XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding. —Strength of the regiment—
Present
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
623.38
Absent
.
.
.
.
.
. . . . .
79.08
Total..
702.46
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding.
36
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Location and
movements.
Topography.
Lines.
Drainage.
Conservancy,
&c.
Clothing.
Duty and
employment.
II. Location and movements.— The regiment remained at Morar from the
1st January to the 28th November. On the 29th, it marched for Delhi, which
station it reached on the 20th December, and remained there till the end of the
year.
III. Topography.—During the year, the bund across the river at the north extremity of
the station was cut away, so that the river now flows freely instead of being dammed up,
flooding the adjoining low ground, as it used sometimes to do in the rains.
The lines were kept in a fair state of repair. The bazar accommodation is
said to be rather deficient. The drainage has been improved during the year
by clearing out and deepening the drains and increasing the gradients. No altera-
tion has been made in the conservancy arrangements. The water-supply is
obtained from wells in the lines, which yield a pleasant-tasted, clear, soft water.
X. Clothing.—The regimental clothing is sufficient and suitable. The men wear the
country-made Blucher shoes, and do not suffer from doing so as much as I should have ex-
pected them to. Their private clothing I do not think sufficient to protect them in the chilly
evenings.
XI. Duty and employment. —I consider this to have been rather heavy, especially the
guard duty during the leave season. The regiment supplied the guards of the station and
of Fortress Gwalior on alternate weeks. During the weeks of furnishing the former and
in the leave season the average number of continuous nights in bed ranged from 2.82 in the
first week of October to 5.82 during the first week of April ; and the average for these weeks
of station duty was 4.09. For the year the number of continuous nights in bed averaged
7.74.
Hospital.
XIV. Hospital. —In the same state as that described in the report for 1874. In
November, the number of sick was more than the building could properly accommodate, so the
number in excess was supplied with beds in the verandah. A kutcha dead-house was built
during the year off the north-west angle of the hospital.
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Daily
average
number
of sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
Admis-
sions. Deaths .
Admis-
sions.
Deaths
Daily
average
sick.
Head-quarters at Morar
.
1st Jan. 1876 28th Nov. 1876 616.42
712
4
21.4 126.95
.71
3.47
En route to Delhi
. 29th Nov. 1876 20th Dec. 1876
692.31
109
...
38.85 261.95
. . . 5.61
At Delhi
. 21st Dec. 1876 31st Dec. 1876
690.81
32
...
31.42 154. 14
...
4.54
T o t a l .
623.38
853
4
2 2 . 7 136 . 85
. 6 4 3.64
Number of deaths in hospital 4; out of hospital 7; total
11; per cent. of total strength .
.
1.56
„
invalided
. . . . . . .
15;
„ „
.
.
2 . 1 3
,,
sent on sick leave
.
.
.
.
.
.
16 ;
„
„
.
.
2.27
„
of days spent in hospital 8,268 ; per admission
9.69; per man of total strength . .
11.77
,,
,,
on sick leave 2,720 ; per man
.
1.70;
„ „
.
.
3.84
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
.
.
.
15.61
Principal
causes of
sickness.
XV I. Principal causes of sickness. —The principal causes of sickness were ague (a) 516;
ague (b) 52, ague (c) 19; dysentery 50; chronic rheumatism 28; mumps 25 ; abscess 27 ; contusion
of feet 22; the malarial fevers alone causing 68.81 per cent, and dysentery 5.86 per cent. of
the admissions into hospital.
Inspection .
Inspection.—The regiment was inspected by the Deputy Surgeon-General
of the Lahore Circle on the 16th February shortly after its arrival at Meean
Meer from the Delhi Assemblage. The men suffered from dysentery while in
camp at Delhi, but improved on the march up, and were at the time of inspec
-tion in fair health. Dr. Ray had every reason to be satisfied with the
efficient state of the hospital.