Topography.
Lines.
Drainage.
Conservancy.
Water-supply
Diet.
Clothing.
Duties.
Hospital.
158
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Sickness,
mortality
and invalid
-ing.
A topographical description of the station has been formerly given.
Dr. Watson describes the rainfall as having been above the average, and
unevenly distributed; very heavy falls late in the season produced floods such
as were not known for years. He does not look on Rawal Pindi as a malarious
station, but considers that the mild form of autumnal fever met with is
dependent more or less on the vicissitudes of temperature acting on constitu
-tions already saturated with the materies morbi. The lines are said to have
been in a fair state of repair and clean. The ventilation was not considered
as good as it might have been; but as there was no overcrowding, the medical
officer does not think the men suffered in consequence. The natural drainage
in and around the lines is very good: the drains were frequently cleaned out,
and no water lay stagnant at any time. The "dry-earth" system was carried
out in the latrines, the walls of which were in a dilapidated state. The
conservancy of the latrines was not what it should have been, as the medical
officer reports that the "floor has become saturated with urine, and is
somewhat offensive." Many of the men, too, preferred to resort to the nullas
in the neighbourhood for necessary purposes. The water-supply was from
wells, and was abundant and of good quality. The various articles of food
have been uniformly good, plentiful and cheap, and the bazaar has been clean
and well ordered. The Jâts in this regiment have messes of their own, and
live well. They partake liberally of milk, vegetables, and many of them use
flesh of all kinds, with the exception of beef: they also indulge in stimulants
in moderation, rum being their favorite liquor. In consequence of the way
they live, the men are in a high state of physical development, and under
-feeding has been unknown. The clothing is of the same kind as formerly
described, and is well adapted to the climate and duties the men have to
perform. The duties were in no way excessive, and the men had from 6
to 10 nights in 11.
XIV. Hospital.—The hospital is all that could be desired. It is conveniently and well
situated, and is in excellent repair, and its accommodation is more than sufficient for all ordinary
requirements. The hospital equipment is complete and perfect. The quarters for the hospital
establishment are in a fair state of repair. The wards were comfortably warmed during the
cold season, and the patients' bedding and clothing invariably good and clean. A row of trees
has been planted round the hospital, which will in course of time afford a grateful shade.
XV.—Sickness, mortality and invaliding .—Strength of the regiment:
Present . . .
373.45
Absent
.
.
.
82.28
Total . . . 455.73
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 Rawal Pindi 1st Jan. . . .
31st Dec.
. . . 373.45
287
3
9.15 76.85
.80 2.45
Number of deaths in hospital 3; out of hospital 1; total 4; per cent. of total strength . . .
.87
" i n v a l i d e d . . . 1 7 ; " " . . .
3.73
" s e n t o n s i c k l e a v e . . . 3 ; " " . . .
.65
" of days spent in hospital 3,332; per admission 11.60; per man of total strength . . .
7.31
" " o n s i c k l e a v e 5 0 4 ; p e r m a n . . . 1 6 8 ; " " . . . 1.10
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength . . .
8.41
Principal
causes of sick
-ness.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness .—Two hundred and ninety-eight cases of sickness were
treated in the head-quarters hospital during the year: of these, 277 recovered and were discharg
-ed to duty, 8 were discharged otherwise, 3 died, and 10 remained under treatment on the last
day of the year. The principal causes of admissions into hospital have been malarious fever,
rheumatism, bowel-complaints, and contusions and other injuries incidental to the cavalry sol
-dier. There has been a very considerable decrease in the number of admissions, being 287
against 451 in the previous year. The daily average sick during the year was 9.15 against
17.16 in 1874. The number of days in hospital per admission 11.60 against 13.49 in the
previous year. As usual, ague heads the list in the number of admissions, yielding 103:
rheumatism gave 28, bowel-complaints caused 22, and contusions and other injuries, 48.