Diet.
Under-feed
ing.
xi
.
such effects upon all constitutions under its influence, as to render them more
prone to disease and less amenable to treatment."
The difficulty which, on the first introduction of the trench system, was
experienced in getting the sepoys, who are very conservative of old customs,
to resort to the latrines, appears to be gradually declining; but still these
arrangements are not quite in accordance with native ideas; thus the latrines
may be at an inconvenient distance from the lines, or they may not afford
sufficient privacy, and segregation according to caste, while in wet weather
the ground inside of them is, without doubt, both disgusting and offensive.
It is nevertheless probable that the "trench system," with certain
improvements in the construction of the screens, and with a sufficient staff of
sweepers in attendance, is perhaps the most economical and suitable for the
requirements of a large body of men; while permanent latrines, on the "dry-
earth" system, with a plentiful supply of the dry deodorizing material, under
constant and careful supervision, in order to ensure the immediate removal
of the excreta and the cleansing of the floors in case of defilement, have also
been found to answer very well for hospital use. At all events the effective
working of either system can only be ensured by keeping up a sufficient
number of sweepers under due supervision.
Difficulty
in getting
sepoys to use
latrines is
gradually
being over
-come.
The "trench
system." "Dry-earth
" system.
The disposal of the sewage of Fort William, regarding wh ich there has
been a great difference of opinion, is likely to be finally and satisfactorily
arranged for by connecting the drains with the municipal sewers. If this
scheme is carried out, the pollution of the river, and the deposit of sewage
mud along its foreshore, both above and below the point of discharge, will be
prevented; but it will remain to be seen whether the diversion of the Fort
sewage from the river will lessen the number of cholera cases amongst the
shipping population. My conviction is that it will be an unimportant
factor.
The latrine used by the men of the 4th Bengal Cavalry, at Meerut, was
divided into sections for the different castes, and by this means, it is said that its
unpopularity as a regimental institution was lessened. The trench latrine
system has been introduced for the first time in the station of Dibrugarh, and
promises to be a great sanitary success.
Disposal of
the sewage of
Fort William.
Latrine of the
4th B. C.
34. The water-supply in general use by the native army may be considered
to have been of fairly good quality and abundant; and, with few exceptions,
there is no evidence to prove that sickness resulted from its use. The principle
seems to be now fairly established that the best water should be preserved for
drinking purposes; that all chances of its defilement from outside sources should
be avoided; and that, in any doubtful cases of its purity, it should be treated by
filtration or boiling before being used for drinking purposes.
Water-supply
During the latter half of the year, the regiments at Barrackpore were
supplied with pipe water, and this was a great sanitary im provement, as the
tank water which had been previously consumed was considered to be of very
doubtful purity. In the 28th Regiment, Punjab Native Infantry, at Alipore, and
the 39th Regiment, Native Infantry, at Barrackpore, the medical officers consi- Bowel coin-
dered that diarrhœa and dysentery were caused by the use of tank water, and
it would seem there has been a marked diminution in the number of these
cases since the use of pipe water was commenced.
-
tank water.
Regiments at
Barrackpore
supplied with
pipe water.
At Peshawar, the water in use by some of the regiments was considered to
be very impure; thus it is reported that the water consumed by the men of the
30th Regiment, Native Infantry, was taken from the Bara river, which is believed
to contain a great quantity of organic impurities, both animal and vegetable.
35. The various articles of the sepoys' diet were, as a rule, plentiful, cheap,
and of good quality, and were closely supervised by the regimental authori
-ties. There is evidence that cases of under-feeding occasi onal l yc a m e u n d e r
observation; thus, in the 10th Regiment, Native Infantry, stationed at Barrack-
pore, it is reported that under-feeding, or at all events, improper feeding, might at
one time be said to have been almost universally prevalent in the regiment. In
the 38th Regiment, Native Infantry, it is stated that many of the men are of the
" Bhagat" class,—that is to say, men who, by a religious vow, abstain from
taking meat and other necessary articles of diet, and when such men came to
hospital they rapidly succumbed to disease.
Bad water
supply at
Peshawar.