Principal
causes of sick
-ness.
Fever.
Causation.
Treatment.
Venereal
diseases.
Opium-eating.
146
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
STATION.
PERIOD
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
O F
Daily
average
number
of sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
A d m i s - s i o n s .
D e a t h s .
Admis
sions. Deaths.
Daily
average
sick.
Mooltan . . .
lst Jany. 1875 31st Dec. 1875
372.11
645
5
20.12 173.3 1.34
5.3
Number of deaths in hospital 5; out of hospital 1; total 6; per cent. of total strength . . .
1.31
" invalided . . . 18; " " . . .
3.95
" s e n t o n s i c k l e a v e . . . 8 ; " "
1.75
" of days spent in hospital 7,344; per admission 11.38; per man of total strength . . .
16.10
" " on sick leave 938; per man
117.25; " " . . .
2.05
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength . . .
18.15
Principal
causes of
mortality.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness.— The following total gives the principal causes of dis
-ease for the last two years :—
STATION.
GENERAL DISEASES.
EYE.
RESPIRATORY.
DIGESTIVE.
URINARY. CUTANEOUS.
L O C A L .
I N J U R I E S
MOOLTAN.
Ague.
R h e u m a t i s m , a c u t e .
R h e u m a t i s m , m u s c u l a r .
S y p h i l i s .
S y p h i l i s , s e c o n d a r y .
Pht hi si s.
O t h e r s .
C o n j u n c t i v i t i s .
O t h e r s .
B r o n c h i a l C a t a r r h .
B r o n c h i t i s .
P n e u m o n i a .
O t h e r s .
D y s e n t e r y . D i a r r h œ a .
S p l e n i t i s .
O t h e r s .
G o n o r r h œ a .
O t h e r s .
B o i l s .
Ot hers.
F r a c t u r e .
H o r s e - b i t e .
O t h e r s .
A l l o t h e r s .
1873 . . . 678 1
5
3
1 . . .
5 27
4 14
3
1
1 19
5
3 18
2
8
9 30
1
1
5 3
30
1874 . . . 636 . . .
9
5
1 . . . 13 29 8 22 2 7
1 15 3
6 17
4 6
38 21
2 10 89 14
1875 . . . 313
6 21
4
6
1
6 25
3 22
1 11
2 15
3
6 24
4 3 37 21
4 3 82 11
The marked diminution in the number of fever cases treated during the last year is very
striking, only 313 cases having been admitted into hospital; whereas in 1873, 678, and in
1874, 636 men, were affected with ague.
The question arises,—how is this diminution of fever cases in 1875 to be accounted for?
Is it to be attributed to the so-called "malarial emanations" having been less potent in 1875 ?
Or have the men become inured to the effects of the malarial poison by repeated attacks of
ague? Sur geon J. S. Gunn, i n hi s r epor t f or 1873, at t aches gr eat i mpor t ance t o t he var i at i on
of temperature as a cause of fever; but there were the same variations in temperature in
1875, and yet only 313 men were affected with ague. It appears to me impossible not to believe
in the existence of a poison, the product of the decomposition of vegetable matter, which, when
introduced into the system, produces a series of changes which culminate in an attack of ague.
It is well known that enteric fever can be caused either by the effluvia from foul drains,
or by the contamination of drinking water by decomposing sewage. In typhoid fever there
are certain well-marked intestinal lesions which characterize the disease, and, although no
special pathological lesions have been discovered as peculiar to intermittent fever, yet it does
not follow that do to not exist, for the alterations in Peyer's patches, which are character
- i s t i c o f t y p h o i d f e v e r , w e r e f o r a l o n g t i m e o v e r l o o k e d .
A mixture containing arsenic, quinine and cinchona was given to the men daily during
the time fevers were prevalent. I think a combination of the above-mentioned drugs acts
more powerfully as a prophylactic than simple quinine.
Venereal diseases— gave 14 admissions, equal to 3.0 per cent. of the total strength.
I do not believe that the above figures shew the total amount of disease, as probably several
men never apply to the medical officer, but are treated in the bazaars
.
The practice of opium-eating appears to be rather common in the regiment: 38 men
acknowledge to eating the drug,—Mahomedans 10, Hindoos 28. The habit ought to be dis
-couraged as much as possible, and stringent restrictions placed on the sale of the drug in the
bazaars. Opium, I am told, cannot be obtained in the regimental bazaar.
XVII. Principal causes of mortality.— Six men died during the year, five in hospital,
and one while on sick leave. The following table shews the principal causes of mortality for
the last three years :—
Ague.
R e m i t t e n t
fever.
Pneu-
monia.
Phthisis. Pyæmia. Erysipelas. Hepatitis.
Inflamma-
tion of
muscles.
1873 . . .
2
. . .
1
. . .
. . .
1
1
. . .
1874 . . .
. . .
1
3
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
1
1875 . . .
. . .
1
3
1
1
. . .
. . .
. . .