22
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Diet.
Clothing.
Rheumatism
B1i stered feet
Marches and
service.
IX. Diet.—The medical officer regularly inspected the various articles of
diet and found them to be good, and no case of underfeeding came under his
observation, although he closely watched the men. Dinapore is noted for its
vegetables, and the men were consequently able to procure an abundant supply
o f t h e m; n o t a c a s e o f s c u r v y c a me u n d e r o b s e r v a t i o n d u r i n g t h e y e a r .
X. Clothing.—Every
sepoy over two years' service has the following garments in
addition to his undress Hindustani clothing: one thick and strong great coat, two red
cloth tunics, i.e ., a new one every second year, two blue serge pantaloons, a new pair every
second year, three white tunics for hot weather wear. Three white pantaloons, three pairs
white gaiters, two pairs of shoes and a cap. The Government gives nothing but the red
cloth tunics and blue pantaloons renewed every two years, and it would be a great thing
for the sepoy if further concessions in the matter of clothing could be made. As things are, he
is often placed under serious stoppages of pay for a considerable period to pay for a great coat
or suits of summer clothing, and his already small pay is thus reduced to a very low figure.
The free issue of a few pairs of stout socks annually would do much to prevent admissions into
hospital from blistered feet, and thus obviate a good deal of "loss of service" from this cause.
The clothing of the regiment is on the whole in a satisfactary state, but I sometimes observe
that the amount of bedding a sepoy has is insufficient. Each man is obliged to have one dhurrie,
and one rezai or blanket, *but these are often so thin and worn as to be an inadequate protection
in the cold months. A good many cases of rheumatism
occurred during the march from Dinapore, attributable, I fear,
in a great measure to this cause. Under existing circumstances,
the recruit especially can hardly afford to purchase sufficient
bedding for the winter months. There is, however, no excuse
for the sepoy who has some years' service, and in these cases
when I have noticed any deficiency in his bedding, I have always taken steps to have it supplied.
The shoe difficulty still remains to be solved; 26 cases of blistered feet were admitted into
hospital for treatment during the year under review, and during the march there was some
footsoreness; as the stiff, hard and unyielding old shoes become worn out, a new and better
classed shoe altogether, described in last year's report, is being introduced. I am afraid, how
-
ever, that without socks there will always be a good many cases of footsore every year.
XIII. March and service.—The recent march from Dinapore to Fyzabad occupied
twenty-six days of actual marching and, with halts at Benares and other places, lasted from
the 16th December until the 19th January. The journey was accomplished without any parti
-
cular discomfort, and with the exception of a few additional cases of rheumatism and foot-
soreness, there was no increase of sickness; the weather was good throughout, and there was
no rain. The encamping grounds were sometimes small and cramped, and in one or two
instances had been cultivated, but no great inconvenience was experienced. The water-supply,
generally speaking, was pure and wholesome, but in one or two instances the well water had
deteriorated from surface impurities. The regiment was originally ordered to proceed to the
camp of exercise at Delhi, and subsequently to quarters at Agra in the course of relief; these
orders were, however, countermanded and the regiment was ordered to relieve the 8th Native
Infantry at Fyzabad, remaining at Benares for duty during the visit of the Prince of Wales.
On several occasions the regiment furnished guards of honor for his Royal Highness.
* The Officer Commanding the regi-
ment made the following remark on the
sanitary report with reference to the
badness of the men's rezaies or blankets,
viz., "steps will be taken this year to
procure for each man a serviceable
blanket of regimental pattern."
Hospital.
XIV. Hospital.— I described the hospital in my report for 1874, and I reported that the
iron cots with ribbed iron bottoms that were then in use were ill adapted for the sick sepoy.
Representations were made on this point to the divisional authorities, with the result that the
iron cots were removed and were superseded by comfortable charpoys with stout tape bottoms.
Sick ness,
mortality and
invaliding.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding.— Strength of the regiment:—
Present . . .
630.6
Absent . . .
76.0
T o t a l . . .
706.6
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL
NUMBER O F
Daily
average
number
of sick.
PER CENT OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
Admis-
sions. Deaths.
Admi s-
sions. Deaths.
Daily
average
s i c k .
Head-quarters at Dinapore
and on march to Fyzabad . . . 1st Jan. 1875 31st Dec. 1875 587.7
381
1
17.5
64.8
.17
2.9
Detachment at Fyzabad . . . 22nd Oct. 1875
Ditto
228
25
. . .
3.3
56
. . .
1.4
TOTAL .. .
630.6
406
1
18.3 64.38
.16 2.90
Number of deaths in hospital 1; out of hospital 1; total 2; per cent. of total strength . . .
.2
"
invalided
. . . 1 4 ; " "
1.9
"
s e n t o n s i c k l e a v e . . . 7 ; " " . . .
.9
"
of days spent in hospital 6679; per admission 16.4; per man of total strength . . .
9.4
"
"
on sick leave 1034; per man 147.7;
"
" .
.
.
1.4
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength . . .
10.8