases .—There has been no epidemic disease among the sepoys of this regiment
during the year. Some cases of cholera occurred in the vicinity of the lines, but none among the
sepoys themselves.
The admissions from ague, dysentery, and diarrhœa have not at any time been excessive, nor
attributable to preventible causes.
Ventilation of the hospital.—The natural ventilation of the hospital, by doors, windows, and
ridge, is very good ; no representations have been made respecting it.
General conclusions. —As might be expected in a regiment just returned from foreign service,
the invaliding has been excessive, as also the number of men sent on sick leave. Even yet some of
the men admitted into hospital show symptoms of anæmia, &c., the result of malnutrition on
foreign service. In some of the cases which proved fatal soon after our arrival in Madras I have
reason to believe, that the end was hastened by the insane desire of the men to bring back more
money from foreign service than they possibly could do without retrenching their proper supply
of food.
Deputy Surgeon-General W. J. vanSomeren, M.D., inspected this corps on the
2nd May 1876, and reports as follows :—
Lines.—The lines are clean and well cared for. Its drainage is the same as at last report, and
very fair it is.
Water-supply.—This is supplied in good quantity and of fair quality by the Red Hill pipes;
but I understand the water of the tank to the east of the southern and eastern section is also used
or drinking purposes, and I very much doubt its fitness and purity.
Conservancy .—The cess-pool to the east still exists, and I saw two men squatting in the fields
to the east of the cess-pool. There are some inequalities in this neighbourhood, too, which are
wisely being filled in, but while they last they must be objectionable in a sanitary point of view.
Hospital.—The hospital is beautifully clean in all its parts; it has been twice whitewashed
during the year, and its doors and windows painted, and its surrounding railings repaired. The
average cubic space enjoyed by each patient has been 905.4 and the superficial area 64.6 ! In
other respects there is no change to be recorded.