PUNJAB FRONTIER FORCE.
173
with those of the preceding year, consequently the outpost sick returns contrast favourably
with those of the regiment at large.
IV. Meteorology and climate.—The climate of Abbottabad has been previously described,—
vide reports for 1871, 1872, 1873, and 1874.
Meteorology
&c.
V. Lines and barracks.— No changes worthy of special comment have been made either
in the barracks or married quarters since the submission of last year's report.
Lines and
barracks.
VI. Drainage, conservancy, &c. —The condition of the station and regiment, with reference
to drainage, conservancy, water-supply, diet and clothing, is practically unaltered. During
the year 1876, grain and other supplies were abundant and were generally obtainable at cheap
rates. With reference to clothing, I have often, on previous occasions, dwelt upon the advisa
-bility of providing young native recruits with free kits on enlistment.
Drainage,
conservan
cy,
&c.
X. Clothing.—The subject has also been noticed by many others interested in the welfare
of the native soldier. A concession of this nature would add materially to the comfort and
efficiency of the young recruit, and would enable him to begin his new career free from the
debts and embarrassments with which he is now hampered.
Clothing.
XI.
Duty.—The regiment being stationary, duty was light, and the number of nights in
bed never fell below 5 in 7. The nature and extent of detachment and escort duty have
already been noticed in paragraph II.
Duty.
XII. Exercise and amusements.—As in previous reports.
Exrcise.
XIV. Hospital. —I mentioned last year that Government had sanctioned a project for
heating the wards of the station hospital at Abbottabad by means of hot air flues. This,
however, has fallen through, and the contemplated alterations have not been carried out.
Thick purdahs have been provided for the inner doors, and with these and the aid of large fires,
the wards are rendered habitable during the winter months.
Hospital.
Sickness,
mortality and
Present
628.08
Absent
123.59
Total
751.67
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Daily
average
number
of sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
T o
A d m i s -
s i o n s .
Deaths.
A d m i s -
s i o n s . Deaths.
Daily
average
sick.
Head-quarters at Abbottabad 1st Jan. 1876 31st Dec. 1876 604.39 767
1 25.43 126.90 .16 4 . 2 0
Detachment at Ughi
240 days.
36.
10
. 2 9 43.47
.80
TOTAL
623.08 777
1 25.63 123.71 .15 4.08
Number of deaths in hospital 1; out of hospital 3; total 4; per cent. of total strength
.53
„ invalided 33; „ „
4.39
„ sent on sick leave 4;„ „
.53
„ of days spent in hospital 9,381; per admission 12.07; per man of total strength
1 2 . 4 7
„ „ on sick leave 276; per man 69; „ „
.36
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
1 2 . 8 4
Abbottabad did not enjoy complete exemption from the widely spread epidemic influences
which appear to have been in operation over most of the Punjab during the past year, but the
statistics of the foregoing table prove that it was not seriously affected by them. It escaped
cholera in toto, and in comparison with other places, suffered but slightly from fevers.
It seems possible that the salubrity of Abbottabad and the immunity which it has of late
years enjoyed from severe outbreaks of fever, may be partly due to the influence of the
Eucalyptus, or Australian gum tree, which is now growing freely in the gardens and compounds
of the civil and military stations. These trees, of which there are several varieties, including
the blue gum, were first introduced in 1866, and their growth has been so rapid that many
of them have already attained the dimensions of forest trees, being upwards of 100 feet in
height. Here they thrive in a poor, well-drained soil, and are daily increasing both in number
and size. If the blue gum tree really possesses the virtues attributed to it by French writers
and observers, its influence in checking malaria should soon be perceptible in Abbottabad.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness. —Fevers occasioned 427, and diseases of digestive
system 85 admissions, in contrast with 299 of the former and 47 of the latter in the preceding
year. These figures demonstrate the nature and extent of the increase of sickness. On the
Punjab frontier, intermittent fever is the great factor of admissions, and diseases of the
respiratory system of mortality. Respiratory diseases during the past year occasioned
only 26 admissions against 47 from the same class of disease in 1875, and this at once indicates
the main cause of a, diminished death-rate.
Principal
causes of
sickness.
XVII. Principal causes of mortality.—The deaths from all causes were considerably below the
average. One man only died in hospital, and the cause of his death was enteric fever. Three
men died away from the regiment, one from congestion of spleen and two from cholera.
Principal
c a u s e s o f m o r t a l i t y .
T1