236
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Medical
_Officers.
42nd Regiment (Assam) Light Infantry—Gauhati.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER. CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions.
Deaths.
Daily sick.
1870
Dibrugarh
159.07
1.6
4.1
1871
Ditto
146.08
1.8
3.5
1872
Ditto
197.02
5.8
4.6
1873
Ditto
144.05
1.4
3.5
1874
Gauhati, April 1874
112.02
4.9
3.4
Average
152.01
3.1
3.8
1875
Gauhati
143.67
1.78
4.47
I. Medical Officers.—
Names.
Distribution.
From
To
Surgeon-Major J. B. White
Head-Quarters, Duffla Field Force
1-1-75
18-2-75
Surgeon J. Wilson, M.D.
Head-Quarters, Naga Field Force
19-2-75
16-4-75
Head Quarters, Gauhati
17-4-75
31-12-75
Surgeon E. G. Russell, M.B.
Regimental Depôt
1-1-75
16-4-75
Medical Officer (Civil), Tezpur
Detachment, Tezpur
1-1-75
31-12-75
Medical Officer (Civil), Nowgong
Nowgong
1-1-75
31-12-75
Hospital Assistant
„ Naga Escort (Survey).
23-11-75
31-12-75
Location and
movements.
Topography ,
physical
geography,
&c.
Surgeon J. Wilson M.D., has written this sanitary report.
II. Location and movements.— (a.) Regimental depôt at Gauhati until joined by head
-
quarters, 17th April 1875.
(b.) The head-quarters of the regiment served in the Duffla campaign until the 19th
February 1875. It was then divided into two portions: one, consisting of the healthiest men, pro-
ceeded on the Naga expedition; the remainder went, on the breaking up of the Duffla Field
Force, to Tezpur.
(c.) The above-mentioned portion of the head-quarters detachment of the Duffla Field Force
proceeded to the Naga Hills on active service, being joined en route by a portion of the Tezpur
detachment, so as to make up the strength to 252 men. They finally rejoined the depôt at
Gauhati on 17th April 1875.
(d.) The Tezpur detachment left that place on 14th February 1875, and, parting with a
portion to the Naga force (head-quarters), arrived at Gauhati on 27th February 1875. They
were replaced at Tezpur by the remnant from the Duffla Force on the 26th February, and this
detachment was again relieved in September. The detachment is relieved yearly in September.
(e.) The detachment at Nowgong was relieved in September—yearly relief.
(f.) An escort for the survey party in the Naga Hills (154 men) started on 23rd Novem-
ber 1875, to remain there during the cold weather 1875 and 1876.
(g. ) There was also a small detachment at the Oodulguri fair of 50 men in February and
March. There was no record. of sickness kept of these, but there was no mortality.
III. Topography, physical geography, &c.—The topography of the station of
Gauhati and the surrounding country has been fully described on previous
occasions. The following sanitary defects militate against the health of the
troops. The station and cantonments are placed in the centre of a low swampy
tract of ground below the high flood level of the Brahmapootra, and receiving
the drainage of the range of low hills to the south. The cantonments are
liable to be inundated during the months of July, August, September, and
part of October, and in no part is the subsoil water a greater depth than
one or two feet from the surface. The alteration effected in the out-flow of
the water from the swamp to the south of the station has had no influence in
relieving the cantonments from the flood-water of the rains. There are, it is
stated, two tanks which are particularly objectionable,—one in the centre of
the lines, a mere reservoir for drainage; and the other at the north-west corner
of cantonments close to the cemetery.