XV. Sickness, mortality, and invaliding.—Strength of the regiment:—
Present
641.97
Absent
85.26
Total
727.23
Sickness,
mortality, and
invaliding.
200
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Clothing.
Marches and
service.
Hospital
The clothing was considered suitable to the climate and to the nature of
the duties the men had to perform. During the march to and from Delhi and
while at the camp, only a small number of footsores were observed, and this,
Mr. Battersby observes, "shows how admirably adapted the native chuplis and
shoee are for such work."
X I I I . M a r c h e s a n d s e r v i c e .—
T h e r e g i m e n t d i d n o t p r o c e e d o n a c t i v e s e r v i c e d u r i n g t h e
year. The only lengthened march was made by the head-quarters of the regiment (with a
strength of 520 men) to the camp of exercise at Delhi. This march occupied from 18th Octo-
ber to 9th December. The distance travelled was 550 miles (more than 510 miles of this
distance along the Grand Trunk Road). The longest march made was 19.4 miles and the
shortest 8, the average being a little more than 11 miles. The hour of starting was
usually between 4 and 5 A.M. The accommodation in camp was ample, and the arrangements
were uniformly good. The camping grounds were good with two or three exceptions,—between
Umballa and Delhi, which were dirty from frequent previous occupation; and that at Guzerat,
which was wet and swampy. No rains fell during the march, and the weather was pleasant,
though somewhat cold at nights towards the latter part of the journey.
XIV. Hospi t al .— T h e h o s p i t a l a t A b b o t t a b a d — a c u t - s t o n e b u i l d i n g u s e d b y t h e e n t i r e
garrison—is very undesirably situated and ill-planned; the wards are cold, and the accommoda-
tion quite insufficient. The two wards assigned to this regiment can only accommodate 20
patients, and the consequence is, that cold and draughty verandahs, quite unsuitable for the
purpose, have to be utilized for the sick whenever room for a larger number is required. New
latrines for the use of the sick have been erected this year and were much wanted.
Principal
causes of
sickness.
.
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL
NUMBER
OF
D a i l y a v e r a g e n u m b e r s i c k .
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
A d m i s s i o n s .
D e a t h s .
A d m i s s i o n s .
Deat hs.
D a i l y a v e r a g e s i c k .
Head-quarters at Abbotta-
bad
1st January
17th October
585.26 442 11 28.14
9 5 . 0 8 2.36 4.80
" en route to Delhi 18th October
9th December
519.12
8 0 . . . 10.21
106.12 ...
1.96
" a t D e l h i 10th December 31st December
519.09
33
. . . 18.56 105.35
...
3.57
Detachment at Haripur 2nd January
5th February
35
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
" " Ughi
2nd February
9th March
53
7
. . .
1.2 133.83 ...
2.26
" " Haripur
2nd March
5th April
35
...
... ...
...
...
...
" " Ughi
2nd April
8th May
53
9 ...
. 8 7 167.7
...
1.64
" " Haripur
1st May
5th June
35
...
... ...
...
. . .
. . .
" " Ughi
2nd June
8th July
53
7
. . .
. 2 8 119.07 ...
.48
" " Ughi
25th June
Ditto
105
" " Haripur
3rd July
8th August
35
...
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
" " Ughi
3rd August
7th September
81
4 ...
. 6 2 49.48 ...
.76
" " Abbottabad 18th October
31st December
210.25
33 ... 13.60 76.35 ...
6.47
" o n e s c o r t d u t y 22nd April
6th May
6 1
. . . . . . ...
. . .
. . .
. . .
T O T A L
...... ......
641.97 615 11 20.99 95.79 1.71 3.27
umber of deaths in hospital 11; out of hospital 1; total 12; per cent. of total strength
1.65
" invalided 30; " "
4.12
" sent on sick leave 6 ; " "
. 8 2
" of days spent in hospital 8,114; per admission 13.19; per man of total strength
11.15
" " on sick leave 568; per man 94 . 6; " "
0.78
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
11.93
Out of the 615 admissions during the year, 270 were from fevers 62 from respiratory
diseases (including 33 from pneumonia), 60 from skin diseases, 44 from diarrhœa and dysentery,
26 from, mouth and stomach diseases, 17 from venereal affections, and 73 from contusions,
injuries wounds. &c.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness.—The health of the regiment during the first three
months of the year was very bad, owing to the continued prevalence of pneumonia; but as the
weather became warmer, and the men recovered from the effects of the numerous attacks of fever
from which they suffered at Dera Ghazi Khan in the previous year, this disease disappeared.