116
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.
The following return shows the rates of sickness, deaths, and invaliding as
contrasted with previous years:—
Years.
Stations.
Rate per Cent. of
Average Strength Present.
Average Strength.
Admissions. Daily Sick.
All Deaths. Pensioned. Sick Leave.
1872 ..
.. Saugor ..
..
..
73.23
2.23
1.44
1.08
.36
1873 ..
..
Do.
..
..
..
61.68
1.53
1.68
.67
.67
1874 ..
..
Do.
..
..
..
117.06
3.57
1.36
2.05
.68
Average ..
83.99
2.44
1.49
1.26
.57
1875 ..
.. Saugor ..
..
..
110.50
3.36
1.47
1.10
. .
The following medical officers have been in charge during the year:—
Surgeon D. F. Bateman.
Do. E. Fawcett.
The first-named reports as follows:—
Duty and
exercises.
Epidemic
diseases.
Ventilation of
the hospital.
Hospital
drainage and
latrines.
General
conclusions.
Climate of
the station.
Ventilation
and drainage
for the men's
huts,
Nuisance.
Water-
supply.
Diet.
Climate of the station.—The climate of this district seems to be very cool, except for a portion
of May and June, when the thermometer rises to 109 and descends to 40 in the cold season; the
greatest range at any season is not more than about 25° Farenheit. The rainfall varies, the
average for the past five years is 57 inches, in 1871 68 inches, 1872 49 inches 66 cents, 1873 41
inches 33 cents, 1874 68 inches 81 cents, and in the past year it was 61 inches 30 cents. The
changes of temperature occur very suddenly, which no doubt often give rise to the mild attacks of
fever that prevail towards the end of every year. The prevailing winds are E. and N.E. during
the cold and W. and W. by S. in the hot season.
Ventilation and drainage for the men's huts.— The huts are low, small, and in most of them the
only opening is a door about 3 feet high, but a good deal of ventilation is effected through the
roof, which are all composed of roughly-made and badly-fitting tiles. I have been inside some of
them, and the air seemed fairly pure. The drainage of the lines is the natural surface, sufficient
owing to the sloping nature of the ground to carry off storm-water. Waste water is prevented
from running into the drains and soaking into the porous black soil by falling into an earthen
vessel placed within a larger one; the latter is buried in the ground and catches any overflow of
the smaller or moveable one. These are emptied twice a day.
Nuisance.— None; strict supervision is exercised over the sweepers; no manure heaps are
permitted; all refuse of horse lines is burnt in a place selected for that purpose. The public
latrines, two in number, one for males and one for females, are very carefully kept, dry earth
and ashes freely used in the pans, poudrette buried in trenches of the approved depth, &c., which
are closed in daily and fresh ones made; trenches cultivated regularly. There is a small moveable
latrine in use also to try the trench system. A fresh trench is dug every day and is used freely,
but the men like the larger latrines better owing to each little compartment being screened off by
matting, thereby obtaining more privacy.
Water-supply—Water was obtained from four wells in the vicinity of lines, well placed and
reconstructed that no surface impurities could enter them. It is hard, but good quality, and the
quantity is ample at all seasons.
Diet.—Provisions of all sorts cheap and plentiful; vegetables abundant; ordinary articles of
diet were slightly dearer than last year and priced as follows:—Rice 116 seers per rupee, wheat
20 seers per rupee, dholl 14. Compensation for the dearness of provisions has been at an average
Rupees 2-1-5 per month.
Duty and exercises.— Usual regimental and brigade parades and regimental guard duties, not
injurious to health. The average number of nights in bed at head-quarters 5. The average
number of nights in bed of the detachment, at Jubbulpore 3.37_
Epidemic diseases.— No disease has prevailed in an epidemic form during the year.
Ventilation of the hospital.— The hospital is ventilated by 12 doors and 12 ventilators;
instructions as to the manner of these to be kept open by night and day is given to the hospital
havildar, who is made responsible for the orders being carried out.
Hospital drainage and latrines.— The natural drainage round the hospital is good owing to the
sloping nature of the surface, and no lodgment of water occurs during the rains. The dry-earth
system is carefully carried out in the latrine, but urine is passed into a limewashed drain and is
received outside in iron buckets. I have indented for coal tar, which shall be used in future.
General conclusions.—The general health of the regiment has been about the average. No
special causes of sickness.