Water.
Food.
Clothing.
Boots.
Duty.
Marches.
Hospital.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding .—Strength of the regiment—
Present
.
.
. 439.15
Absent
.
.
.
61.89
Total . . .
501.4
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding.
Epidemics, &c.
Vaccination.
14
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Clothing of
recruits.
The water is stated to be of good quality and abundant, is Considered to
be free from any organic contamination, but contains a large quantity of lime.
Throughout the year the supply of food of good quality was abundant,
and no case of under-feeding has been noticed by the medical officer.
The clothing is described as being well suited to the climate, and to the
duties the men have to perform.
As reported last year, the men wear boots of the ammunition pattern,
these boots are of native manufacture, and are much too heavy ; they also fit
badly, and in this way cause foot sores, thus rendering many men ineffi
-cient. On this point Mr. Palmer thus expresses himself : "I am of opinion that
the boot is quite unsuited for the native soldier, who cannot afford to buy socks."
The recruits on joining are provided with a warm coat, and both recruits and
sepoys are obliged to provide themselves with good warm rezais ; the medical
officer considers the head dress to be neither ornamental nor useful, as it leaves
the most important part of the head quite unprotected.
The duty during the year consisted of the ordinary drills and parades,
and was not excessive. The number of nights in bed is not stated.
Beyond the marches made by the right wing to Nya Doomka, and by a
detachment to Bankipore, the regiment did not move during the year.
The hospital has been previously described, and is now reported on as
being in good repair and affording ample accommodation for the sick of the
regiment under ordinary circumstances.
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NO. OF Daily
average
number
of sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
Admi
s-sions. Deaths.
Admi
s-sions. Deaths.
Daily
average
sick.
Head Quarters at Bhagalpur 1st Jan. 1875 31st Dec. 1875 439.15
391
1
10.7
89.03 .22
2.43
Detachment at Bankipore 20th Dec. 1875
Ditto.
176.00
8
. . .
2.95 137.78
. . .
1.70
TOTAL . . .
. . .
. . .
439.15
399
1
13.2 90.86
.22 3.01
Number of deaths in hospital 1; out of hospital 0; total 1; per cent of total strength . . .
.19
" invalided . . . 21;
" " . . .
4.19
" s e n t o n s i c k l e a v e " 1 ; " " . . .
.19
" of days spent in hospital 5,207; per admission 13.05; per man of total strength. . . . 10.39
" " on sick leave 185; per man 185; " " " . . .
.36
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength . . .
10.76
Principal
causes of sick-
ness.
Principal
causes of mor
-tality.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness .—In order of frequency; the following diseases
caused the greatest loss of service during the year :—intermittent fever 139, diarrhœa 30, dysen
- t e r y 1 8 , b l i s t e r o f f e e t 2 6 , b r o n c h i a l c a t a r r h 1 5 , a n d b r o n c h i t i s 1 2 , a b s c e s s i n c e l l u l a r t i s s u e
14, ulcers 10, contusions 10. The right wing returned from Doomka in December, and
during that month there were 67 admissions.
XVII. Principal causes of mortality.—Only one death occurred at head-quarters during
the year and this was from phthisis pulmonalis. The post mortem examination revealed exten
- s i v e t u b e r c u l a r d e p o s i t s i n b o t h l u n g s ; t h e a p e x o f t h e l e f t l u n g w a s o c c u p i e d b y a c a v i t y f i l l e d
with liquified tubercle.
Recommenda
-tion.
XVIII. Epidemics, &c.—The regiment was not visited by any epidemic
disease during the year.
XIX. Vaccination .—Thirty-four men were vaccinated, and in seven only
was the operation completely successful. This result is said to be due to the fact
that most of the recruits had small-pox in early life, and on this account any
vaccination of them was quite unnecessary. The regiment is considered to be
well protected against small-pox. Several children and camp-followers were
vaccinated during the year.
XX. Recommendation .—During the whole of August, cholera and small-pox were ex
-tremely prevalent in the bazars in the immediate neighbourhood of the cantonment.
It was recommended that the sepoys should be prevented visiting the bazars as much
as possible; and that any man suffering from diarrhœa should at once proceed to the hospital ;