NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT
OF THE
NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL
FOR THE YEAR
1875.
[The Regiments are placed as they stood in the Army List on the 1st July 1875.]
PRESIDENCY DISTRICT.
(INCLUDING THE STATIONS OF FORT WILLIAM, ALIPORE, DUM-DUM, BARRACKPORE, BHAGALPUR,
AND DORANDA.)
Bengal Troops.
Madras Troops.
Average daily strength present during the year . . .
Infantry 3118.2
Infantry 607
Average daily sick per cent. of average strength . . .
" 6.69
" 1 . 5 1
Ratio of mortality per cent. of average strength . . .
" 2 . 6 8
" .93
37th (The Meerut) Regiment Aatibe Infantrn, Fort William.
Medical Officers .—Surgeon J. C. G. Carmichael held charge of the regiment
from 1st January to 4th Sep
-
tember, when he was relieved
by Surgeon J. Armstrong,
who remained with the regi
-
ment from 5th September to
11th November. Surgeon
Carmichael again held charge
of the regiment from 12th
November to 8th December,
and Surgeon G. A. Ranking,
by whom the Sanitary Report
has been submitted, was in
charge from the 9th to the
31st of December.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1870 . . .
R. W. Bhagalpur, L. W.
Dinapore, November
1869
82.1
.57
3.15
1871 . . .
Ditto ditto . . .
102.2
1.59
4.21
1872 . . .
Fort William, November
1872.
118.8
3.43
3.69
1873 . . .
Ditto ditto . . .
154.9
2.04
4.84
1874 . . .
Ditto ditto . . .
110.7
1.47
5.18
A v e r a g e . . .
113.74
1.82
4.21
1875 . . .
Fort William . . .
104.96
1.87
5.69
Medical
Officers.
As described in the Report for 1873, the barracks are good and in thorough repair
with the exception of the rampart barracks, the ventilation of which is insufficient, and the
drainage good and effective.
Barracks.
Drainage.
Appears to be satisfactory, except when the Hooghly is flooded.
The hospital latrine answers admirably and deserves great attention as a model
of hygiene under difficulties of no small degree. The system of the latrines in the Fort
is radically bad and unscientific, and must be a most fruitful source of disease ; the dry
-
earth system, if it were once introduced and fairly set on foot, would prove a sure means of
safely disposing of the sewage. The urinals (if they can be called such) at the back of the
rampart barracks call for the most unqualified condemnation, they are invariably filthy, as
the urine is only about half discharged into the receptacles and, lies about decomposing, and
giving rise to most offensive and deleterious emanations. This appears to me a state of affairs
easily remediable by the simple provision of covered places divided by partitions, so as to give
the sepoy that privacy, to gain which, each man selects a different spot to pass urine.
Water-supply, &c .—The water is described as being supplied from the mun
i-
cipal pipes, and was of good quality and abundant. The regimental bazar was
Latrines.
Urinals.
Water-supply,
&c.
Inspection.
Medical
charge.
Hospital.
16
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Sickness, mor
-tality and
i n - v a l i d i n g .
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding—Strength of the right wing—
Present
.
.
. 258.53
Absent
.
.
.
Nil
Total . . . 258.53
Fever.
STATION.
PERIOD
Strength.
TOTAL NO. OF.
Daily
average
number of
sick.
PERCENT OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
Admis-
sions. Deaths.
Admis-
sions.
D e a t h s . Daily
average
sick.
Right wing 4th Regiment
N. I. at Nya Doomka . . . 2nd April . . . 7th Dec. 1875 258.53
262
1
11.23 141.05
.53 4.34
Number of deaths in hospital 1; out of hospital 1; total 2 ; per cent. of total strength . . . 0.77
" i n v a l i d e d . . . 1 2 ; " . . .
4.65
" s e n t o n s i c k l e a v e . . . 7 ; " . . .
