Water-supply.
Food.
Duties.
Lock-up Rooms and Cells.
Over-crowding.
A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
11, making a total of 44 rooms. The superficial area for non-commissioned officers' quarters is
130 square feet, cubic space is 1,350 square feet; and in gunners' quarters 108 square feet, while
the cubic space is 1,392½ feet. The lines are well built with closed-in verandahs, and have a
place for washing in each hut. The ventilation,. arranged with tiles in the walls, is but little
used, the spaces being generally filled up by the owner; consequently the only ventilation is
by the door. The lines situated to the north of the sudder bazaar, are about half a mile
distant from the city; no villages are situated nearer than 3 miles off. The drainage is sur
- f a c e a n d n a t u r a l . T h e r e a r e n o t a n k s i n t h e v i c i n i t y .
47
Conservancy and Sanitary Ar
-rangements.
4. There has been no alteration in the conservancy dur
-ing the past year.
5. The water-supply is very scanty this year, owing to the scarcity, of rain. The water
however, is good; all water for purposes of washing has to
be brought from the lines. One of the wells is being deepened.
6. Articles of food have been rather dear, and it has
been almost impossible to procure vegetables for a great part
of the year.
7. The chief duties have been line-building and the
ordinary battery duties, which have not proved prejudicial to
the health of the men.
8. There is a lock-up room belonging the batteries' guard.
Its superficial area is 150 square feet, and cubic capacity 1,687.5
cubic feet.
9. There has been no over-crowding in hospital.
10. A new dead-house is in process of construction, and will shortly be finished. Better
accommodation for the hospital assistant is required; as the
place in which he has to live, is not fit for the purpose; also
accommodation for the hospital servants, who are obliged to live in the verandah of the
hospital.
1 1 . T h e h o s p i t a l c o n s e r v a n c y i s c a r r i e d o u t f a i r l y , b u t t h e l a t r i n e s s h o u l d b e v i s i t e d
more frequently and regularly; but this it is impossible to ex
-pect with only one cart for the whole of the camp.
1 2 . T h e w a t e r - s u p p l y i s g o o d , b u t i s i n g r e a t d a n g e r o f c o n t a m i n a t i o n o w i n g t o t h e
close proximity of the hospital latrine, the site of which should
be moved.
13. The health of the men has been very good: only 105 were admitted as compared
with 158 in 1874. 1 death occurred from pneumonic phthisis. No deaths in 1874. 5
men were invalided—3 with pension, 2 with gratuity. 2 were rejected by the general invalid
- i n g c o m m i t t e e . T h e a v e r a g e d a i l y s i c k h a s b e e n . 2 . 6 . a s c o m p a r e d w i t h 3 . 4 5 i n 1 8 7 4 .
The treated to strength, 85.48 against 118.79 in 1874.
Deaths to treated .94 do. none do.
Deaths to strength .80 do. do. do.
Ague and febricula give the largest total of admissions. Dysentery gives 6 treated against 2
in 1874; none of the cases were very serious. Mania gave 1 admission—a driver who was
invalided at the last general committee.
14. The principal causes of sickness may be said to have been purely climatic; as also
the same may be said to have been the cause of the 1 death—a Hindu by caste.
15. The rainfall has been very small, only 17.86 inches for the whole year, the aver
-age being about 26 inches. The smallness, however, of the rain
-fall has not proved prejudicial to health, as it was spread out
over a long period, and but few very heavy falls occurred, so that the water soaked into the
ground, and did not run to waste as is so often the case. It is likely, however, to produce
sickness eventually, as the supply of drinking water is failing fast.
Accommodation and Defects.
Conservancy.
Hospital Water-supply.
Rainfall.
Epidemics.
16. There has been no epidemic among the men of
the battery.
17. 17 children were vaccinated, and 2 men re-vaccinated during the year.