42
A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
site alluded to by me in last year's report, and promises to yield an ample supply of water,
which, from the position of the well, ought to be of good quality and free from any organic
defilement.
7. Food of all kinds forming the usual diet of the sepoys and of good quality has been
abundant and tolerably cheap. The favourable effect of their
being able to procure vegetables at a cheap rate, is shown by the
fact that only a single case of scurvy was treated during the year, though 6 cases occurred
in 1874, and as many as 27 in 1873, when the regiment was stationed in Bombay.
8. During the months of November and December there were in addition, at least for
the head-quarters of the regiment, brigade parades and heavy
guard duties at Poona; but these had no prejudicial effect on
the health of the men, which, indeed, was particularly good during our stay there.
9. During a great part of the year the sepoys have their time pretty well occupied.
When not on duty they are allowed to seek their own amuse
-ments : many pass away the time in sleep or in the bazaars; others
in athletic exercises, &c. I think it would be of great service to
introduce a gymnasium for the Native troops in every station as is done for Europeans ; and
I believe, if encouraged by the European officers, many of the sepoys would gladly avail
themselves of it, with great benefit to their health and physical development, especially
amongst young soldiers. I would also suggest the formation of regimental gardens, where
practicable, in which the men might work when so inclined, and raise their own vegetables.
Some of the sepoys of this regiment occasionally play cricket during the monsoon with the
officers and other residents of the station, and this is also, I think, worthy of encouragement,
not only as a healthy exercise, but as fostering good feeling between the sepoys and their
European officers.
Food.
Duties.
Exercise, Amusement, and Oc
-cupation.
Marches.
10. The regiment marched to the Camp of Exercise at Poona
and back, and sent a detachment to Tándulwári.
11. No additions or alterations have been made during the year. I expressed a doubt
last year, as to whether the ventilation was not excessive in the
cold season, but there has been no special prevalence of pulmon
-ary or rheumatic affections which might be referred to such a causation. Owing to a much
diminished rate of sickness during the year, as compared with 1874, there has been no over
-crowding. The requirements, mentioned by me last year, have already been sanctioned, and
will, I believe, be commenced during the next official year, should funds be forthcoming
for the purpose. The only further addition required, is a bath-room. The conservancy is
carried out as described last year, and the hospital and its surroundings kept thoroughly clean.
The hospital water-supply is the same as for the regiment generally.
12. There has been a very marked decrease in the amount of sickness during the past
year as compared with the two previous—the admissions, includ
-ing the detachment at Sholápur in November and December,
having been 625, and the total treated 646 against 950 and 975
in 1874, and 952 and 967 in 1873. The percentage of treated to strength, which was 148.7
in 1873 and 149.5 in 1874, fell, during the year under review, to 97. The average daily
number of sick, which was 31.2 in 1873 and 27 in 1874, was only 14 in 1875. The decrease
in sickness, though most marked with regard to ague, was more or less noticeable in every
class of disease, and may be considered as indicative of a generally improved state of health
amongst the men probably due to ehange of climate. The deaths during the year have been
2, showing a percentage of deaths to strength of 0.30, and of
deaths to treated of 0.31, which also contrasts very favourably
with the returns for 1873 and 1874. 2 deaths also occurred out of hospital in the cases
of men absent on leave. Only 8 men were invalided during the year, of whom but 3
were hospital cases, the remainder being old men worn out
with long service, Of the former 1 suffered from cataract,
1 from chronic bronchitis, and 1 from enlarged spleen and general debility.
13. Intermittent fever was by far the most important cause of sickness during the
year, accounting for considerably more than half the total treat
-ed, but it prevailed to a very much smaller extent than in the
previous year, the numbers in the two years being 345 and 597 respectively. The type was
chiefly quotidian, and was mild, with little tendency to visceral complications. Unlike, too,
the ague which attacked the regiment in 1874, it was not specially prevalent during the
last three months of the year, but was pretty equally distributed throughout the year, the
periods when it was most prevalent having been in January (which may be considered the
close of the epidemic of the previous year) and during the monsoon months. As regards
the marked difference between the two years, I can only assign, as a cause, the smaller rain-
Hospital.
Sickness, Mortality, and In
-validing.
Mortality.
Invaliding.
Principal Causes of Sickness.