2.71
" of days spent in hospital 2,948; per admission 11.25; per man of total strength . . . 11.40
" " on sick leave 973; per man 139; " . . . 3 .76
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength . . . 15.16
Almost all the admissions into hospital are said to have been from fever.
Only one death occurred in hospital and was caused by pleurisy; one man died
while at his home on sick leave.
33rd Regiment, Madras Native Infantry, at Doranda.
Dr. Irving, Deputy Surgeon-General of the Dinapore Circle, made his
inspection of the hospital and lines of this regiment on the 9th February 1876.
Surgeon C. Lloyd, M. D., of the Madras Medical Department, was in
medical charge.
Dr. Irving report that he found every thing connected with the hospital
in excellent order and scrupulously clean; all the details for the proper treat
-
ment of the sick were very satisfactory. Since the last inspection, the wooden
doors had been replaced by glass windows, and a new pucca floor had been laid
down. There were ten patients in hospital, none of them being seriously ill.
The average strength present of the regiment at head-quarters was
607, and furnished 226 admissions into hospital, and 4 deaths; the daily average
number of daily sick was only 9 . 2, and, in Dr. Irving's opinion, indicated what
a healthy station Dorundah must be. As compared with former years, the
sickness in the regiment has been as follows:—
Admissions. Daily average sick.
Deaths.
1872 . . .
149
5.8
5
1873 . . .
142
5.6
5
1874 . . .
270
18.02
3
1875 . . .
226
9.2
4
Conservancy,
&c.
The conservancy arrangements, although slightly improved by the in
-
troduction of gumlahs and dry earth into the privies in the hut enclosures,
were still highly objectionable, and the drains leading from these enclosures are
described as being ”very filthy and odoriferous." Dr. Irving remarks that he
"cannot see why all these filthy privies should not be forbidden, and the men
a well as the women ordered to resort to properly constructed places for the
purpose at some short distance from the lines to which mehtranees and
sweepers should be attached." He also considers it very necessary that a
Crowley's conservancy cart should be supplied to the regiment at Doranda, as it
could be utilized not only for the hospital, but also for the whole of the regi
-
mental lines.
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Hospital.
Medical
charge.
that they liked to be able to look out and see what was going on. At Darjee
-
ling, where there is a lock-hospital, the diseased prostitutes are located at one
end of the police hospital, which is on a hill side and is not enclosed, and
the women, when it suits them, wander into the contiguous bazaar without let
or hindrance."
The hospital details were in excellent order, and everything was clean and
orderly. On the day of inspection there were no patients in hospital. There
were but 33 prostitutes on the register, and they furnished 72 admissions into
hospital; the average strength of the European troops being 108 men. These
figures, it is stated, shew greatly improved results over those of former years.
Dr. E. A. Birch, Civil Surgeon of Hazareebaugh, was in charge during the
year. He states that, "practically, the Act is only enforced in the town and
cantonment, though nominally an area of five miles is included."
GWALIOR DISTRICT
(INCLUDING THE STATIONS OF MORAR AND JHANSI).
Average daily strength present during the year . . .
Cavalry 365.3 Infantry 1,947.5
Average daily sick per cent, of average strength . . .
3.12
3.70
Ratio of mortality per cent. of the average strength
.87
1.57
6th Regiment Bengal Cavalry—morar.
Medical
Officer.
Location and
movements.
Conservancy
and latrines.
I. Medical Officer .—Surgeon-Major G. Barnard has been in medical charge
of the regiment throughout
the year, and the following
information has been ex
-
tracted from his annual
Sanitary Report.
II. Location and move
-
ments .—The head-quarters
of this regiment were sta
-
tioned at Morar from the 1st
January to the 9th Novem
-
ber, on which latter date the
regiment marched to join
the Camp of Exercise at
Delhi.
VII. Conservancy and latrines .—Trenches with movable screens were in
use and are stated to have answered well, but in the rains the trenches require
to be dug in drained land, and the screens should be on broad wheels, and
have some protection from the rain at top.
No special remarks are called for as regards the water-supply, diet, cloth
-
ing, duty, or exercise.
