NORTHERN DISTRICT.
23
Corps.
Invalided.
Sick Leave.
Actual.
Percentage
to Strength
Actual.
Percentage.
to Strength.
Rt. Wing 2nd Regiment N.I...
13
3.57
2
.55
Lt. Wing do.
do.
do. ..
12
3.86
2
.64
7th Regiment N.I.
..
..
12
1.70
25
3.55
12th do.
do.
.
..
..
1 5
2.12
41st
do.
do.
..
..
27
4.26
29
6.62
Native Details, Vizagapatam ..
4
3.03
2
1.51
Cholera.—Of this disease there were 4 cases in the left wing of the 2nd Regiment N.I. at
Sumbulpore, and 12 cases in the right wing at Berhampore ; and of the 16 cases 6 died. Amon
g followers of the latter wing there were 44 cases and 13 deaths.
Small-pox.—This disease occurred in only 5 cases in the whole force, and all these in the
12th Regiment N.I. at Vizianagram. No death took place.
Malarial fevers.—Of these there were 1,436, of which number 1,017 occurred in the 41st
Regiment N.I. at Cuttack. Five deaths appear under this head, but only one of them in
Cuttack, showing in 1875, as in 1874, that the fatality of these fevers is disproportionately small
in comparison with their frequency.
Movements of troops .—There is nothing to record under this head.
Huts and lines.—The improvements in drainage in progress at Vizianagram, mentioned in
last report, have been completed, but the drainage continues defective, because " owing to the
very small slope of the main drain and its narrowness, the drainage is impeded just where it
should flow off most readily, and has, in fact, to be cleared out by hand."
The medical officer of the Left Wing of the 2nd Regiment N.I. at Sumbulpore has carried out
a house-to-house visitation in the regimental lines, and found " that the accommodation provided
for purposes of nature was in many cases totally insufficient for the numbers inhabiting each hut
that the private latrines were faulty in construction, and that erroneous ideas as to the practical
application of the dry-earth system prevailed. In rectifying these faults I received hearty
co-operation from the officer commanding, and the result has been most satisfactory." The solitary
cell is reported as most unsanitary.
Clothing.—The following observations of Surgeon-Major Ridings, of the 41st Regiment N.I.,
deserve notice :—" The dress of the Madras sepoy is, however, altogether unsuitable in the
following respects : the undress forage cap affords no protection against the sun, and should
be fitted with a quilted cover and drop curtain behind ; the red tunic is too heavy in texture
and close fitting in cut ; it should be loose and collarless, something in style of the " Norfolk
jacket " or " Blue jacket "jumper ; the trowsers are invariably grossly ill-fitting, badly cut, so
that in wet weather they appear dragged about the feet ; they would be much more suitable short
and drawn in below the knee."
" A short water-proof cloak or long cape would be a most desirable substitute for the
cumbrous military great coat, which becomes soaked through immediately upon exposure to heavy
rain, and a merely useless excessive dead weight to carry. At any rate all men going upon duty,
all orderlies, &c., during the rainy season, should be furnished with water-proofs, as when their
clothes once get wet, they have but scant opportunity of drying them, and do not possess a change.
But the most objectionable portion of the sepoy's dress is his foot-gear. Boots of the most
wretched material, which becomes as soft as pulp on exposure to wet, and hard as a board on being
dried, of the most clumsy make and never properly fitting, worn without socks or bandages, so
completely incapacitating the wearer for what is, perhaps, the primary duty of a soldier, that it is
absolutely necessary to permit the men to remove them and walk bare-foot on even the shortest
marches, besides costing annually more than double the price of serviceable chuppals."
Hospitals .—These continue unaltered in any respect.
Cholera.
Small-pox.
Malarial
fevers.
Movements of
troops.
Huts and
lines.
Clothing.
Hospitals.
2nd Regiment Native Infantry
.
STATION—HEAD-QUARTERS AND RIGHT WING, BERHAMPORE.
Arrived from Waltair, 9th January 1873.
STATION—LEFT WING, SUMBULPORE.
Average strength
..
..
..
..
..
..
. .
. .
..
701
Do. do. present.. 675
Admissions
..
..
....
..
..
..
..
.. 542
Daily sick
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
.. 18
Deaths in hospital.. 11
Do. out of do...
4
Pensioned..
. .
. .
.. .. . .
2 4
Sick leave
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
. .
4