Principal Causes of Mortality.
Influence of Rainfall
Epidemics.
NORTHERN DIVISION OF THE ARMY. 93
fever that occurred, deserves special notice. Private Narayen Chawan, aged about 24 years,
was admitted into hospital on the 23rd of August 1875 suffering from intermittent fever of
a mild type,and was put on cinchonidine sulphas grs. x twice a day until the 26th of September,
when, finding it perfectly useless, I changed it for quinine, grs. x twice daily. On the 27th his
skin continued hot all the 24 hours, and his evening temperature was found to be 104·5, and
his pulse 120. Next morning his temperature was 102·2, sordes on teeth, drowsy, bowels con
-stipated, no pain in abdomen, no gurgling on pressure, tongue dry and furred, no eruption
visible. On the 28th diarrhœa set in with yellow characteristic stools, and the abdomen was
much distended; he gradually sunk and died on the morning of the 29th. A post-mortem ex-
amination was made the same evening; the spleen was found twice its natural size, there was
extensive ulceration of Peyer's patches, and the mesenteric lymphatic glands were very much
enlarged. It is curious to note how enteric fever and intermittent fever co-existed in this
case, and how the latter masked the former till within 2 days of his death. 3rd, Rheumatism
as usual gave a large number of admissions, and numbers of men appeared daily just before
the invaliding season whom I considered malingerers; yet it was impossible for me to have
them punished, as I could not swear to it, and this brings me to the subject of invaliding.
The present system is thoroughly bad in its operation, and I would recommend that every
sepoy on completing 20 years' service should have the option of taking his pension of Rs. 4,
or receiving Rs. 5 after 25 years' service without going before a medical board. Diseases of
the respiratory system gave very few admissions during the year. Diseases of the cutane
-ous system gave a large number of admissions, most of which are due to debility induced by
insufficiency of proper food. Diseases of the digestive system gave a large number of ad
-missions, due frequently to the same cause. Contusions of the lower extremity gave a large
number of admissions, which consisted principally of shoe-bites. These blisters are entirely due
to the fact that the men neglected to soften their boots with oil; if they were compelled to
do so, the total admissions to hospital would be materially lessened. The following table
contrasts the principal causes of sickness during the year compared with the previous year:—
I n t e r m i t t e n t F e v e r .
C h o l e r a .
G e n e r a l D e b i l i t y .
C h r o n i c R h e u m a t i s m .
B o i l . S h o e - b i t e .
D i s e a s e s o f t h e R e s - p i r a t o r y S y s t e m .
D a i l y A v e r a g e s i c k .
T o t a l A d m i s s i o n s .
D i e d .
I n v a l i d e d .
1874
365
...
37
60
79
134
61 38·28 1,010
2
56
1875
265
7
11
46
44
105
20 24·7
749
5
59
From the above it will be seen that the men enjoyed better health during the year
under report, and this I attribute to the lime-juice and quinine that was supplied to nearly
200 men who were suffering from scurvy. These men are not shown in the return, as they
were treated as out-patients. 9 men were discharged by court-martial.
10. There were 5 deaths—4 from cholera and 1 from
enteric fever.
11. This was felt in an increase in admissions from inter
-mittent fever and bowel affections.
12. Cholera twice visited the regiment; I have already
noticed it.
13. Vaccination was carried on: the quality of the lymph was generally bad through
-out the year. The total vaccinations were 39: successful 17, unsuccessful 22.
14. I think an increase of pay would attract a better style of men; as it is, we have
a majority of Konkanees, of whom I wrote as follows in my last
report :—"They do not bear fatigue well, they are very docile, and
have strong house affections, which induce them to live on the
poorest grain to enable them to remit money to their relations in their native villages." I
would modify the first portion of the opinion, for since then I have marched with them for
five weeks, and found them in no way inferior to the others in marching powers.
15. I was very much disappointed with the hydrate of chloral in cholera; it did not
allay spasm in any one case; it was injected hypodermically and
given internally. In April the first case was treated with it and
died; the second case also took chloral, but with no relief t
o
R 6 6 —
x
General Health and Physique of
the Men.
Treatment of Disease when
specia l .