YEARS.
STATIONS.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1870 . . . Cawnpore, December
1867, from Sialkot.
126
. 4 3.8
1871 . . .
Ditto ditto . . .
78.9
. 4 2.5
1872 . . . Morar, February 1872 . . .
68.2
1.1
2.8
1873 . . . Ditto. ditto . . .
99.1
. 2 3.7
1874 . . . Ditto. ditto . . .
118.2
. 8 7 3.11
Average . . .
98.08
. 5 9 3.18
1875 . . . Morar . . .
132.22
. 8 7 3.13
Marches.
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding.
XIII. Marches .—The regiment marched to the Camp of Exercise, Delhi, by regular
marches from Morar, November the 11th, and remained in the Delhi Camp during the remainder
of the year.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding .—Strength of the regiment—
P r e s e n t . . .
365.3
Absent . . .
91.1
T o t a l . . .
4 5 6 . 4
35
GWALIOR DISTRICT.
PERIOD.
TOTAL NUMBER OF
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH PER
ANNUM.
STATION.
From
To
Strength. Admissions.
Deaths.
Daily average
No. of sick. Admissions. Deaths.
Daily
average sick.
Head-quarters
at Morar and
Camp, of Ex-
ercise at Delhi
1st January 31st Decem-
ber.
365.3
483
None.
11.45
132.22
None.
3.13
Number of deaths in hospital 0; out of hospital 4; total 4; per cent. of total strength . . .
0.87
" invalided . . . 19 ; " ". . .
4.16
" sent on sick leave . . . 10 ; " ". . .
2.19
" of days spent in hospital 4,156 ; per admission 8.60; per man of total strength . . .
9.10
" on sick leave 1,200 ; per man . . . 120 ;
" " . . . 2.64
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength . . . 11.74
There were no deaths in hospital during the year, but four men died while
on furlough, viz., 2 from cholera, 1 man murdered, and 1 the cause of whose
death is unknown. Malarious fevers were the principal causes of admission
into hospital.
Nineteen men were invalided, and this large number the medical officer
states was owing to so many old soldiers being enlisted in 1858.
9th Regiment Aatibe Infantry—Alorar.
Surgeon C. W. S. Deakin has submitted the annual sanitary report.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1870 . . .
Lucknow, February 1870
196.5
5.3
5.7
1871 . . .
Ditto ditto
95.5
1.4
3.2
1872 . . .
Ditto ditto
160.1
2
4.3
1873 . . .
Ditto ditto
129.5
3
5.5
1874 . . .
Morar, January 1874 . . .
158.4
1.14
6.49
. . .
Average " . . .
148.
2.57
5 . 0 4
1875 . . .
Morar . . .
120.10
.42
4.82
I. Medical 0fficers.—Sur
-
geon-Major G. B. Hadow was
in medical charge of the
r regiment from the begin-
ning of the year until March
27th, when he proceeded to
a civil appointment, and
Surgeon C. W. S. Deakin,
who had been attached to
the regiment since Novem
-ber 1874, took over charge,
which he held to the end of
the year.
Medical
Officers.
ments, &c.—The regiment remained stationary at Morar during the year, but
supplied two treasure parties to proceed to Dholepore. Each party was absent
some 10 days.
The remarks made last year regarding the topography of Morar stand good
for 1875.
The only meteorological peculiarity of 1875 was that the rains were late
in setting in, and the weather preceding their advent was intensely hot.
The lines and huts are as represented in last year's report.
The drainage of the lines and station is stated to have been improved
during the year.
Location and
movements.
VII. Conservancy .—There has been a decided improvement during the past year in
the sanitary arrangements of the station; much, however, remains to be done. At last
the daily ablution of a large number of Commissariat elephants and bullocks, of the whole
dirty linen of the station, and the washing of numerous natives in the river Morar, just
above the station, has been strictly prohibited, as also has the deposition on the river bank
above the station of all the bazar refuse, stable sweepings, &c. The conservancy of the bazar
Conservancy.
