32
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
A comparison with the previous years shows that, were the admissions from cholera excluded,
the total entries into hospital fall short by 176, but the death-rate is greater by 2.
There are no observations to offer, and no recommendations were found necessary to make to
the General Officer Commanding the district during the year under report.
1 9 t h R e g i m e n t N a t i v e I n f a n t r y .
STATION—TRICHINOPOLY.
Arrived from Singapore 7th May 1872.
Average strength
..
..
681
Do. do. present
651
Admissions ...
..
532
Daily sick
....
..
..
18
Deaths in hospital ....
..
..
. .
9
Do.
out of do.
..
..
..
. .
3
Pensioned
29
Sick leave
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
31
The following return shows the rates of sickness, deaths, and invaliding as
contrasted with previous years :—
Years.
Stations.
Rate per Cent. of
Average Strength Present.
Average Strength.
Admissions. Daily Sick. All Deaths.
Pensioned.
Sick leave.
1872 ..
Trichinopoly ..
186.64
4.82
.92
..
4.63
1873 ..
..
Do.
..
102.42
2.73
.14
1.16
2.32
1874 ..
Do.
. .
163.48
2.77
1.73
4.76
2.88
Average ..
150.84
3.44
.93
1.97
3.27
1875..
.. Trichinopoly
81.72
2.76
1.76
4.25
4.55
The following medical officers were in charge of this corps during the year :—
Surgeon S. L. Dobie.
Surgeon-Major T. G. Howell.
Climate of
the station
during the
year.
Diseases of
the district.
Duty and
exercises.
Epidemic
diseases.
The latter of whom reports as follows :—
Climate of the station during the year. —The year under review has been an unhealthy one,
though not so much so as the preceding in respect to the admissions into hospital from ague,
dysentery, diarrhœa, and bronchitis. Cholera, however, prevailed in an epidemic form for five
months and sporadically for three months, commencing in May and terminating in December. At
the end of the year sporadic cases still continued to occur both in the town and cantonment. Fevers,
colds, diarrhœa, and dysentery also contributed their share. The rainfall in a measure partially
failed, particularly as regards the north-east monsoon, the total amount being much below the
average. The cold weather, too, has not been so great, the thermometer never falling below 73°.
Cases of cholera were more numerous, and in its worst forms during the hot months.
Diseases of the district. —The diseases of the district are those common to all Indian stations.
Fevers, dysentery, diarrhœa, and rheumatism have been prevalent.
Cholera, which had not visited the station for some years previously, made its appearance in
the month of May, assuming an epidemic form, and so continuing till about the middle of October,
after which occasional cases occurred, here and there, until the close of the year.
Duty and exercises.—The average number of nights in bed have been havildars 5, naigues 4,
and privates 4½ per week.
Epidemic diseases. —Fevers, diarrhœa, and dysentery have been prevalent during the year,
but not anything like in this corps, the extent to which they prevailed in 1874. Cholera also
made its appearance in Trichinopoly during the hot season, assuming for many months an
epidemic form, and from October till December it continued to occur, here and there, at irregular
intervals in a sporadic form.
There were 6 admissions into the regimental hospital for cholera, out of whom 2 died and 4
recovered.