208•
MEDICAL AND SANITARY' REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
EASTERN FRONTIER DISTRICT.
(INCLUDING THE STATIONS OF SHILLONG, GAUHATI, DIBRUGARH, CACHAR, JALPAIGURI AND BAXA.)
Average daily strength present during the year. . . Infantry 3,893.3
„ sick per cent, of average strength. . .5.27
Ratio of mortality
. . . 2.87
43rd Regiment (Assam) Hatibe Entantrp-Shillong.
Medical
Officers.
Location and
movements
Topography.
Meteorology.
Lines, &c.
I . M e d i c a l O f f i c e r s . -
Surgeon J.O'Brien, M.D., who has submitted the fol-
lowing report, held medical
charge of the regiment from
lstJanuary to 8thDecember.
On 9th December he pro-
ceeded to the Imperial
Assemblage at Delhi in
medical charge of the camp
of the Chief Commissioner
of Assam, and was succeed-
ed temporarily by Surgeon
E. G. Russell, who con-
tinued in charge to the end
of the year.
II. Location, and movements.-
The head-quarters, average strength 611, remained at Shillong in the Khasia Hills through-
out the year. Two detachments of 46 men each, garrisoned the stockades at Chargola
and Alinagar, outposts on the Lushai frontier in the Sylhet district, for the entire year.
These detachments are relieved every six months. A detachment of 53 men was stationed
at Jowai—a large village in the Jaintia Hills, about 35 miles east of Shillong—for the
entire year. This detachment is relieved from Shillong every three months. A detachment
of 58 men occupied the stockade atUdalgurri—an outpost on the Bhutia frontier in the Tezpur
district—during the Bhutia fair, viz., from 1st January to end of April.
III
Topography.—The physical features of the Khasia Hills in this neighbourhood has
been described in former reports. A very excellent account of the hills and their climate, by
the late Dr. Buckle, Deputy Surgeon-General of the Dacca Circle, may be found at page 32,
Bengal Army Medical Report for 1870.
IV. Meteorology.- There has been a steady and remarkable increase in the rainfall of this
station during the past three years. For the six years prior to 1874, the average rainfall was
71.8 inches per annum. For the three succeeding years, viz., 1874, 1875,1876, the average has
risen to 96.7 inches. In 1876, rain fell on 146 days, chiefly from May to September, and 95
inches were collected. As far as the sickness of the regiment was concerned, the weather exer-
cised the usual influences, viz., during the rains, fevers and affections of the bowels prevailed;
during the cold weather, rheumatism and diseases of the chest. The rapid increase in the
number of admissions for chest disease in October was due to the great difference between the
night and day temperature in that month. Whilst the heat by clay was 74° the night
temperature fell to 52°, giving the wide range of 22 degrees. Several sharp shocks of earth-
quake were felt during the year, one of unusual severity in December.
V. Lines, &c . — T h e l i n e s a t S h i l l o n g c o n s i s t o f a d o u b l e s e r i e so
f
h u t s , o n e f o r e a c h w i n g ,
standing in rows on the summits of two long, low, parallel hills. The intervening gently
sloping valley is the parade-ground. The natural drainage of the hills and of the ground in
their vicinity is good. The position of the lines is open and well exposed to the prevailing
winds. There is no jungle or rank vegetation of any kind near them. The country for a
good distance on every side is covered by short grass and is free from trees. There is no large
bazar,-no crowding of dwellings of any kind in or near the lines. Close at hand there is a
large hill stream affording an abundant supply of the purest water. On the whole, the position
is as good a one as could have been selected. To describe them more minutely, the barrack
huts are built of mud walls with thatched roofs. They stand 45 feet apart. Each hut is 45
feet long by 15 broad inside. The walls are 5 feet high; the ridge-pole 10. The air space in
each hut may accordingly be estimated at about 5,060 cubic feet. There are 48 huts for sepoys
in the lines of each wing, that is, 96 in all. From this calculation I omit the dwellings of the
native officers, subadars and jernadars. They occupy 16 huts of a better class, viz., eight in
each wing.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Death. Daily sick.
1871
Gauhati
180.5
1.4
4.4
1872
,,
169.6
2.5
5.5
1873
,,
178.5
2.9
6.1
1874
Shillong, 3rd January
141.5
3.6
6.3
1875
,,
134.86
1.57
5.31
Average
161.01
2.39
5.52
1876
Shillong
97.54
2.28
4.03