43
SAUGOR DISTRICT.
One man died in the regimental hospital from remittent fever. Five men died out of
hospital; Of the illnesses of three of these men no account was received. One Subhadar was
shot by a sepoy, who was subsequently banged at Jhansi. Fifteen men were invalided for dis
-charge from the service; general debility was the principal cause.
Table of sickness compiled from the monthly abstracts of the years 1873, 1874, 1875.
Deaths.
Invalided.
Name.
1873.
1874.
1875.
Small-pox . . .
. . .
. . .
1
Fevers . . .
688
325
302
Rheumatism . . .
Not mentioned in old form of month
-ly abstract.
19
Venereal diseases . . .
16
40
52
Ophthalmia . . .
10
8
19
Bronchitis . . .
Old form has only 'diseases of chest.'
11
Pneumonia . . .
4
Diseases of the chest . . .
34
27
Not in new form.
Dysentery . . .
20
11
13
Diarrhœa . . .
11
3
6
Liver diseases . . .
2
. . .
. . .
Spleen diseases . . .
Not mentioned in old form.
7
Ulcer . . .
Ditto
41
Injuries . . .
Ditto
56
Wounds . . .
6
29
Not in new form.
Other diseases . . .
138
203
225
The sickness of the detachments is included. Both at Sipri and at Lalitpur a few cases
of venereal occurred, but these may sometimes have begun in Jhansi.
XVI. Recruiting.—The following is a table of the caste, age, height, &c., of 44 recruits
enlisted during the year:—
Recruiting.
Caste.
Number.
Average age.
Average height.
Average chest mea -
surement.
Pathans . . .
7
21.57
5 feet 8.60 inches
34.14 inches.
Sikhs and Jât Sikhs . . .
21
20.35
5 " 8.63 "
35.43 "
Punjabee Mahomedans . . .
6
22.40
5 " 9.30 "
35.85 "
Lobanas . . .
2
18.
5 "
7.37 "
34.75 "
Dogras . . .
8
18.72
5 " 7.81 "
33.84 "
XVII. Vaccination .—All the men and camp-followers with their children, who are not
at all or are doubtfully protected against small-pox, have been or are being vaccinated. Most
of the men were protected by an attack of small-pox, or by inoculation. Up to the present
time about 10 per Company have been vaccinated. In those who were operated on, an areola,
more or less fever and more or less pain in the arm-pits occurred. In some the clusters of
vesicles were crushed by the rubbing of the uniform coat.
Vaccination.
SAUGOR DISTRICT.
(INCLUDING THE STATIONS OF JUBBULPORE, SAUGOR, BANDA, NAGODE AND NOWGONG.)
Bengal Troops.
Madras Troops.
Average daily strength present during the year . . . Cavalry only 371.62 Cavalry 238.47; Infantry 2621.44
Average daily sick per cent. of average strength . . . " 3.42 "
3.22 " 2.99
Ratio of mortality per cent. of average strength . . .
" .22 "
1.43 " 1.19
16th Regiment Madras Aatibe Infantry—Dubbulpore.
I. Medical Officers .—Surgeon-Major Theobalds throughout the
year, except from 20th August to 21st September and from 17th October to
25th October. Surgeon W. O. B. White, Army Medical Department, was in
charge from 20th August to 21st September and from 17th to 25th October.
Surgeon-Major J. R. Theobalds submits the sanitary report of the regiment.
Medical
Officers.
87
OUDH DIVISION.
Number of men for whom the above is intended 75.9; No. 4 is the bath-room completely
furnished according to Government directions, and the patients have hot baths whenever
necessary. The men generally will not avail themselves voluntarily of this luxury, but
cleanliness is enforced in the hospital, the Pathans requiring plenty of washing. Each
patient brings his own bedding into hospital, and is there supplied with a pair of sheets and
such other medical comforts as are necessary.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding.—Strength of the regiment—
Present
.
.
.
