v Hindoostani sepoys,—viz., in Bengal Proper, in the Eastern Frontier District,
in the Lahore Division, and in the Peshawar District. Such has been the case
during 1875, as indeed it has been, as a rule, since the commencement of the
publication of the vital statistics of the native army.
14. It will be observed that the ratio of sickness was highest in the Pre
- s i d e n c y a n d E a s t e r n F r o n t i e r D i s t r i c t , t h e N o r t h - W e s t e r n F r o n t i e r , a n d i n t h e
Peshawar and Lahore Commands; and in each of them was above the rate of
4.03 per cent., which, in statement No. VI, is shown to have been the figure for
the entire native army.
Stations in
which sickness
was most
prevalent.
The mortality, too, was highest in the same commands, although they do
not stand in the same order as they did for sickness; and it will be observed
that the death-rate of the troops serving in them was higher than the average
— 1 . 6 3 p e r c e n t . o f s t r e n g t h f o r t h e e n t i r e a r m y d u r i n g 1 8 7 5 . T h e c o m m a n d s s t a n d
thus in order of mortality, viz., Presidency District, Peshawar District,
Eastern Frontier District, North-Western Frontier, and Lahore Division.
As to the causes of sickness, it may be briefly stated that malarious
fevers and bowel complaints have caused a large proportion of the sickness in
the Presidency and Eastern Frontier Districts, and in the Lahore and Peshawar
commands; and the same diseases have also caused a great deal of the mortality.
In addition to the prevalence of malarious fevers and bowel complaints, a
condition has been frequently met with amongst the sepoys serving in the Pre
-sidency District which has been described by some medical officers as being true
scurvy, while others consider it to be only malarious cachexia, or else an extreme
deterioration of health, induced by malarious poisoning, conjoined with an
insufficient or faulty dietary. The latter was the opinion of the Deputy Surgeon-
General of the Presidency Circle, and of the Regimental Surgeon, with regard to
some men of the 28th Regiment, Bengal Infantry, at Alipore, who were in this
state. In all the other commands the rates of sickness and mortality were
moderate, and do not call for any special remarks.
Mortality
greatest in
certain
stations.
Principal
causes of
sickness and
mortality.
1 7 . S t a t e m e n t s N o s . V I I I a n d I X e x h i b i t t h e s i c k n e s s a n d m o r t a l i t y o f
each regiment in the native army. The rate of admissions per cent. of strength
of the entire army was 128.75, but it will be seen in Statement No. VIII that
no less than 47 regiments or batteries had an admission-rate in excess of
this average, and that 41 of them were stationed in the commands alluded to
in paragraph 14.
18. Looking at Statement No. IX it will be observed that the mortality
of 43 regiments and batteries has exceeded 1.63 per cent. of strength, which
was the death-rate for the entire army during the year 1875; and that 35 of
them was stationed in the commands which I have already pointed out as being
notably unhealthy for Hindoostani sepoys.
2
Sickness and
mortality of
each regi
-ment.