Drainage.
Conservancy
and latrines.
Water-supply
Diet.
Clothing.
Duty and e
m-ploy ment.
Marches and
service.
Hospital.
Sickness, m
o r - t a l i t y a n d
i n - v a l i d i n g .
156
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Lines, bar
-racks and
huts.
V. Lines, barracks and huts.—The lines are built on an elevated and apparently a well-
drained site. The wretched state of the huts has been commented upon by the medical officers of
the different regiments quartered here for the last five or six years. During the presentyear their
aspect has been thoroughly changed, and new huts and stables built on the best principles. When
these improvements are complete, there will be excellent accommodation formen and horses.
VI. Drainage.—The natural drainage seems very good: two small surface channels run in
each street between the ground where the horses are picketed and the sowars huts and stables.
The ground gradually slopes on each side towards these channels; they flow into a large
drain running transversely through the lines, and emptying itself into a larger one, which
runs along the right flank to a ravine in front.
VII.
Conservancy and latrines.—There is a large latrine about 300 yards away from the
lines. It seems to be well attended to, and dry-earth constantly used. The filth is buried
in trenches at some distance behind the latrine. The men can only resort to this latrine
during the day. There are, therefore, a few latrines in each troop for night use. These are
attended to by the troop mehters, and the excreta carried to the trenches in a conservancy
cart. As far as I have been able to ascertain, the system has worked satisfactorily
.
VIII.
Water-supply. —The chief source of water-supply is the canal as it enters canton
-ments. It is collected in two pucka tanks, and before entering them, an attempt has been
made to filter the water through successive layers of gravel, sand and charcoal. There are
two other tanks for watering the horses, and there is a large one in front of the lines where
the men bathe. There is, besides, a pucka well which is used by many of the men. The
supply is abundant; but I have not had an opportunity of analysing it.
IX. .Diet. —The bazar has been well supplied with provisions, and, as far as I have been
able to ascertain, no cases of underfeeding have been brought to notice. Rum has been sup
-plied to the men on payment, at different periods, at the recommendation of the medical officer.
X.
Clothing.—The clothing of the men seems well adapted to the exigencies of the
climate. They wear overcoats and poshteens on all night duties. They are, as a rule, well
supplied with bedding.
XI. Duty and employment.— The ordinary duties are picquets, patrols, guards, &c. They
have been very heavy, more especially during the cholera season, when an attempt was made
to isolate the station and prevent people coming in from the city. The average continuous
nights in bed have been 3.7; but since the arrival of the regiment at Peshawar, they have
rarely been over 3, while for a few months they were under 2.
XIII. Marches and service. —The regiment left Sialkot on the 2nd February, and arrived
at Peshawar on the 25th idem. The men are reported to have kept in excellent health during
the march. On the 15th April, the head-quarters (191 strong) moved with the field force to
Mackeson, to protect the men while cutting the crops. In the desultory fighting that took
place, a few horses were struck with spent bullets, but none of the men were wounded.
XIV. Hospital.—The hospital is a very bad one, and there is no accommodation for the
subordinate staff or servants. It is a very low building, 120 feet long and 40 feet wide,
ventilated by ten doors and an equal number of small windows. A passage runs through the
centre, dividing it into two compartments with appliances for ventilation at the roof. It was
originally intended for a horse hospital, and it is unfortunate that it was not reserved for
that purpose; 20 men could not be lodged in it, if the rules regarding superficial area and cubic
space were strictly adhered to. During the year under review, the men that could not be
kept in hospital were allowed to live in the lines, coming to hospital morning and evening for
medicine. The latrine is suitable, and the dry-earth system is carefully carried out.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding.—Strength of the regiment:—
Present
392.2
Absent
6 4 . 4
Total
456.6
STATION.
P E R I O D .
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Daily
average
number
of s i c k .
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
F r o m
To
A d m i s
s i o n s . Deaths.
A d m i s
s i o n s . Deaths. Daily
a v e r a g e
sick.
Head-quarters at Sialkot
and Peshawar
1st.Jan. 31st Dec.
325 938 3 28.01 288.61 . 92 8.62
Detachment at Shabkadar
3rd March
3rd April
51
19th May
2nd August
23
.74 99.43
1.15
1st Nov.
31st Dec.
Ditto „ Michni
3rd March 17th May
49
2nd August 1st Nov.
106 1
2.12 401.85 3.79 4.32
3rd Dec.
31st Dec.
Ditto ,. Mackeson
1st. May
17th May
26
5
1 413.36
3.84
Ditto " Badhber 2nd October 3rd Nov.
74
11
2.36 164.14
3.19
Depot at Peshawar
15th April
1st May 106
7 1 10.93 142.10 20.23 10.31
Total
392.2 1,090 5 30.39 277.92 1 . 2 7
7.75
Number of deaths in hospital 5; out of hospital 5; total 10; per cent. of total strength
2 . 1 9
„ "invalided 28; " "
6 . 1 3
sent on sick leave 31; " "
6 . 7 9
" d a y s s p e n t i n h o s p i t a l 1 1 , 0 8 7 ; p e r a d m i s s i o n 1 0 . 1 7 ; p e r m a n o f t o t a l s t r e n g t h
24.28
o on sick leave 3, 640; per man 117. 42; " "
7 . 9 7
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
3 2 . 2 5