Drainage.
Conservancy
and latrines.
61
CENTRAL INDIA.
M e p w a r B h e e l G r o p s — B h e r m a r a .
I. Medical Officers. —At head-quarters the following Officers were in
medical charge for the dates
specified: Surgeon-Major
L. F. Dickson, M.D., from
January 1st to February
15th; Surgeon-Major R. W.
Cunningham, from Febru
-
ary 15th to May 22nd; Sur
-
geon W. Allason Simnionds,
from 22nd May to 31st De
-
cember. At Udepur and
Kotra, respectively, Dr. K.
Burr, of the Uncovenanted
Service, and First Class
Hospital Assistant Sewtahul
have been in charge of the detachment throughout the year. Surgeon Simmonds
has submitted the following report:—
II. Location and movements. —The head-quarters of the corps have remained at Kher
-
wara throughout the year, with an average strength of 306.08. At Kotra there has been a
detachment throughout the year, averaging 118.44. This Kotra detachment consists of the
A and C companies, and is recruited from the Kotra district, these two companies only coming
to head-quarters for drill, in other respects being a local force. At Udepur there has been
an average strength for the year of 60, and at Banswara an average strength of 30.98. As
above stated, the Kotra force is never relieved. The force at Udepur is relieved every
two or three months, and Banswara is similarly relieved; the stay of the detachment in the
latter place never exceeding 3 months. A detachment of 4 native officers and 176 men left
head-quarters on March 17th and proceeded with a company from Kotra to Mandwa Bakhil
near Kotra, to stop the practice of witch-swinging and to capture the chief offenders. This
force returned on May 5th, 1876. No medical records of the health of this party were kept.
On the 9th of November, two native officers and 87 men left head-quarters and marched to
Kishengarh en route to Delhi. Small detachments were occasionally sent out for a few days to
keep order when disturbances in the district threatened or had occurred.
III. Topography. —The topography of the station has been fully described in Surgeon
-
Major Dickson's report for 1874. At the distance of half a mile north-west of the lines a
bund has been made, which by the last rains has formed a tank with an area of about 80,000
square yards and a depth in part of 10 feet.
V. Lines, barracks and huts. —The sanitary reports for 1873 and 1874 sufficiently describe
the huts. They continue to be kept in thorough repair and cleanliness. No over-crowding exists.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1871 . . . Kherwara . . .
129.4
1.42
4.09
1872 . . .
Ditto . . .
148.9
1.2
4.02
1873 . . .
Ditto . . .
152.9
1.13
5.41
1874 . . .
Ditto . . .
92.2
1.55
4.13
1875 . . .
Ditto . . .
87.61
.99
2.25
Average . . .
122.20
1.25
3.98
1876 . . . Kherwara . . .
146.13
.84
4.23
Location and
movements.
Topography.
Lines,
barracks, &c.
Medical
Officers.
VI. Drainage.—The drainage is natural and most efficient, owing to the position of the
whole station and the character of the soil, the latter consisting in many parts of hard rock.
VII. Conservancy and latrines. —There is only one latrine, that being at the hospital. It is
in thorough repair, and works well under a modification of the dry-earth system. All other
conservancy is of the simplest, the men and villagers using the jungle beyond the river; the
cleanliness of parts close to the lines and river being ensured by continued inspections and
by sentries along the river's banks.
VIII. Water-supply.— I n
a n d r o u n d t h e s t a t i o n w e l l s a r e n u m e r o u s , t h e w a t e r i n m a n y
of them being considered good by the men. The stream immediately north-west of the station
ceases to run to any useful extent some three or four months after the rains, there remaining but
a line of pools, the water of which, until the next rains arrive, gets more or less offensive.
In these pools, animals and men bathe, and most of the washing of the station is carried
on. The bund built this year, it is hoped, will improve in a great measure this state of things,
and though at some distance from the station, it is beginning to get extensively used.
IX. Diet.—No system of dieting exists. The regimental bazar is always well kept
and well supplied with various grains and vegetables, which, owing to the difficulties of trans
-
port from here, are always moderate, if not cheap, in price, and hut slightly affected by any
external scarcity. The bazar is inspected two or three times a week, the kotwal being held respon
-
sible for its cleanliness. The hygienic value of some of the staple foods of the men is perhaps
great, e. g., Indian corn and gram, and though they have been hitherto described as well-nourished,
yet so many admissions to hospital from abscesses, ulcers and other diseases affecting tissues of
low type seem, as Dr. Moore has pointed out in his report for 1875, to indicate considerable want
of reparative power. Mutton is plentiful, but it is found that not more than one sheep can be
sold in a day (sometimes two sheep, but rarely), and although good and healthy, the sheep are
small and thin, it is evident that sufficient animal food is not taken to enable the men to take
such exercises as they are accustomed to. In hospital they are given soup, &c., when required,
which necessaries are paid for out of the bazar fund.
Water-supply.
Diet.
X. Clothing.—During the summer months, the uniform is of khakee cotton cloth, and
during the cold weather of dark green woollen cloth. The men have a most useful great-coat
Clothing.
Q