LAHORE DIVISION.
119
excessive. Chest complaints: most of the cases were bronchitis, 7 of phthisis occurring in men
whose constitutions had been undermined by Peshawar fever.
XVII. Principal causes of mortality. —Four deaths from fever, one complicated with
heart disease, 2 remittent fever, 1 pneumonia. Considering the number treated during the
year, the mortality was slight Five deaths occurred out of hospital—2 phthisis, 3 fever.
Principal causes of mortality.
XIX. Vaccination.—Sixty-six recruits and young sepoys were vaccinated during the
year. The regiment is well protected by vaccination.
Vaccination.
LAHORE DIVISION.
(INCLUDING THE STATIONS OF MEEAN MEER, FEROZEPORE, MOOLTAN, DHARMSALA AND BAKLOH.)
Average strength present during the year
Cavalry 755.6 Infantry 3701.8
" daily sick per cent. of average strength
„ 5.65 „
5. 39
Ratio of mortality " "
„ 1.64 „
1. 43
19th Regiment Bengal Lancers—Meean Meer.
I. Medical Officers.—Surgeon-Major G. A. Watson has been in medical
charge of the head-quarters
of the regiment throughout
the year, and supplies the
following sanitary report.
Surgeon E. Bovill was in
medical charge of the de-
tachment at Alipore from 1st
to 11th January; on the 12th
January the detachment left
by rail, and was in charge of
1st Class Hospital Assistant
Shaikh Gool Mahomed, till it
joined-head-quarters on the
20th January. Surgeon-Major H. F. Williams was in medical charge of the
detachment at Ferozepore from February 19th to September 17th; Surgeon
W. E. B. Moynan from. September 18th to November 17th; Surgeon-Major
F. Howard, R.A., from November 18th to November 30th; and Surgeon-Major
A. K. Reed from December 1st to December 31st.
II. Location and movements.—The head-quarters of the regiment were at Lucknow from
1st to 21st January; on 22nd January marched towards Meean Meer, arriving there on 27th
March; and being stationed there till the close of the year. The detachment of 1st and 2nd
troops, which had been stationed at Barrackpore and Alipore during the previous year, joined
the head-quarters at Lucknow on 20th January. A detachment of 10 men, which had preceded
the regiment to Meean Meer, went to Ferozepore on the 14th February; but these men returned
to Meean Meer on the 27th March, having been relieved by a detachment of 26 men, which left
the head-quarters of the regiment at Ludhiana on the 14th March. This detachment has
been stationed at Ferozepore from the above date to the close of the year, being only once
relieved about the end of October.
III.
Topography, &c. —Meean Meer, situated in latitude 31° 32' 55" north, and longitude
74° 24' 8" east, and 709 feet above the sea-level, on a level plain, in a dry climate, with no super
-fluous vegetation, with the free access of air from all quarters, laid out on a regular plain
and on sanitary principles, with its roads running straight and at right angles to each other,
with ample room for the accommodation of the different regiments, and numerous open unoc
-cupied spaces, and the sudder bazar well removed from the parts occupied by the troops, might
be supposed to be in every respect suitable as a site for a military cantonment, and one in which
a fair amount of good health and freedom from sickness might be reasonably expected. But
unfortunately, the experience of many years has now proved how little such expectations have
been realised. The soil consists of a very stiff clay, with kunkur firmly imbedded in it at a
depth varying from 3 to 6 or 8 feet from the surface, forming an impermeable barrier through
which the roots of trees cannot penetrate, and through which .the surface water percolates either
with difficulty or not at all. Below this, more stiff clay, without kunkur, is found for a depth
of 6 feet, then 3 or 4 feet of light, sandy clay, and below this, 12 or 13 feet of sand; beneath this,
at a depth varying from 30 to 40 feet from the surface, is the subsoil water. The natural vege
-tation of the country is very scanty, and it is only with great difficulty that trees, which
have been planted artificially, can be made to grow; they are stunted in height, and
often die off before they have attained to any size. Although great efforts have been
made to procure shade for the horses by planting -trees in the regimental lines, yet there are
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1871
Mooltan, March 1870
63.5
1.08
2.58
1872
Ditto, ditto
111.6
.44
3.16
1873
Lucknow, Feb. 1873
123.1
.43
4.49
1874
Ditto, ditto
84.07 .21
3.6
1875
Ditto ditto
104.80 .87
3.76
Average
97.41 .60
3.51
1876
Meean Meer, March 1876 208.13 1.52
6.05
Medical
Dicers.
vocation and
novements.
Topography,
&c.