A SKETCH OF THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY.
The water-supply is ample and good. There are three good
wells near the officers' quarters, and one close by the jail guard.
There are no imperfections or sources of impurity. The dis
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tance of the sub-soil water from the surface varied from 37 feet 6 inches on the 15th June
to 18 feet 8 inches on 15th October.
5. Food is plentiful and good. Vegetables are procurable. Through the exertions of
Lieutenant-Colonel Pierce, commanding the wing, a garden has
been made for the men amongst the trees to the north of the
lines, which promises to answer exceedingly well. It was only commenced about March
last; and though there were great difficulties in making a garden on the red soil near thelines,
it was finished by July, and is now well stocked with vegetables of every description, which
are distributed amongst the men. For this each man is charged only 6 pies per month.
6 . I t h a s n o t b e e n o b s e r v e d t h a t t h e d u t i e s h a v e h a d a n y p r e j u d i c i a l e f f e c t o n t h e h e a l t h
of the men. The men get plenty of exercise at parades, &c
Amusements they seem to have none, nor am I aware of their
having any occupation when off duty.
7 . T h e l o c k - u p r o o m a n d c e l l , d e s c r i b e d i n l a s t y e a r ' s r e p o r t , w i l l b e s h o r t l y a b a n d o n e d .
A new building is now in course of completion; it will contain
1,300 feet cubic capacity and 100 square feet of superficial area.
It is well ventilated by two gratings.
8. No alterations have been made in the hospital or its out-buildings. The site is,
with the exception of its distance from the lines, an excellent
one, and the hospital itself and its out-buildings are all that
can be desired. There has been no over-crowding. This may be seen from the fact that dur
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ing the month of October, when the average number of daily sick was greatest, each patient
in the hospital had an average of 69.5 square feet of superficial area and 2,364 cubic feet of
space. The quality of the water is good, and the supply abundant.
9. There were in all 392 admissions into hospital during the year; of these 247 were
cases of fever, of which 83 were re-admissions. The average
number of days each man suffering from fever remained under
treatment in hospital, was 10.85 Chronic rheumatism gave 12
admissions, lumbago 8, dysentery gave only 4, with 1 exception extremely mild cases;
diarrhœa 3; 5 cases of syphilis, all of them of considerable severity. It is only surprising
that more cases do not occur in the wing considering the great prevalence of venereal disease
in the Native city of Agar, which is within half a mile of the lines. 2 cases of pleurisy
were under treatment during the year. No deaths. 18 men were invalided; 4 discharged by
sentence of court-martial. one man was discharged at his own request.
10. The probable cause of the large number of admissions from fever (62 in excess of the
admissions under the same head in 1874) is the fact of the wing
having been quartered at Mehidpur during the previous year, where
the men suffered greatly from malaria. It was the case when the 25th N.L.I. came from Dhulia
to Mehidpur and Agar that the wing which came straight here suffered from fever far
less than the wing which relieved them the following year after being quartered for a season
at Mehidpur.
1 1 . T h e r a i n f a l l d i d n o t a p p e a r t o h a v e m u c h e f f e c t o n s i c k n e s s m o r e t h a n i s o r d i n a r i l y
observed. The greatest number of admissions from fever occur
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red in September (49) and October (38).
1 2 . 2 7 c h i l d r e n w e r e v a c c i n a t e d : e v e r y p e r s o n i n t h e l i n e s a t t h e p r e s e n t t i m e i s
protected. Re-vaccination was carried on throughout the regi
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ment (women and children included) in 1874.
13. The physique of the men generally is excellent; their general health is, on the
whole, good. As above remarked, the men suffered severely from
fever at Mehidpur in 1874, from the effects of which many of them
have not yet recovered. It is worthy of remark that these men
will shortly be relieved by the men of the left wing, and will have to pass another year at
Mehidpur. No cases of great severity have been observed here, but many cases have occur
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red where the attacks constantly returned as soon as treatment was discontinued.
1 4 . T h e r e s u l t s g i v e n b y c i n c h o n i d i n e s u l p h a s i n f e v e r , a s c o m p a r e d w i t h t h o s e g i v e n
by quinine, have been carefully observed. Unfortunately there
has been no opportunity of testing its value in severe cases, but
in the ordinary mild types met with at Agar it appears to act
is kept scrupulously clean.
Water-supply.
Food.
Duties, &c.
Lock-up, &c.
Hospital and its Surroundings.
Sickness, Mortality, and In
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validing.
Principal Causes of Sickness.
Influence of Rainfall.
Vaccination.
General Health and Physique
of the Men.
Treatment of Disease when
special.