Principal
causes of
mortality.
Epidemics
168
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
PERIOD.
S t r e n g t h .
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Daily
average
number of
s i c k .
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
STATION.
From
To
Admis-
s i o n s . Deaths.
A d m i s s i o n s .
Deaths.
Daily
average
sick.
Head-quarters at Rawal
Pindi and Jhelum
... 1st Jan.
...
31st Dec.
...
607.4
556
3
17.72 91.54
.49 2.90
Detachment at Jhelum
...
„ „
... 5th Feb.
...
156.36
8
...
4.14 51.71
...
2.64
' ' a t A t t o c k ... 22nd.Dec. ... 31st Dec. ... 124.00
...
... ... ... ... ...
TOTAL
...
...
...
628.80
5 6 4
3
18.19 89.69
.48 2.89
Number of deaths in hospital 3 ; out of hospital 3 ; total
6 ; per cent. of total strength
...
.85
, , i n v a l i d e d
... ... ...
41 ;
, ,
, ,
...
5.86
,, sent on sick leave ...
...
...
4 ;
„
, ,
...
.57
,, of days spent in hospital 6,640 ; per admission 11.77 ; per man of total strength
...
9.49
,,
,,
on sick leave 440 ;
per man
110 ;
„
, ,
...
.63
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
...
10.12
There was more sickness than in the previous year; in 1874, the total average strength pre-
sent was 624.01, the daily average number of sick was 14 . 67; in 1875, the total average
strength present 628.80 ; daily average number of sick 18.19.
Principal
causes of
sickness.
Syphilis.
Vaccination
inspection.
XVI . Principal causes of sickness. —N e a r l y
t w o - t h i r d s ( 3 8 3 ) o f t h e t o t a l t r e a t e d w e r e
cases of ague, nearly all of the quotidian variety ; most of the cases were of a mild character,
and yielded readily to . treatment. Twenty-eight cases of dysentery were treated; many of the
cases appeared to be due to errors of diet, and yielded 'readily to castor-oil and appropriate food.
Thirty-one cases of the diseases of the eye clime under treatment, 24 of which Were for con-
junetivitis. There were 28 cases of bronchitis, two being capillary and of the tubes generally,
one of which proved fatal; all the other cases did well. Fifteen . men were treated for boils. Ten
cases of primary syphilis came under treatment; only one of these was admitted a second time;
the man was then found to be suffering from an eruption, chiefly papular ; he was put under
a course of mercury and made a good recovery. Ten cases of pneumonia came under treatment,
two of which proved fatal, six-were discharged cured, and two remain under treatment. Two
of the cases occurred early in February, immediately after the regiment arrived at Jhelum
from the camp of exercise; one of these ended fatally during two days of the march. The
weather was cold and stormy. I have no doubt in both cases exposure to cold was the cause
of attack. Two camp followers came under treatment at the same time. In March, six cases
of pneumonia came under treatment ; in all probability the cause in these cases was, exposure
to night-air, a noxious atmosphere, excitement, and want of proper sleep.
The men of the regiment gave a nautch on the occasion of the Holee festival, which was
kept up incessantly night and day for eight days ; a large marquee made of tents was erected ;
this was crowded night and day, and in it the atmosphere was close and foul to a degree ; there
is no reason for supposing the men attacked by pneumonia were more exposed than others to those
influences ; but all were attacked during or immediately after the Holee festival. One or two
camp followers also suffered from pneumonia ; there was only a range of temperature at the
time of from 12 to 15 degrees. One case was admitted on November 1st for ague, when
pneumonia supervened ; the other case was admitted in December ; both men state that they
had had occasion to get out of their warm beds during the night, and found themselves chilled
by exposure to night-air whilst nearly naked, and that they became ill from that time. With
the exception, perhaps, of malarial toxemia there were no inter-current affections in any of the
pneumonia cases. There were no serious surgical cases. Two cases of remittent fever were
treated ; both were severe and of low type, and one was complicated with scurvy ; both even-
-tually did well. The diseases not mentioned were devoid of interest.
XVII. Principal causes. of mortality.— Six deaths occurred during the year,—one from
syncope on parade, two in head-quarters hospital from pneumonia, and one from capillary
bronchitis. Two men died at their homes, one whilst on sick leave, from bronchitis ; the other
man is said to have died from remittent fever whilst on furlough.
XVIII. Epidemics.—In April, May and. June there was an epidemic of measles in the
station, city. and district, chiefly amongst children; four men of the regiment suffered from
it; the cases which first occurred were isolated, but the measure proved useless. There was
no cholera in the station or city. Whilst there was cholera in the Punjab, as a precautionary
measure, men returning from infected districts were put in quarantine for seven days before
being allowed to enter the lines.
XIX. Vaccination.— Sixty -seven men of the regiment were vaccinated during the year;
sixty-four successfully. Sixty-four children were also successfully vaccinated. The regiment
is thoroughly protected.
This regiment was inspected by Mr. Banister on the 18th of October
1875 ; he reports that there had been more than usual sickness during
the three preceding years, but it was of no great severity, as only three
deaths occurred in hospital; an epidemic of measles, affecting numbers of the