581.5
Absent
.
.
.
82.30
Total . . .
663.80
Sickness, mor
-tality and in
-validing.
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Daily
average
number of
sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
To
Admis-
sions. Deaths.
Admis-
sions . Deaths.
Daily
average
sick.
From
Lucknow . . .
1st Jan. 1875 . . . 31st Dec. 1875
581.5
643
5
19.05 110.57 .85 3.27
No. of deaths in hospital 5; out of hospital 2; total 7; per cent of total strength . . .
1.05
" of invaliding . . . 10; " " . . .
1.50
" sent on sick leave . . . 7; " " . . .
1.05
" of days spent in hospital 6,861; per admission 10.67; per man of total strength . . .
10.33
" "
on sick leave 915; per man 13.71;
" "
1.37
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength . . .
11.70
The principal causes of sickness are shewn in the accompanying tabular form, as compared
with 1872-73 and 1874.
A D M I S S I O N S .
REMARKS.
1872
1873
1874
1875
Fevers
. . .
664
445
147
223
Fevers of a mild type, generally
yielding to quinine treatment;
some few caues were very
severe and required active treat-
ment.
Syphilitic affections . . .
54
56
67
17
Affections, Lungs . . .
42
9
15
67
Ulcers . . .
17
18
18
32
Blister of feet . . .
66
64
42
62
The men have been remarkably free from fevers during the past year, while affection of
the lungs was on the increase.
XVIII. Epidemics.—Although cholera raged in an epidemic form throughout the district,
the sepoys in cantonments remained free from it; but five cases are recorded as having occur
-red in the regiment, and three of them came from Muchee Bbawun.
Epidemics.
XIX. Vaccination .—The Government vaccinator pays his visits periodically for the
purpose of vaccinating all such as require it; all the sepoys and recruits have had either small
-pox, or been vaccinated, or inocculated.
The hospital of this regiment was visited by the Deputy Surgeon-General
of the Lucknow Circle on several occasions during the past year, and on the
20th December he made his annual inspection of it. The lines and huts were
in a very satisfactory state, and the drainage was good. Quarters for the
medical subordinates and a dead-house had not as yet been built. Dr. Cannon
states that he had every reason to be much pleased with the admirable state of
the hospital. There was not any unusual sickness in the regiment during the
year.
Vaccination.
Inspection.
128
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
had been frequently represented; the building and out-houses were all kept in thorough repair
throughout the year.
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding.
XV. Sickness, mortality, and invaliding .—Strength of the regiment :
Present . . . 592.53
Absent
.
.
. 111.97
Total . . . 704.50
Measles.
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength.
T O T A L N U M B E R
OF
Daily
average
number of
SICK..
pER CENT. OF STRENGTH PER ANNUM.
From
To
Admis-
sions.
Deaths.
Admis-
sions. Deaths.
Daily
average
sick.
At Moradabad, on march
and Camp of Exercise.
1st Jan. 75 . . . 31st Dec. 75 . . . 377.15
259
2
7.99
68.67
.53 2.12
Shahjahanpore and on march
to Moradabad.
1st Jan. 75 . . . 19th Nov. 75 . . . 217.57
196
. . .
7.09 101.66
. . .
3.26
On march and at Alipore . . . 12th Nov. 75 . . . 31st Dec. 75 . . . 164.85
34
. . .
5.22 150.57
. . .
3.16
TOTAL . . .
. . .
. . .
5 9 2 . 5 3 489
2
14.96 82.52
.
33 2.52
Number of deaths in hospital 2; out of hospital 1; total 3; per cent. of total strength . . .
0.42
" invalided . . . 67; " " . . .
9.51
" sent on sick leave . . . 8; " " . . .
1.13
"
days spent in hospital 5,460; per admission 11.16; per man of total strength . . .
7.75
" "
on sick leave 1,165; per man . . .
145; " " . . .
1.65
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength . . .
