222 MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Principal
causes of
mortality.
Inspection.
XVII. Principal causes of mortality. —The deaths were caused as follows: —
In hospital. Out of hospital.
Drowning
2
Ague, a (Aneurism)
1
Phthisis
2
Sunstroke
1
Bronchitis (a)
1
Pneumonia
2
Pleurisy
3
Enteritis
1
Dysentery
2
Ague cake
1
Unknown
5
Total
14
7
The case of ague died suddenly of aneurism of the aorta, which burst into the pericardium.
Of the men who died out of hospital, two are supposed to be drowned in the Indus. The
causes of the deaths of the others are stated to have been as above.
Mr. Banister made his inspection of this regiment on the 2nd December,
after an unusually heavy rainfall which displayed the inefficient state of
drainage, not only in the lines of the regiment, but in all other parts
of the station. The barracks were found in good order and were never fully
occupied, owing to the number of men on duty at the outposts. The compart-
ment allotted to the sick of this regiment in the garrison hospital was unduly
crowded, although there were only 30 on the sick list, and the defects in
warming, lighting, and ventilation were duly reported. The recruits, 33 in
number, were considered to be "tolerably good, but certainly not 1st class."
Medical
Officer.
Location and
movements.
2nd Regiment, Punjab Infantrp—Dera Ismail Khan.
I. Medical Officer.—Surgeon James Duke, who held medical charge
of the regiment throughout
the year (with the excep-
tion of three months, when
absent on privilege leave),
reports as follows:—
II. Location and movements.
— T h e r e g i m e n t w a s s t a t i o n e d a t
Dera Ghazi Khan during the first
two weeks of the year, but
marched, in accordance with the
triennial relief, from that station
on 17th January 1875, arrived
at Dera Ismail Khan on 27th
January, and furnished the fol-
lowing detachments;—
Rajanpur
1st January
to
22nd January 1875
Bundowalla
ditto
„
5th February „
Hurrund and Digri
ditto
„
15th January „
Mungro ta
ditto
,,
22nd ditto „
ditto
„
24th December „
ditto
„
31st December „
Zam and Kirgi
2nd July
„
31st December
Girni, Manji, Draband
29th January
„
16th April „
Tank and Girni
5th February
„
5th March „
Sheikh Budin
24th September „
5th November „
Tank, Girni, Manji, Draband, and
Jatta
9th July
„
31st December „
YEARS.
STATIONS.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1870
Kohat, November 1868,
from Abbottabad
223.5
2.2
6.
1871
Ditto ditto
198.6
2.3
6.6
1872
Dera Ghazi Khan, Janu-
ary 1872
175.8
2.
6.1
1873
Ditto ditto
173.3
1.9
5.1
1874
Ditto ditto
194.1
1.2
4.8
Average
193.06
1.92
5.72
1875
Dera Ismail Khan, Jana-
ary 1875
131.17
2.46
4.29
Topography
and physical
geography.
Meteorology
and climate.
III. Topography and physical geography. —This subject has been entered into in previous
reports. During the past year, however, the ever-changing Indus has seriously threatened
to destroy the station. With the commencement of the rains the river rose rapidly, flooded the
surrounding country, and soon approached within half a mile of cantonments. As the water sub-
sided in September, it became evident that the course of the river had changed. The banks were
rapidly cut away, often as many as nine yards falling in during the 24 hours. The great efforts
made to check the advance of the water have been partially successful, but the banks are still
slowly being cut away and the stream flows swiftly within 200 yards of cantonments. This near
a p p r o a c h o f t h e w a t e r h a s e x c i t e d n o i l l e f f e c t o n t h e t r o o p s .
IV Meteorology and climate.— The cold during the latter half of the month of January
was very great. Ice was met with on the road-side, and during the march from Dera Ghazi