154
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Principal
causes of
mortality.
Epidemics.
disease, 11 were pneumonia, 7 bronchitis, and 3 phthisis. There were 12 cases of measles, some
of them complicated with severe bronchial symptoms. One hundred and one admissions were
for blistered feet. Most of these occurred on the march from Dharmsala to Umballa, and
were caused by the ammunition boot. There was one case of small-pox.
XVII. _Principal causes of mortality.— The mortality, which has been considerable, was
mainly due to the severe outbreak of cholera already referred to, which caused 19 of the 32
deaths in and out of hospital. In the regimental hospital, the deaths were, cholera 11,
phthisis 3, pneumonia 2, myelitis 1, remittent fever 1, hydrophobia 1. At the Chaitroo cholera
camp, the deaths were, cholera 7, and diarrhœa 1. In the depôt hospital, during the absence
of the regiment, there was 1 death from enteritis, and 1 from pneumonia.
Besides these, 1 man was killed in action and 1 died of wounds in the Malay Peninsula; 1
man died on furlough, supposed from fever, and 1 man of cholera in the jungle near Dhurm
-sala, where he had gone to cut fire-wood. The man who died of hydrophobia had been bitten
by a strange dog seven weeks before, and the wound had been cauterized at the time. The
first symptoms noticed were a rigidity of the muscles of the neck, then inability to swallow
and starting at the sight of water. Chloral in large doses at first gave relief, but its effects
were only temporary.
The man killed and the man who died of wounds were both shot through the neck. The
latter died from the effects of secondary hemorrhage. The artery was cut down upon and se
- c u r e d , b u t t h e m a n h a d l o s t s o m u c h b l o o d t h a t h e n e v e r r a l l i e d . H e d i e d e i g h t h o u r s a f t e r t h e
operation.
XVIII. Epidemics. —On 2nd July cholera broke out in the regiment. The first person
attacked was the Bugle Major, a strong, healthy Eurasian, who had not been out of cantonments
for several weeks. He was attacked at 4 P. M. on 2nd, was taken to hospital in a state of col
- l a p s e a t 3 o ' c l o c k n e x t m o r n i n g , a n d d i e d f o u r h o u r s a f t e r w a r d s . A f t e r t h i s , c a s e s o c c u r r e d
daily until 18th July, after which, one case was admitted on 21st and two on 25th. The
greatest number of admissions in one day was eight. In all 1 European officer, 49 sepoys,
and 49 followers, including women and children, were admitted, of whom 18 sepoys and 21
followers died. Another sepoy died out of hospital, having been attacked while cutting wood
in the jungle at some distance from cantonments.
The means by which cholera entered the cantonment could not be traced, but the disease
had apparently made its appearance in the jail some days before, as a prisoner attacked with
diarrhœa on 28th June died on 1st July; another, admitted next day, died on 3rd July; 4th a
death was reported from cholera, and on 8th and 9th July other deaths from diarrhœa.
Cholera had for some time before this been prevalent in Mundi, a neighbouring Native State
where it had been introduced by the followers of the Rajah on his return from Hurdwar.
Every precaution was taken to check the spread of the disease. Those suffering from other
complaints were removed to the small-pox hospital, and one ward of the regimental hospital
was set apart for the women and children. Every hut in which a case of cholera occurred was
at once vacated, fumigated with sulphur, the floor dug up, and the walls scraped and re-leeped.
To prevent any chance of the disease spreading by means of the excreta, these were re
-ceived into gumlahs half full of dry earth, which were emptied into gurrahs placed upon chu
- l a h s , i n w h i c h f i r e s w e r e k e p t b u r n i n g . A f t e r b a k i n g f o r a n h o u r , t h e c o n t e n t s w e r e b u r i e d .
McDougal's powder was placed in each ward and the attendants were directed to clean their
hands with it frequently. All clothing and bedding was boiled before it was allowed to leave
the hospital The men were attended by their comrades, who performed the duty admirably.
The very heavy and incessant rain added considerably to the difficulty of dealing with the outbreak.
Each of the attendants was allowed half a dram of rum night and morning, and a bunniah
was stationed near the hospital to supply them with food, as they were not allowed to visit the
lines. On the 8th July, all the men without families, 280 in number, went into camp at the
further extremity of the parade ground—a distance of half a mile from the lines, with which
all communication was forbidden. Next day 1 man was attacked in camp; on 10th, 3; 11th, 3;
and on 12th, 3; making 10 cases and 3 deaths. On 13th, carriage having been obtained and
the services of Dr. Quinnell, Civil Surgeon, having been made available for duty with the
camp, the detachment moved to the Chaitroo hill, five miles south of cantonments. On 17th, Dr.
Quinnell was relieved by Dr. Finden. At this camp 1 case occurred on 14th, 2 on 15th, 2
on 17th, 1 on 21st, and 2 on 25th, —i n al l 8 cases, of whi ch 6 di ed. The detachment returned
from Chaitroo on 2nd August.
One officer (Colonel Rawlins, commanding the regiment) was attacked and recovered.
Of those engaged in attendance upon the sick, 1 hospital compounder, 2 dooly bearers, and
8 orderlies were attacked, and 3 of the latter died. Of the 7 sweepers employed, all escaped
the disease. The escape of the men who were constantly engaged with cholera excreta, and
the number of attacks amongst those who, though in close attendance upon the sick, care
- f u l l y a v o i d e d a l l c o n t a c t w i t h s u c h m a t t e r s , g o e s f a r , I t h i n k , t o p r o v e t h a t t h e c o n t a g i o n
does not reside only, or even especially, in the stools or vomit.
In the treatment of the disease, opiates were used carefully and combined with astringents,
and were decidedly useful in checking the diarrhœa, while stimulants were given during the
stage of collapse with great advantage. As nourishment, milk, more or less diluted with water,
according to the degree of thirst, was given without stint. Sinapisms were used in every case.
The hypodermic injection of morphia, half a grain at a time, was found most effectual in
checki ng t he vomi t i ng. I n some cases a si ngl e appl i cat i on was suf f i ci ent , but i n ot her s a
repetition was necessary. Colonel Rawlins, in whose case the injection was repeated six times,
noticed that each application produced immediate relief from the distressing nausea.