249
EASTERN FRONTIER DISTRICT.
XI. Duties.—The duties were not excessive, the number of nights in bed being 5.93.
XII. Exercise and Amusements. — W i t h t h e e x c e p t i o n o f t h e o r d i n a r y d u t i e s , t h e s e p o y s
did not take much exercise. In the akhárá or native gymnasium, many of the men practised
wrestling, the use of the clubs, single stick, &c. Situated as it is, Baxa does not offer many
inducements to the sepoy for out-door exercise. Foot races, athletic games and foot-ball were
occasionally got up by the European officers for the benefit of the men.
XIII. Marches.—The regiment marched from Baxa on the afternoon of November 24th,
and arrived at Calcutta on December 23rd, where it was detained for duty until the end of the
year. During the march there were a great many cases of ague, dysentery and diarrhœa, all
of which might be attributed to the damp night air to which the men were exposed, as well
as to the drinking water, which was not always of the purest quality.
XIV. Hospital.—Previously described. 100 feet long by 24½ feet wide; accommodates 40
men, but is altogether insufficient for the wants of the regiment. An additional hospital for 40
men should be constructed. A new bath-room is now attached to the hospital, but it does not
appear to be popular with the men.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding. —Strength of the regiment—
Present
582.78
A b s e n t
8 4 . 3 4
Total
667
Duties.
Exercise and
amusements.
Marches.
Hospital.
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding.
S T A T I O N .
PERIOD
Strength.
TOTAL No. OF Dail
y average
number of si ck.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
From
To
Admis-
sions. Deaths
Admis- sions.
Deaths Dail
y average
si ck.
Baxa Dooar
1st Jany. 1875 31st Dec. 1875 582.78 798 7 31.71 136. 9
1.2 5.44
Number of deaths in hospital, 7; out of hospital, 4; total 11; per cent. of total strength
1. 64
" invalided 47; " "
7. 04
" sent on sick leave 35; " "
5.24
" of days spent in hospital, 11,014; per admission, 13.8; per man "
16.51
" " o n s i c k l e a v e , 3 , 2 6 1 ; p e r m a n , 9 3 . 1 7 ; " "
4. 88
Total temporary loss of service per man
21.39
XVI. Principal causes of sickness. —The principal causes of sickness are given in the
following table, and are compared with the previous year:—
Principal
causes of
sickness.
A g u e . Dy s e n t r y .
W o u n d o f l o w e r e x - t r e n i t y .
D i a r r h œ a .
G o i t r e .
B l i s t e r o f f e e t . D e b i l i t y . F l y b i t e . A b s e e s s .
C o n t u s i o n o f l o w e r e x - t r e m i t y .
H e r p e s . H e m e r a l o p i a . D y s p e p s i a .
C o n j u n c t i v i t i s .
B r o n c h i t i s . P l e u r i s y . B r o w a g u e .
S c u r v y .
O t h e r d i s e a s e s .
T O T A L .
1 5 a 466 1 1 7 7 4 8 4 2 8 0 1 1 4 8 9 0 5 9 0 0 8 1 9 1 1 1 5 8 4 1 1 6 2 4 6 0 1 1 1 3 0 6 a 3 3 1 1 0 1 b 5 4
1 8 7 5
2 2 0
116 83 45 43
4 1
37 35 26 15 14 11 10 10 9 6 6 4 100 831
1 8 7 4 251 55 46 35 52 18 53 71 18 16 2
4 10 8 8 2 15 241 905
The prevalence of ague may be attributed to the proximity of the terai, and to the
sudden alternation of temperature. The large number of cases of dysentery and diarrhœa
might be attributed to the same causes, as well as to a deficiency in the diet of the sepoy.
Goitre, blisters of the feet, fly-bite and scurvy have been less than in the previous year. For
the prevention of goitre, instructions were given to the men regarding the water for drinking;
but in no case do they appear to have been carried out. The diminution in the number of cases
of scurvy was due in a great measure to a supply of lime juice having been served out every
day, and an endeavour to induce the men to eat vegetables when they could be procured.
The majority of cases of debility were those of men above 15 years' service, candidates for
the pension lists. Two men who had completed their service for pension, but who were in
every way fit for further duty, were convicted of malingering, and dismissed the service by
sentence of court-martial. One of them feigned complete blindness of the right eye, and was
sent before the invaliding committee, but did not pass; the other complained of impaired vi
-sion, and was a long time under treatment before the deception was detected. Many of this re
-giment consist of the Bhagat class, men who, by a religious vow, abstain from meat and other
articles of diet. When such men come to hospital, they rapidly succumb to disease; and on
active service they would be an encumbrance to a regiment. Their physique is generally bad;
and it might be in the interest of the State to limit the number of such men as recruits for
the Native army. The Aheer is another caste that do not turn out good soldiers. Since the
Malingering.
N 2