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A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
H. M.'s 2nd Squadron, 2nd Regiment L. C.
RAJKOT.—In medical charge of Surgeon A. J. LEGGATT; Strength, 146.
1. This squadron has been stationed in Rájkot for the last year, and no detachment
was sent out.
2. The sub-soil water and drainage has shown no special effects on the health of the men.
3. There has been no change in the lines since last report. The conservancy still calls for
remark: the latrines are much too distant from the lines, and are not kept properly clean.
This, however, is inevitable, as there is only one conservancy cart for the whole of camp, and,
consequently, the work cannot be properly carried on. The lines themselves are not suffi
- c i e n t l y o f t e n v i s i t e d f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f c l e a n i n g t h e p r i v i e s . T h e s t a b l e r e f u s e i s e i t h e r s o l d
or burnt; during the time of the prevalence of cholera in the city it was always burnt between
that part and the lines, and may have helped in a measure in keeping the camp so free
of that disease.
4. The water-supply is obtained from wells. During the whole year there has been a
great scarcity of it, and at present nearly all the wells are dry.
The utmost that can now be managed, is to procure drinking
water from them. All water for purposes of ablution must be brought from the river, which
is distant about half a mile. Food has been dearer during the past year, more especially
vegetables, which have been very difficult to procure, and it is in consequence of this that
many of the cases which have been of late admitted had a scorbutic taint. The clothing of
the men is good, most of the material being obtained from Eng
-land. It consists of a forage cap, blue-serge coats, and dark-
blue breeches or trowsers with long boots. The only article objectionable is the latter, which
both admits the rain and retains it: again, when dismounted, they very much impede his move--
ments, and in the present new system of dismounted drill it is important that the sowar
should not be hampered. A good, serviceable ankle-jack, with a pair of stout leather or canvas
leggings, would not only be more serviceable, but infinitely more comfortable to the wearer,
and cheaper, which is by no means a small consideration to a man who has to pay for all his
own kit.
5 . T h e d u t i e s h a v e b e e n l i g h t , a n d h a v e e x e r t e d n o p r e j u d i c i a l e f f e c t o n t h e h e a l t h o f t h e
men. Some few devote their spare time to field sports, but by
far the larger number pass it in loitering either in their houses
or the bazaar.
6. A station dead-house is in course of erection attached to this hospital. The hospital
latrine is in close proximity to the well, and should certainly be
removed, as it is many years since it was erected, and the soil is
getting daily more and more impregnated, and, consequently, the purity of the water is likely
to be affected. There has been no over-crowding. The conservancy of the hospital is attend
-ed to as well as is possible. The latrines should be visited oftener and more regularly by the
filth-cart, but that is impossible with only 1 cart to carry on the conservancy of the whole
station. The hospital water-supply is procured from a well close to the latrine. The well is
a good one, but at present contains but little water.
7. The average strength of the squadron has been 146, total admitted 119, total
treated 124, total deaths 2—1 in hospital and 1 on parade. The
percentage of treated to strength was 84.93, of deaths to
strength 0.68, of deaths to treated 0.81, and the average daily sick 3.9. 3 men were invalid--
ed after serving their full time; 1 was discharged from unfitness for further service.
8. The health of the men has been good during the year. The admissions, though slightly
higher, do not give accurate data for comparison with the health
of the 3rd Squadron last year; as during that year 22 men were
always absent at Drappa on detachment duty. Ague and febricula give a much smaller num-
ber of admissions than ague during the preceding year for the 3rd Squadron. Cinchonidine
has been tried only once to show that, as a medicine to arrest ague when well developed, it
is utterly useless; in slight cases of febricula it is useful, but these cases can be treated with
quite as satisfactory a result with saline purgatives and a little rest. As a preventive from
ague I have found cinchonidine to be nearly useless. Rheumatism is also less than during the
preceding year. In diseases of the intestines alone there is a marked increase: 18 admissions
for dysentery, 6 for diarrhœa, as against 4 and 1. This may be entirely accounted for by the
scarcity of water; and, consequently, water of an indifferent quality, such as the river-water,
may have been used by the men. Contusions give a large number of admissions (20), most
of them cases of kicks by horses or falls on parades. 2 deaths took place: a sowar from
Water. Food, and Clothing.
Clothing.
Duties, &c.
Hospital.
Sickness, Mortality, and Invaliding.
Principal Causes of Sickness.