22
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
Strength of
Native
Troops.
Health of
Native
Troops.
Strength of Native Troops.— The strength of the native troops on the 31st December was
2,855, in the following proportions :—
Hindus
..
..
. .
. . 1,649
Mahomedans
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
1,028
Christians
..
..
..
..
..
..
. .
178
Health of Native Troops.—As in my last report, I append a table showing what has been
the real and relative measure of health of each corps in this division.
Corps.
Station.
Average
Strength.
Average
Daily Sick.
Percentage
of Treated
to Average
Strength.
Percentage
of Deaths
to Average
Strength.
Rt. Wing 2nd Regiment N.I.
.. Berhampore ..
363.5
9.32
65.65
2.91
Lt. Wing do.
do.
do.
.. Sumbulpore
..
311
8.72
102.89
0 . 9 6
7th Regiment N.I.
.. ..
Vizagapatam ..
703.25
25.47
71.81
0.28
12th
do.
do.. ..
Vizianagram ..
705
16.86
43.12
0.99
41st
do.
do.. .. . Cuttack
..
633.5
57.50
218.31
0.47
Native Details
.. ..
Vizagapatam ..
131.66
4.57
29.62
1.52
a. Although the daily average sick of the 41st Regiment N.I. Was 57 .5, and its health-
efficiency the least, its death-rate is only .47, the lowest except that of the 7th
Regiment N.I. at Vizagapatam.
b. The right and left wings of the 2nd Regiment N.I. have changed places in 1875.
The former in 1874 had a death-rate of 0 . 86, in the last year it was 2.21 ; the latter’s
figures were 2.83 and 0 . 96 in the corresponding periods. This difference is due
principally to the occurrence during 1875 of 6 deaths from cholera in the right
wing. But, strange to say, with 102.89, the average percentage of treated to
strength in the left wing, there is an average daily sick of 8.72 ; while in the right
wing, with only 65.65 per cent. of treated, there has been a daily average of 9.32 sick.
c .
T h e h e a l t h o f t h e d e t a i l s h a s i m p r o v e d g r e a t l y u p o n l a s t y e a r .
d. The medical officer of the 41st Regiment N.I. writes as follows, and his remarks deserve
attention.
“ T h e r e g i m e n t h a s n o w c o m p l e t e d s e v e n y e a r s ’ t o u r ' o f s e r v i c e i n t h e e n e r v a t i n g c l i m a t e
of lower Bengal, and the vital power and general tone of system of the men is much
reduced, so much so as to, in my opinion, unfit them for any foreign service for a
couple of years.
The station to which the regiment is now proceeding, Vizianagram, is a very favourite and
favourable one, being both cheap and healthy ; and I have no doubt but that if left
there for a couple of years the men will quickly improve and become vigorous, healthy,
and well set up.”
Fevers, cutaneous affections, wounds and accidents, rheumatisms, diseases of stomach and
bowels, and those of the respiratory system have been, in the order of their mention, most frequent
in the force. Deaths have taken place in the following percentages under the different diseases :—
Diseases.
Absolute
Number of
Deaths.
Percentage of Deaths.
Cases of the
Disease treated. Total Treated.
Remittent fever
..
..
..
1
33.33
.03
Primary syphilis ..
..
..
1
1250
.03
Cholera
..
..
..
6
37.50
.21
Phthisis pulmonalis
..
..
1
20.
.03
Ague
..
.. ..
4
.29
.14
General dropsy
..
..
..
1
33.38
.03
Beri-beri
..
..
..
..
1
2.56
.03
Paralysis
..
..
..
..
1
33.33
.03
Valve disease of heart
..
2
50.
.07
Bronchitis ..
..
..
..
1
2.56
.03
Asthma
..
..
..
1
9.09
.03
Pneumonia ..
..
..
..
1
50.
.03
Dysentery ..
..
..
..
1
2.08
.03
Gonorrhœa ..
..
..
1
11.11
.03
Invaliding
and sick leave.
Invaliding and sick leave. —The following table speaks for itself. In the malarious stations
of Sumbulpore, Cuttack, and Berhampore 52 men have been invalided ; and the 7th Regiment
at Vizagapatam, with its 12 invalided and 25 men sent away on sick certificate, shows that it is
still suffering from its recent residence in the Straits :—