XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding.—Strength of the regiment—
Presen
6 2 7 . 8 8
Absent
6 8 . 5 7
Total
6 9 6 . 4 5
Sickness, mortality and
invaliding.
105
ROHILCUND DIVISION.
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
O F
Dai l y
average
number of sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
Admi s- Deaths.
Admi s- . Deaths. Dai l y
average sick.
Head-quarters at Bereilly 1stJan.1876 31stDec. 1876 696. 45 670 2 27.02 106. 71 .32 4.30
Number of deaths in hospital 2; out of hospital 5; total .7; per cent. of total strength
1 . 0 5
„ invalided39;,.. 5 . 5 9
,sent on sick leave 18;.
2 . 5 8
„
.
,,of days spent in hospital 10 . 017; per admission .14.9; per man of total strength. 1 4 . 3 8
„on sick leave 33.32; per man.1851;„
4 . 7 7
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength 1 9 . 1 5
X V I . P r i n c i p a l c a u s e s o f s i c k n e s s . — F e v e r s
, e r u p t i v e a n d n o n - e r u p t i v e , h a v e c o n t r i b u t e d P r i n c i p a l
191 cases, of which 182 were due to agues. Affections of the alimentary canal yielded causes of
103 cases, of which 73 were due to diarrhœa and dysentery. There were 33 cases of syphilis sickness.
(primary and secondary), and, singularly enough, only one case of gonorrhœa,. There
were 29 cases of contusion, of which 22 were of the toe, and these were due to injuries
received during the tiling of the huts. Blistered feet yielded 77 cases, or 1.13 per cent. of
the total admissions.
XVIII. Epidemics.—The regiment has been happily free from any epidemic.Epidemics.
XIX. Vaccination.—On the occasion of Dr. Pearson's recent visit, I solicited a parade Vaccination.
of the regiment, and personally examining each man, was surprised to see how general was
the evidence of induced or spontaneous small-pox. The doubtful cases were vaccinated.
XX. Recommendations.—Barring the trifling notice of the bazar-well, I have had no Recommend-
occasion for any recommendations.ations.
XXI. Special observations.—I applied to Surgeon-Major J. S. Carter, of Her Majesty's 18th Special
British Infantry, for a return of his cases of blistered feet from 4th February (the date of observations.
this regiment's arrival at this station) to 31st December, a period which, cœteris paritus, would
put the two regiments on an equal footing. He kindly gave meat once the following in
-formation:—
Total admissions (one man twice)
5
Total days inefficient. .
.
101
Average strength .
.
.
623. 81
Percentage of .
..
Let me now compare his return with mine for the same period, and a marked difference will
be at once apparent—
Total admissions. .
.
.
68
Total days inefficient. 478
.
Averagestrength. .
.
626.63
.
.
Percentage of admissions. .
10.8
Whence this difference under circumstances almost similar? I believe it is simply due
to the worsted socks which the British soldier wears, and of which he has four pairs,
costing annas 11-4 per pair, or Rs. 3-9-4 per annum per man. All kinds of contrivances
for lessening the friction or pressure of the native ammunition boot have been fruitlessly
tried, and I firmly believe that nothing remains to remove the annual enormous inefficiency
from " blistered feet" but the adoption of the British regulation worsted sock.
Inspection.—The regiment was inspected by Deputy Surgeon-General Inspection..
H. M. Cannon,of the Lucknow Circle, on the 19th December 1876.
The hospital, which Dr. Cannon considers a very inferior building, was in
course of repair, but the sick for the time being were in the hospital of
the 16th Bengal Cavalry. The lines were clean and in excellent order.
As four additional barracks had been built since the previous inspection, the
accommodation was ample. All the hospital arrangements and equipment
for the comfort and treatment of the sick were in excellent order. Mr.
Cannon reports also: "I carefully examined 72 recruits, and a better
selected and more promising set of young soldiers I have seldom seen. I
could find no fault with any of them. They consist of the following castes,
viz., 20 Brahmins and Chuttries; 11 Mussulmans; 11 Koormies; 14 Aheers;
10 Goojers; 4 Jats and 2 Sikhs.
Bareilly Lock Hospital.—The hospital has been under the charge of Bareilly Lock
Surgeon Triphook,A. M. D., during the whole year. There has been a considerable Hospital.B 1
B 1