PRESIDENCY DIVISION, ADEN, AND BOMBAY MARINE.
7
would be scarcely worth speaking about. All solid refuse matter is placed in a dust-bin in
the north-west corner of the lines, and removed daily by municipal carts.
3 . F o r d r i n k i n g p u r p o s e s f r o m V e h a r b y m e a n s o f c a s t - i r o n p i p e s , q u a l i t y e x c e l l e n t , a n d
supply constant; for washing and other purposes, from wells
in and near the lines. It is impossible to say upon how little
the sepoy manages to exist. There can be no doubt that the health of the men is often seri
-ously impaired from want of a sufficient and nutrient diet. Rice appears to form their chief
article of food to which is added a little dhall and ghee, and occasionally fish, sold cheap on
account of its condition. Spirit is always indulged in, especially by the low-caste men, who
make up the bulk of the regiment, and I cannot doubt it is often done at the expense of solid
nutriment. Only two kinds of clothing are in use: the ordinary red-cloth tunic and cloth
trowsers for parades and guard-mounting, and blue cotton cloth for ordinary drill, fatigue,
and other regimental duties. The cloth is light and porous, and forms a comfortable and
health-preserving dress. Country-made shoes, hard and ill-fitting, are worn by the men on
all duties, and are a fruitful source of shoe-bite, which either necessitates admittance to
hospital or recommendation to the Commanding Officer to excuse the wearing of boots until
such time as the abrasion is healed.
4 . N o t h i n g p r e j u d i c i a l t o h e a l t h h a s b e e n o b s e r v e d . T h e m e n m a y b e s a i d t o h a v e h a d
an easy time of it, having as many as five consecutive nights in
bed during the year. Exercise, amusements, and occupations
a p p e a r t o b e v e r y l i t t l e i n d u l g e d i n .
5 . T h e r e a r e t w o l o c k - u p c e l l s , e a c h h a v i n g a n a r e a o f 1 8 0 f e e t , a n d c u b i c s p a c e o f
about 1,300; they are ventilated through openings in the doors
as well as raised roof-ventilators. There has never, during the
year, been more than one man in a cell at a time; and the cells being in an open situation, the
superficial area and cubic space appears to be sufficient.
Water, Food, Clothing, &c.
Duties, &c.
Lock-up Rooms and Cells.
Marches.
6. No marches have taken place during the year.
7 . I t i s s u f f i c i e n t t o s a y t h a t t h e r e h a s b e e n n o o v e r c r o w d i n g d u r i n g t h e y e a r ; t h e o n l y
inconvenience felt, is a want of light, which renders an exami
-
nation of a patient difficult in the wards. Three sweepers are
employed to remove excreta from the hospital privies to the public latrines at Sonapur;
liquid carbolic acid and McDougall's powder are used to prevent fermentation of excreta, and
to deodorize and purify privies and drains. The hospital water-supply is from the Vehar
Lake by means of a stand-pipe in the compound; it is constant and sufficient; but in the
bath-room, which is on a higher level, no supply can be obtained when it is most wanted, viz.,
during the morning, and the shower-bath is virtually useless in consequence of there being
no means of storing water at night when it might be obtained.
8. 381 cases were treated, being 13 less than in the preceding year; of this number
10 were brought forward from 1874. The admissions num
-bered 371. Of the total treated, 323 were discharged to
duty; 22 were sent on sick certificate, being 16 less than
last year; 17 were invalided from the hospital; 5 died (2 less than last year); and
16 remained under treatment on the 31st December. The year 1874, which showed a treated
to strength amounting to 69.8 per cent. and of deaths to strength 1.2, and to treated 1.8, was
said to have been a very healthy year. The year 1875 exhibits still more favourable results
— t h e r a t e s o f t r e a t e d t o s t r e n g t h , d e a t h s t o s t r e n g t h , d e a t h s t o t r e a t e d , h a v i n g b e e n 6 5 . 0 , 0 . 8 ,
and 1.3 respectively. The daily average number of sick has fallen from 21 in 1874 to 17.4
in 1875, and deaths have been reduced by 2. 381 cases were treated, but 254 primary admis
-
sions, or 43.3 per cent. to strength, were sick and under
treatment during the year, the difference being made up of
re-admissions of the same individuals for recurrent sickness or other causes. 2 men were
admitted five times, 8 four times, 17 three times, 61 twice, and 166 once. In addition to 17
men invalided from the hospital, 5 from the regiment, being found unfit for further service,
were also invalided, giving a total of 22 for the year, or 3.7
per cent. to strength.
Hospital, &c.
Sickness, Mortality, and invalid
-ing.
Re-admissions.
Invaliding.
9. The principal causes of sickness have been, 1st, those coming under the head of
general diseases, to which ague contributes the largest share,
showing 88 admissions; next in order of frequency comes rheu -
matism and syphilitic affections, giving 26 and 25 admissions respectively. Eruptive fevers
are represented by 2 chicken-pox and 5 measles; continued and remittent fever by 2 and
3 respectively; 2 cases of simple cholera, 3 scurvy, 1 general dropsy, and 2 of phthisis make
Principal Causes of Sickness.