129
SIND DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
8. Out-post duty has an injurious effect on the health of the men, as they are exposed
to extremes of temperature in unsuitable quarters and often in the
open air, where water is scanty and bad ; hence their weak and
anæmic condition on their return to head-quarters. To the trying service at the out-post
stations may be attributed a large proportion of the sickness and mortality of the Frontier
Force, as the most intractable cases of fever that I ever met with were contracted
at these places. There is no gymnasium, but the men often engage in such sports
as tent-pegging, tilting at the ring, and lime-cutting on brigade holidays, when prizes
are awarded to those who distinguish themselves most. These games have only been introduced
lately, and are much enjoyed by the best riders.
9. A new standard guard has been erected since last year, which consists of a guard-
Duties, &c.
Lock-up Rooms and Cells.
room and a cell, with a verandah on one side only. The wall
between the cell and guard-room should be loop-holed for
ventilation purposes, and the verandah should be extended all round to protect the build-
ing from the fierce rays of the sun.
10.
The regiment has not been out marching this year, but is next for duty, and will
probably go round the out-posts, or into the frontier districts, be-
fore the end of the cold season.
11.
Nothing has been done to improve or extend the only ward that constitutes the
hospital ; and as I drew attention to its defects in my annual
reports for 1873 and 1874 it is unnecessary to allude to the subject
again. To prevent over-crowding I had two tents pitched at the end of the hospital, and used
them during the months of October, November, and December in addition to the hospital ward.
Owing to the disproportion between the cubic capacity and superficial area of the ward, only
12 patients can be accommodated in it without over-crowding the beds, as the roof is
unnecessarily high compared with the floor space. The roof of the hospital latrine has been
Marches.
Hospital.
Conservancy.
raised since last year—an improvement that was much needled, and
the dry-earth system in conjunction with carbolic acid and
McDougall's powder is successfully carried out. These disinfectants I consider absolutely neces-
sary to ensure safety, and to preclude the possibility of danger arising from the effluvia to the
hospital assistant, the window of whose room overlooks the privy, which is small and confined in
a corner without sufficient ground space. Dry earth alone carefully applied would undoubted-
ly be sufficient for a large, open, and well-constructed latrine situated in a suitable place, but
in the absence of these arrangements I do not consider it advisable to dispense with the use
of disinfectants. The hospital water-supply is drawn from a neighbouring well, and stored in
a skin which is suspended from a tripod in front of the door. Pro-
perly-constructed filters should be provided, as natives are given to
the habit of dipping their drinking vessels with their hands, which are not always clean, into
the ghurras commonly used for filtering purposes.
12.
The admissions during the year were 703, and 21 remained on 1st January 1875—
total treated 724, being an increase of 206 over the admissions
for 1874. Actual number of persons treated 290. Of the total
treated 431 cases were admitted for ague, which was more
prevalent than usual this year, especially from October to December. Next in order of
frequency were contusions of the lower extremity, ulcers, boils, dysentery, and diarrhœa ; the
two latter are attributable to the use of unripe fruit and tainted water which flows through
camp in canals and ditches, and, as may be imagined, contains a considerable amount of orga-
nic matter. There were 4 deaths in hospital and 3 out of hospital while on leave, and 26
men were invalided during the year.
13.
The principal causes of sickness were malaria and the vicissitudes of temperature,
which, strictly speaking, may be said to be irremediable, and can
only be dealt with on preventive principles.
14.
Remittent fever caused 3 of the casualties that occurred ; delirium, I notice, is
Hospital Water-supply.
Sickness, Mortality, and Inva-
liding.
Principal Causes of Sickness.
Principal Causes of Mortality.
invariably a fatal symptom in such cases. The fourth case
died from pneumonia.
15. Of the cases that proved fatal in hospital 3 were Mahomedans and 1 Hindu ; those
that died out of hospital while on leave in Hindustan were
2 Mahomedans and 1 Hindu.
16. The rainfall during the year was 3 inches and 7 cents, and per se, so far as
Mortality according to Race.
Influence of Rainfall.
I can judge, has not exerted any unfavourable influence on the
health of the troops.
B 66—G