PESHAWAR DISTRI
191
be improved by the substitution of open fire-places for the faultily constructed
stoves then in use. Mr. Banister states that everything was in perfect order.
There were no deficiencies among the supplies, and the patients, 12 in number,
w e r e r e c e i v i n g e v e r y p o s s i b l e a t t e n t i o n . T h e o u t - o f f i c e s a f f o r d e d v e r y g o o d
accommodation for the whole of the establishment. The recruits, 22 in num
- b e r , we r e a l l c o n s i d e r e d t o b e mo r e o r l e s s e l i g i b l e .
This regiment left for Umballa in October, in course of relief, after a
residence of four years at Nowshera. The men were not, perhaps, so strong and
vigorous as they were on their first arrival, but they were certainly in
average health.
27th (Punjab) Regiment, Native Infantry—Nowshera.
I. Medical Officers.—The following medical officers have been employed with the regiment
during the year 1875. At head
-quarters (1) Surgeon T. Robinson,
M.B., from 1st January to 9th
August; (2) Surgeon-Major G. O.
Currie, 10th Bengal Lancers, from
10th August to 13th October; (3)
Surgeon T. Robinson, M.B., from
14th October to 31st December.
At the depôt, Nowshera, Surgeon
T. Molony, M.D., from 1st Janu
-ary to 16th February. Detach
-ment at Fort Abazai was under
the care of Surgeon G. R. Daph
-tary, M.D., in medical charge,
Doaba outposts. The other de
-tachments, detailed in the succeed
-ing paragraph, were under the care of hospital assistants.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1870
Bar ei l l y, Mar ch 1868, f r om Pes hawar .
5 6 ·
· 8
2 · 5
1871
Ditto ditto
9 2 · 8
· 4
2 · 3
1872
Barrackpore, Apri l 1872
2 4 6 · 9
1 · 7
8 · 3
1873
Ditto ditto
8 1 · 3
2 · 8
2 · 9
1874
Nowshera, Feby. 1874
1 4 4 . 2
2 · 9
5 · 0 8
A v e r a g e
1 2 4 · 2 4
1 · 7 2
4 · 2 1
1875
Nowshera
1 2 7 · 9 7
1 · 8 5
3 · 5 4
Medical
Officer
Surgeon Robinson furnished the annual-sanitary report.
II. Location and movements. —The head-quarters were at Peshawar for field exercises, in
combination with the other troops in garrison at that station, from 1st January to 16th
February. On 17th February, the regiment marched to Nowshera, a distance of 27 miles, where
it continued until the end of the year. Detachments were sent out as follows
:—
(1.) Fort Mackeson for the whole year.
(2.) Fort Abazai for the whole year.
(3.) Cherat for June, and from 1st November to 16th December.
The detachments at Forts Mackeson and Abazai were relieved at intervals of one month
in the cold, and two months in the hot weather.
III. Topography and physical geography.—Full information on this head is given in
the following books: ( a) the Medical and Sanitary Report of the Native Army in Bengal
for 1869, pages 156 to 159; (b) the same report for the year 1870, pages 223 to 228;
(c) the same report for the year 1872, pages 185 to 188.
Location and
movements.
Topography
and physical
geography.
IV. Meteorology and climate.—The only instrument available for observations is a common
thermometer, by which three observations were taken daily throughout the year, in the
morning, at noon, and in the evening. The highest recorded temperature was on 5th of July,
103F.°; the highest mean temperature was in the month of June. The record of temperature
is incomplete as regards this station, for the regiment was stationed in Peshawar until 17th
February. There was a violent shock of earthquake on 12th December, by which every
building in Nowshera was more or less injured. The regimental hospital escaped pretty well,
two transverse arches of the eastern verandah only having been injured. There were two
or three minor shocks afterwards, but they did not add to the injury already done. No
accident to human life was reported in the station, but there were accounts of fatal events
from some of the neighbouring villages. Another shock was experienced on 24th December,
but no damage was done. I consider the clime of Nowshera to be very good and healthy.
During a short period of the past hot weather (about 15 days) the temperature was rather
high, but we suffered no ill effects from it.
V. Lines, barracks, or huts.—The position of the huts in which the men live is to the
south of the station generally, which itself is on the south side of the Grand Trunk Road.
There are 16 huts, each of which holds half a company. The ventilation is good, being effected
by 6 doors in each hut. The site is nearly quite level, and the soil is sandy or gravelly. On
the north, west and east sides the plain is quite open and level; on the south side, about 800
yards distant, are sand hills. The exposure to the sun would be complete were it not that
certain fast-growing trees have been planted, whereof the effect is pleasing to the eye and
gratifying to the feelings of the men. The long axis of each of the huts is from north to
Meteorology
and climate.
Lines, bar
-racks or huts.