Climate of the
station.
Position of
lines.
Ventilation
and drainage
for the men's
huts.
Water-
supply.
Diet.
Duty and
exercises
Epidemic
diseases.
Ventilation of
the hospital.
Overcrowding
of hospital
wards.
General
conclusions.
Lines.
Water-
supply.
Conservancy.
Hospital.
20
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
Surgeon-Major J. M. Joseph, M.D., was in medical charge during the year, and
reports as under :—
Climate of the station. —The climate of the station has been on the whole fairly good. Cholera
broke out in Madras in an epidemic form in the month of August 1875, and has been prevailing
more or less up to the present time.
Position of lines. —The lines of the 37th Grenadiers are situated on low ground, badly built,
badly ventilated, and badly drained ; the position is unfavourable on account of the lowness of the
ground, and during the rainy season parts of them are under water.
Ventilation and drainage for the men's huts. —The ventilation of the guard-rooms is good, but
that of the lines is bad ; and, as the lines are situated on low ground and surrounded by houses and
streets densely populated, the air cannot be pure. The position of the lines render the drainage
bad and insufficient. Frequent correspondence has taken place on this subject, but without any
result.
Water-supply. —The supply of water is obtained from tanks only. It is sufficient and of fair
quality.
Diet. —The sepoys diet themselves. Vegetables were abundant during the year, and compen-
sation is allowed monthly for the dearness of rice.
Duty and exercises. —Average number of nights in bed per week 2.73.
Epidemic diseases. —Cholera broke out in an epidemic form in the lines of the regiment in
September 1875 ; the disease was then prevailing in Vepery and other parts of Madras. One sepoy
and one camp-follower died of the disease. The huts of the lines were disinfected, and sulphur
was burnt in the huts every morning and evening. The cholera patients were treated in a separate
building at some distance from the regimental hospital.
Ventilation of the hospital. — The defective ventilation of the hospital has been frequently
represented to the authorities, but it still continues in the same state.
Overcrowding of hospital wards. —The hospital wards are occasionally overcrowded on account
of the insufficiency of the accommodation.
General conclusions. —The defective condition of the lines occupied by the 37th Grenadiers at
Vepery has been sufficiently detailed in the replies to the various queries of this report. The
health of the corps having suffered severely on foreign service, a great number of the men were
in a weakly and anæmic state when they landed at this station from Burmah, and admissions into
hospital from ague and general debility were of frequent occurrence, but during the past year the
health of the corps has improved. The climate of Madras has acted favourably on the men.
Deputy Surgeon-General W. J. vanSomeren, M.D., inspected this corps on the
1st May 1876, and reports as follows :
—
Lines. —The lines are the same objectionable lines as reported on last year. Their situation
low, their drainage defective, their arrangements and the construction of their huts not in accord-
ance with the present standard, and some of the roads between the rows of huts uneven and rough.
Water-supply. —From tanks fed by pipes from the Red Hill reservoir in the vicinity of the
lines.
Conservancy.—Maintained by the municipality out of, and by the Regimental authorities in,
the lines. Fairly by both. The latter have an establishment of 2 carts and 8 scavengers, who
clean out the privies in each private's front yard and the general latrine.
Hospital.—The hospital is clean, and during the past year furnished 82.94 superficial and
995.29 cubic feet to each patient. The cook-room is merely a godown, its inner wall should be
cleaner. The latrine is in good order, with earth conservancy maintained in it, and fresh tar used
every week. In other respects it continues as at last report.
NORTHERN DISTRICT.
Average strength
..
..
..
.. 2,827
Do.
do.
present
...
.. 2,680
Total admissions.. ..
2,569
Daily sick
..
..
..
..
117
Deaths in hospital ..
..
..
..
..
.. ..
..
..
21
Do. out of do.
....
..
..
16
Pensioned
..
..
..
77
Sick leave..
..
71
The following return shows the rates of sickness, deaths, and invaliding as
contrasted with previous years :—