Diet .—Provisions are, as a rule, very expensive. Vegetables are not abundant. Compensation
has been received on account of the dearness of provisions.
I f d i e t i n g o f
troops has
been nutri
- t i v e .
Diet.
If dieting of troops has been nutritive .— Although the climate is on the whole conducive to
health, and the duties of the men are not heavy, still I am of opinion that, owing to the dearness
of the necessaries of life, the dieting of many of the sepoys, more particularly those having large
families depending on them, has not been sufficiently nutritive to preserve them in such a state of
health as to render them efficient in case of immediate active service. Anæmia and debility, often,
I believe, having their origin in want of food, have been fruitful causes of inefficiency during the
past year.
Duty and exercises.— The average number of nights per week in bed have been 5.38. Cricket
is played every evening. About 30 or 40 of the men and recruit boys have learnt the game, and
take a good deal of interest in it, as do some of the officers. The game is certainly conducive to
the health of those who indulge in it, and a cricket club ought to be established in every native
corps, as it is not only healthful, but tends to keep the men out of mischief during their idle
hours. There is a gymkhana in the lines where some of the younger men and boys practise
gymnastics.
Duty and
exercises.
36
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
Climate of
the station.
Ventilation
and drainage
for the men's
huts.
Water-
supply.
Sanitary
arrangements
Surgeon G. F. Bevan was in medical charge of this corps during the year and
reports as follows :—
Climate of the station.—The climate of the station during the past year was conducive to health.
There has been a longer and earlier cold season than last year, owing probably to the rains
occurring earlier and being more plentiful. Malarious fevers, rheumatic affections, catarrhs, and
bowel-complaints have been rather more frequent during the cold months of October, November,
and December, probably owing to sudden chills being of more frequent occurrence. The incidence
and decline of cholera, which never assumed the characters of a violent epidemic, seems in my
opinion to have been in little or no degree affected by any peculiarities in the climate.
Ventilation and drainage for the men's huts.— The principal, if not only, means of ventilation in
sepoys' huts is the open door. The family latrine is often situated just in front or, perhaps, a
little to one side of this, so that the air before entering is in many cases tainted with impure
odours; the case is even worse at night, for I ascertained from observation that the inhabitants of
many of the huts carefully exclude the night air by shutting the doors and plugging every orifice
whereby any pure air could enter. The condition of the interior of such a hut towards the early
morning can be very well imagined, particularly if occupied by a large family. The condition of
the drainage of the lines has been often previously reported on. Sufficient to say that the drains
are earth ones, and are of use only in carrying off storm water. As a rule, they have little or no
fall, and the liquid house-refuse accumulates in them and percolates into and tends to contaminate
the soil. V- shaped tiled or paved drains are urgently required. I have ventilated these griev
-ances in previous sanitary reports, but the result has been nil.
Water-supply.— There was some scarcity of water during the months of July, August, and
September owing to the dryness of the early part of the year. Many of the wells in the lines were
dried up, and guards had to be placed over them to prevent waste of water. The quality of water
has been generally good even during the greatest scarcity. Rain fell during the latter part of
September, October, and November, giving several months' supply.
Sanitary arrangements.— The sanitary arrangements have been well attended to considering
the difficulties to be encountered from the construction of the houses, drains, &c.
Epidemic
diseases.
Ventilation of
the hospital.
Epidemic diseases.— Dysentery, diarrhœa, and fevers (intermittent) have caused a majority of
the admissions, but cannot be said to have prevailed in an epidemic form ; they seemed in most
cases to have resulted from chills or errors in diet, acting on enfeebled constitutions.
Cholera which prevailed to a considerable extent in many parts of the district, and even in
Tinnevelly and Palamcottah, was introduced into the lines in some unexplained way, but probably
by the communication of the individual who was attacked with an infected locality in the town;
it never spread and only assumed a sporadic form, attacking three individuals at considerable
intervals of time, and only ending fatally in one instance. This speaks for itself as to the sanitary
condition of the lines. During the time that cholera prevailed in the town I recommended that
the sepoys should be kept as much as possible to their lines, and that all the houses should
be lime-washed externally and internally, and, as will be seen, the results were satisfactory.
Ventilation of the hospital.— The Ventilation of the hospital is chiefly by means of doors
and windows.
Hospital
drainage.
Hospital
Water-
supply.
General
conclusions.
Hospital drainage.—The drainage is favoured by the conformation of the ground; it has received
little or no artificial aid.
Hospital water-supply.— There is a very good well situated immediately in front of the
hospital with a platform sloping on towards the platform terminating in a drain which carries off
all the waste water and prevents soakage. The quality of the water is good, and all through the
hot weather there was a sufficiency of it.
General conclusions.—During the past year the health of the sepoys has been on the whole
good. The sanitary condition of the cantonment is satisfactory and appears to be well attended
to. With a better system of drainage there would be nothing to complain of. The hospital is
well situated, large, and in every way adequate for its purpose. The wards are large and lofty,.
and the ventilation excellent.