Amusements
off duty.
Marches and
service.
148
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Climate.
Lines, &c.
Diet.
Clothing.
Duties.
went into camp not far from Sufdar Jung's tomb. The country passed through
from Mooltan as far as Gunda Singwulla appears to have been a barren and
desolate tract, and bore marks of recent inundation in some places; a detour
was made in order to avoid going through Ferozepore, where there had been a
few cases of cholera.
IV. Climate .—The meteorological table in the annual return shows that the temperature at
Mooltan this year, from 1st January to 20th October (when regiment marched), was not so high as
it has been in former years; but owing to the usual scarcity of rain during the first eight mouths,
it was felt intensely by the European community. The lowest temperature noted in regi
-mental hospital at Mooltan was 4 2° o n 2 n d F e b r u a r y a t 6 A . M . T h e a t m o s p h e r e o f t h e
hospital at night during the first two months of the year was far too low for the successful
treatment of chest diseases, owing to the absence of fire-places (these, however, have been at
length sanctioned in time to benefit the sick in hospital of the regiment which succeeded the
31st Native Infantry at that station). Rain was unusually scarce for the first eight months of
t he year. In Sept ember, however, 1. 57 i nches were col l ect ed at t he observat ory; t hi s fel l on
six days during that month, and soon afterwards intermittent fever cases began to come into
hospital. The whole amount of rain collected this year during the first nine months was only
3.67 inches, as compared with 12.04 inches which fell during those months in 1874. A few
drops only fell during October; and from 20th October (date of marching from Mooltan) up to
31st December no rain fell in the localities in which the regiment was encamped. The greatest
extremes of temperature between day and night were felt from 20th October to end of Novem
-ber, owing to the men, being under canvas, not having their huts to shelter them from cold at
night or the shade of the lines to protect them from the direct rays of the midday sun. The
cold at night under canvas at Camp of Exercise was felt severely, and several cases of chest dis
-ease, occurring as a consequence, were sent to the General Hospital at Hindoo Rao's house for
shelter warmth and treatment.
V. Lines, &c.—The regimental lines at Mooltan have been described in
former reports, as has also their drainage and conservancy. The drainage and
conservancy of the camp at Delhi was closely attended to. The Medical Officer
reports that the water met with at the camping grounds during the first few
days of the march was very sedimentary.
Diet .—The diet was of the usual description, and it is stated that
plenty of fresh vegetables were procurable on the line of march and at the
camp.
X. Clothing.— I have no further remarks to make with regard to clothing besides those in
last year's report. On the march from Mooltan to Delhi and at the camp, the officers and
men usually wore kakee coats over their warm clothing as a protection against dust, &c. The
men were allowed to wear their native shoes whilst on the line of march, and this undoubtedly
prevented the number of admissions for foot-sore from rising to so high a figure as it would have
been if European-shaped boots had been worn.
XI. Duties .—The duties of the men have been invariably light during the whole year.
Number of nights in bed:—havildars 20.41, naiks 6.62, sepoys 8.67.
Hospital.
Sickness,
mortality, and
invaliding.
XII. Amusements off duty.—Remarks as in former reports. Several of the native officers
and men were successful as shikarees during the line of march.
XIII. Marches and service (route to Delhi, 1875).—The head-quarters of the regiment re
-mained under canvas in this locality during the remainder of the year 1875. The Cawnpore
Depôt detachment (135 strong), including the entire sick of the whole regiment, was detached
at the Cabul Gate, Delhi, and marched towards Cawnpore on 7th December 1875. There
being no serious cases amongst the 18 sick men sent with the depôt detachment to Cawnpore,
the 2nd Hospital Assistant, Shew Persaud, was sent in medical charge of them. No deaths
occurred during the march of the detachment to Cawnpore, and it reached that station by the
1st January 1876.
Hospital.—The hospital at Mooltan has been fully described in former reports. It
was improved in March last by the construction of fire-places, which, however, has only been
for the benefit of the regiment which relieved the 31st Native Infantry. On the march and at
the Camp of Exercise, the regulation sepoys' páls were used as a hospital, but at the Camp of
Exercise all cases of sickness requiring warmth and shelter were sent to the General Hospital,
Native Troops, at Hindoo Rao's house, Delhi. Two cases of pueumonia and one of bronchial
catarrh were sent from the regimental head-quarters' tents to General Hospital, Delhi, for
treatment and shelter during December 1875; all the other sick at head-quarters of regiment
during that month were treated in the regimental hospital tent. One of these two cases of
pneumonia in General Hospital died on 24th December; the other two were transferred direct
from General Hospital to Cawnpore by railway in a state of convalescence.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding .—Strength of the regiment
Present . . .
613.80
Absent . . .
93.77
Total . . .
707.57