Drainage.
Water-supply
.
Diet.
Clothing.
Duty .and
employment.
Exercises, &c.
Marches and
service.
Hospital.
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding.
2
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
for a current of air entering at one end of the room may pass out by the first ventilator and
leave the air in the rest of the room stagnant. The construction of the Fort, however, does not
permit of the necessary openings being made in the bomb-proof barrack.
VI. Drainage.—The drainage of the fort is described as being good, and
the conservancy arrangements as being carefully attended to.
VII. Water-supply.—The water has been of good quality. Surgeon Bovill
remarks that the faults in the system of its supply have been—1st, that there
is a double supply, viz., that from the municipal works for cooking and
drinking purposes; and the Fort supply from tanks on the glacis for bathing,
washing, &c.; 2nd, that the supply of drinking-water is not constant; and
3rd, that the taps for both kinds of water are in some instances close
together.
IX. Diet.—The articles of food supplied from the regimental bazar have been good
during the year. Milk is dear; sometimes six seers the rupee for good milk, and this is no doubt
a hardship for men who can take hardly anything else as animal food. Meat is fairly cheap,
but this affects only the smaller part of the regiment. Vegetables are cheap. With few excep
- t i o n s , t h e m e n a r e w e l l n o u r i s h e d ; s o m e o f t h e s e a r e d u e t o d y s p e p s i a , a n d o t h e r s , a m o n g s t
the recruits, to poverty; but there is no general under-feeding. Compensation for dearness
of provisions has varied from about Rs. 2 to Rs. 2-12 a month during the year. The fact
of a sufficient sum having been expended to entitle them to draw compensation is supposed
to be proved by reference to the bunniah's books, but any such reference is simply a farce,
the only criterion being the condition of the men.
X. Clothing—Is good and well suited to season and duty. English ammunition boots
are generally worn, and are preferred by the men on account of their being cheaper in the
end and wearing longer. . Sore feet have not been numerous, although the boots are generally
worn too large. Any suggestions of good boots and socks are Utopian, as there appears
no possibility of carrying them out, the expense being too great. (Dr. Parkes says that
native troops should always wear sandals.) The men are well provided with clothing and
bedding.
XI. Duty and employment.—The usual routine of guards and parades. The duty has been
heavy, 7.31 nights in bed for the year, the lowest being 3.39 nights in bed for the week.
XII. Exercises, amusements and occupation.—Some of the men practise club exercise,
wrestling and other athletic exercises, but there is no general tendency in the regiment to
cultivate such amusements.
XIII. Marches and service.—The only move made during the year was from the camp on
the maidan into the Fort on the 22nd January. During the musketry season, one company at
a time goes to Dum-Dum for target practice.
XIV. Hospital.— T h e
h o s p i t a l h a s b e e n d e s c r i b e d i n D r . C o w i e ' s r e p o r t o f t h e 3 7 t h
Regiment for 1872, and has not been altered since ; repairs have been carried out during the
year. A covering of Portland cement has been laid down on the floor of the smaller building
occupied as an hospital by the 16th Regiment, Native Infantry. The out-houses of this building
are, as before, quite inadequate for the hospital establishment; they are deficient in number, and
do not contain accommodation equal to that shewn in the standard plan. This subject has
been frequently brought forward, but this year plans and estimates have been prepared for eight
additional quarters, and it is hoped that they will be sanctioned and erected during the
ensuing year. Bedding and clothing are provided by the men, and they are good, sufficient,
and clean.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding.—Strength of the regiment—
Present
640. 32
Absent
63. 91
Total
704. 23
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NUM B E R o f
Daily
average
number of sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
Admis- sions. Deaths.
Admis- sions. Deaths. D a i l y
average sick.
Head.quarters—Fort William 1st Jan.
31st Dec.
640.32 827
9 27.52 129.15 1.40 4. 29
Number of deaths in hospital 1; out of hospital 8; total 9; per cent of total strength
1.27
" invalided 27" " 3.83
" sent on sick leave 36; " "
5.11
" of days spent in hospital 10,106; per admission 12.22; per man of total strength 14. 35
" " on sick leave 4,785 per man 132.91
" " 6.79
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
21. 14