174
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Boots.
Duty, &C.
Exercises,
Marches and
service .
Hospital.
the disastrous effects upon the health of native communities once or twice before from the latter
class of agencies, it was decided that the less alternative evil should be adopted. In all Other
respects the clothing has been adapted to the season of the year, the nature of the duty, &c.
The English pattern boot was worn on all duties at the camp, and the number of cases ad
mitted for foot-bite was comparatively small ; but with respect to this point, it needs be stated
that only such lesions as actually disabled from duty were received into hospital, the milder
cases being disposed of by giving the sufferers a few days rest in the lines till they were
reported fit for duty by the native officers, and as regards these no estimate can be formed.
Before commencing the march from Talagang in carrying out the annual relief, Colonel
Ruggles caused the young men to go through a preliminary seasoning of their feet by wearing the ammunition boot on all duties for several weeks. It had the desired effect.
XI. Duty,&c.—At Talagang the duties were very light; at Attock not severe. At Mooltan,
A and B companies were at first greatly overworked, and when C and D companies, with head-
quarters, arrived on the 24th November, the duties were still too severe, and, in order to mitigate
them, the company at musketry had to suspend practice.
XII. Exercises.—Vide report for 1873.
XIII. Marches and service. —The head quarters remained at Rawal Pindi till the camp
of , instruction was broken up, and then returned to their permanent quarters at Talagang, pro-
ceeding vid Mundara, Julli and Chukwal. Two companies with a European officer left Talagang
in February and proceeded by regular marches to Attock, where they formed part of the garrison
up to the 7th June. Two companies with a European officer marched from Talagang on the 16th
October, and proceeded by regular marches to Shahpore and thence by boats to Mooltan. The
head-quarters and C and D companies, commencing their march from Talagang on the 1st of
November and proceeding by regular marches all the way, arrived at Mooltan on the 24th of the
same month. The route passed through an indescribably dreary and monotonous region of desert,
the soil giving abundant evidence of considerable natural fertility by the abundance of the crops
grown on the small plots of land which had been redeemed from the waste and brought under
cultivation by means of well-irrigation. The supplies furnished were of average quality; the
water generally very impure from the presence of organic and saline substances. The road
takes the traveller through the lowest ridges of the salt range for the first three days, and is
quite impassable for wheeled carriages ; during the remainder of the distance it is very good,
though scarcely any traffic is seen upon it.
XIV. Hospital.—The hospital has been very fully described in the reports between
1869 and 1874. The insufficiency of out-houses for the servants, and the want of
quarters for the hospital assistants, have not been remedied. A set of six excellent blankets
was supplied to the hospital at Rawal Pindi in camp, and eight well stuffed mattresses
and pillows were also subsequently contributed by Colonel Ruggles for the comfort of the
sick. The hospital at Mooltan is roomy and well constructed, sufficiently ventilated, and welt
lighted. It is provided with two large fire-places, for one of which fuel was sanctioned during
the current winter. The out-houses are here also of a very inferior description, and the accom
modation is insufficient. The hospital assistants' quarters are not comfortable, are doorless and
windowless ; they have the objectionable feature, too, of being too far removed from the
hospital.
Sickness,
mortality and invaliding.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding, —Strength of the regiment
—
Present
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
616.4
Ab s e n t
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
74.4
Total
. . .
. . .
690.8
STATIO.,
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 encamped at
Rawal Pindi
...
1st Jan. 1875
4th Feb. 1875 554.65
45
. . .
10.97
84.65
...
1.97
Head-quarters march to
Talagang ...
...
5th Feb.1875 11th Feb. 1875 553.00
14
. . .
13.14 131.99
...
2.37
Head-quarters at Talagang
,,
march to
12th Feb.1875 31st Oct. 1875 575.42
280
4
8.46
67.82
.96
1.47
Mooltan
. . . . . .
1st Nov.1875 23rd Nov. 1875 253.91
16
. .
3.73 100.03
...
1.46
Head-quarters at Mooltan... 24th Nov.1875 31st Dec. 1875 390.13
46
. . .
8.73 113.30
...
2.23
Detachment at Talagang ...
1st Jan. 1875 11th Feb. 1875 150.5
12
. . .
2.11 63.47
...
1.40
„
at Fort Attock 22nd Feb.1875
7th June 1875 113.00
21
. . .
1.43
64.12
...
1.26
„
march to
Mooltan
...
... 16th Oct. 1875 24th Oct. 1875 124.
2
. . .
.55
65. 33
...
.44
Detachment at Mooltan
. . . 25th Oct. 1875 23rd Nov. 1875 125.
15
. . .
3.00 151.10
...
2.40
Left Wing at Talagang ...
1st Nov. 1875 31st Dec. 1875 285.93
51
1
8.13 106. 74 2.03
2.84
T O T A L
. . .
. . .
. . .
616.4
502
5
1 0 . 7
81.44
.81
1.73
Number of deaths in hospital 5 ; out of hospital 2 ; total
7 ; per cent, of total strength
... 1.01
„
invalided ... ... ... ...
31;
„
...
4.48
,,
sent on sick leave
... ... ...
3;
... ... ...
.43
„
of days spent in hospital 3,937; per admission 7.84; per man of total strength
...
5.69
„ „
on sick leave 297; per man
99;
„ „
...
.43
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
...
6.12