9.40
There has been no unusual sickness, with the exception of a few cases of measles
of a very mild type, which occurred towards the end of year. The number per cent. of
strength per annum of admissions, deaths, and daily average number of sick is about the same
as in the two previous years. The number invalided was, however, very large. This was
to be expected, as, when the regiment was raised, many of the men who joined it were
not young, and had become old and unfit for service. Very few men had to be sent on sick
leave during the year, and the loss of strength from this is very small compared with previous
years. Four were sent on sick leave from the hospital at head-quarters, and the same number
from Shahjahanpur.
The following table shows the number of admissions, deaths, and number invalided per
cent. of strength per annum for the last 9 years.
Admissions.
Deaths.
Invalided.
Daily average
no. of
sick.
1867
.
.
.
233.9
3.29
0.15
9.38
1868
.
.
.
109.2
3.7
1.48
4.3
1869
.
.
.
126.2
1.6
2.25
5.8
1870...
82.2
1.89
8.48
4.00
1871
.
.
.
61.3
1.15
10.87
4.37
1872 . . .
...
68.9
1.52
6.44
3.18
1 8 7 3 . . .
78.1
0.88
11.44
2.55
1874 . . .
77.44
0.42
4.64
2.61
1875
.
.
.
82.52
0.42
9.51
2.52
Lines, &C.
Hospital.
PUNJAB FRONTIER FORCE.
205
ample space and had not been overcrowded. The sick were provided with very
fair accommodation in a separate building, conveniently situated to the left of
the lines. The arrangements were satisfactory. No exception could be taken to
the recruits, 6 in number."
No. 4, or Garrison Company of Artillery—Rohat.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1870
Kohat
101.6
4.
5.5
1871
Ditto
126.2
8.2
3.4
1872
Ditto
143.3
1.3
4.5
1873
Ditto
167.8
1.4
6.
1 8 7 4
Ditto
127.
1.5
3.2
Average
133.18
3.28
4.52
1875
Kohat
160.16
3.30
5.
I. Medical Officers. —Sur-
geon-Major J . W. Johnston,
M. D., has supplied the
annual sanitary report of
this Garrison Company of
Artillery.
II. Location and move-
ments.—Two detachments
were furnished to the
Bunnoo Fort during the
year, of an average strength
of 20 men.
Location and
movements.
Medical
Officers.
The lines, drainage, con-
servancy, &c., call for no special remarks.
XIV.Hospital.—Accommodation has, since August 1875, been provided in the new
artillery hospital.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding. —Strength of the Battery—
Present
51.82
Absent
8.90
Total
60.72
Sickness,
mortality and
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER OF
Daily average
number of
sick,
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH PER
ANNUM.
From
To
Admissions. Deaths.
Admissions. Deaths.
Daily
average
sick.
Head-quarters at
Kohat
1st January 31st Dec.
37.35
69
1
2.30
184.73
2.67
6.15
Detachment at
Edwardesabad
Ditto
12th Feb.
20.03
1 4
. . .
.38
9 7 . 0 2
...
1.89
Ditto
28th April 3rd Decr.
TOTAL
. . .
. . . 51.82
83
1
2.57
160.16
1.92
5.00
Number of deaths in hospital 1; out of hospital 1; total 2; per cent. of total strength
3.30
" invalided 4; " "
6.60
" sent on sick leave 2 ; " "
3.30
" of days spent in hospital 943 ; per admission 11 .36; per man of total strength
15.53
" on sick leave 145 ; per man 72 .50 ;" "
2.38
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
17.91
Causes of sickness. —Malarial diseases and rheumatism were the almost
exclusive causes of admission into hospital; there was but one death, which
was caused by bronchitis. Regarding the physique of the men of this Garrison
Company, Dr. Johnston remarks that "the gunners are old men, deemed unfit,
generally from length of service, for field duty."
Deputy Surgeon-General G. Banister reports that the men of the Garrison
Battery occupied good quarters in the ravelin of the fort, and the sick were
received into the artillery hospital.
Causes of
sickness.
B 2