14
A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
H. M.'s 2nd Grenadier Regiment N. I.
ADEN.—In officiating medical charge of Surgeon C. T. PETERS; Strength 592.
1.The regiment was stationed at Aden from the beginning of the year till the 16th of
November, when the first detachment with head-quarters em
-barked for Vingorla en route to Belgaum ;t h e s e c o n d l e f t o n t h e
12th December ; and the third and fourth detachments are ex
- p e c t e d t o a r r i v e i n B e l g a u m s h o r t l y . D e t a c h m e n t s w e r e f u r n i s h e d t o t h e I s l e o f P e r i m , e v e r y
two months, consisting of 50 rank and file under the command of a European officer. A de-
- t a c h m e n t o f t w o c o m p a n i e s w a s a l s o s e n t t o t h e I s t h m u s e v e r y t w o m o n t h s , b u t i t s s t r e n g t h
was included with that of the head-quarters, and the sick were treated in the regimental
hospital.
2. In a military point of view the peninsula is divided into three portions, of which (1)
Steamer Point is by far the coolest, being exposed to the sea
- b r e e z e d u r i n g t h e h o t m o n t h s , w h i c h r e n d e r s i t a b o u t 6 o r 8
degrees cooler than the Crater; (2) the Isthmus is exposed to the sea-breeze only from the
east and south-east, and is comparatively cool in the hot season ; (3) the camp in the Crater
is by far the hottest, being surrounded almost on all sides by bleak barren rocks. The fur
- t h e s t s t a t i o n a t K h o r M u k s a r f o r t h e A d e n T r o o p m u s t n o t p a s s w i t h o u t m e n t i o n , a l t h o u g h ,
strictly speaking, it is not situated in the peninsula. This place, however is so favourably
situated, having the sea on either side, that the excessive hot weather which is universally
complained of in Aden is very much moderated here by the sea-breeze, and from its plea
- s a n t s i t u a t i o n a n d e a s y a c c e s s i b i l i t y t o A d e n i t w e l l d e s e r v e s t h e a t t e n t i o n o f t h e m i l i t a r y
authorities for being made the future head-quarters of the force in Aden, instead of the
Crater. The highest temperature during the last year was 104° in July, and the lowest 70° in
January ; the greatest daily variation—l4º—took place in August 6th, when after a hot day at
92° the thermometer at once fell to 78° during a temporary north-east breeze at 7 P.M., and
rose again to 83° at 10 P.M. The daily variation of temperature amounts to from 3° in. the
cold weather to 12° in the hot weather, giving an average of about 5°. During the months of
August, September, October, and half of November I kept a hygrometric register, from which
it appears that the difference between the wet and dry bulb during the hottest months is
very great, amounting sometimes to 18°, and when the moist easterly breeze is blowing it is
so small as 5°. The mean annual temperature was 85° 3' F. Aden is exposed to theS.W.
and N.E. monsoons. The S.W. wind, as it is felt in the Crater, is generally hot,
and it gives rise occasionally to dust-storms which darken the air completely ; the sun
appears like a ball of fire through this atmosphere of dust, while the lights flicker only like
what happens during a thick London fog ; these dust-storms frequently give rise to electrical
disturbances. Such are the characters of the Shemal. The N.E. monsoon commences in
October and brings on the cool weather, and the air is moister. The S.E. breeze
generally brings in rain to the Crater ; but the showers during the year are very scanty, even.
when there is a heavy fall at Steamer Point, the rain clouds being intercepted by the bleak
and lofty peaks of the Shumshum range. During the last year there were a few passing
showers in the Crater, but the amount of rain-fall was so small that it could not be registered.
3. The rooms are so hot that the men are obliged to sleep in the open air during the
hot season, thus rendering themselves liable to pneumonia,
dysentery, and other acute diseases. The same remarks apply
to the quarter-guard in the lines near the Native officers' quarters as well as the European
officers' quarters. The refuse water is allowed to sink into cess-pits ; early steps should be
taken to introduce a proper system of drainage. The latrines are placed by the side of the
main thoroughfare in the cantonment and at a considerable distance from the pendalls of
the men and families. It appears that, after the frequent reports that have been made by
the medical officers before me, they have been considerably improved, but there is still scope
for improvement ; as, owing to defective construction, the fluid excreta cannot entirely run
down into the drain intended for it, but some portion of it is scattered over the pavement
in front, and the latrines are not unfrequently charged with an ammoniacal odour. If a
semi-circular ridge, about 6 inches high, were raised in front of each rent, and a channel
made underneath each iron pan, the fluid would run down backwards into the drain instead
of being scattered in the surface in front. It would also be advisable to remove the solid
fluid excreta separately and to have the dry-earth system brought into operation—the
present system of mixing both the solid and fluid excreta being very detrimental to the
health and comfort of the people who live alongside the road by which the conservanry carts
pass on their way to Holhat Bay.
Location and Movement of
Corps.
Topography and Climate.
Lines.