Inspection.
Medical
Officers.
Topography,
&c.
Climate.
155
LAHORE DIVISION.
The move into camp was not in this instance so decidedly beneficial as is sometimes the
case. At Chaitroo; cholera lingered until 25th July, while in the lines no ease occurred after
18th. In camp too, in proportion to the strength, the cases were as numerous as in the lines,
and the deaths were more so.
XIX. Vaccination.— Three recruits and 44 children were vaccinated successfully. Most of
the recruits have been inoculated before leaving Nepal.
Vaccination.
XX. Recommendation.—Recommendations made during the cholera outbreak were acted
upon immediately. They related to the vacating, cleansing and disinfecting of infected huts;
attendance upon the sick; removal of the men into camp; and matters connected with the
sanitation of the cantonment. Occasional verbal suggestions, relative to the clothing of the
men and other matters, have also been carried out.
Deputy Surgeon-General G. H. Ray, M. D., of the Lahore Circle, reports
on the 12th July as follows : "I was unable to make a formal inspection of
the Goorkhas, owing to the regiment suffering from an outbreak of epidemic
cholera at the time of my visiting Dharmsala. As already reported, I had great
reason to be satisfied with the admirable way in which Surgeon-Major Oldham
and the whole of his subordinate establishment performed their duties."
Recommenda-
tion.
4th Coorkha Regiment,—Bakloh.
I, Medical Officers. —Surgeon-Major G. C. Chesnaye held medical charge of
the head-quarters through-
out the year. Surgeon-
Major P. W. Sutherland held
charge of the Simla detach-
ment from 3rd April to 6th
November. The former
officer has submitted the
annual sanitary report.
II. Location and movements.—
The regimental head-quarters
remained at Bakloh from 1st
January to 19th October, when it
marched for the camp of exercise.
The Simla detachment marched
from Bakloh on the 5th and re-joined head-quarters at Umballa on the 16th November. A depôt
was left at Bakloh on the departure of head-quarters and continued to remain there to the
end of the year.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1870 . . . Bakloh . . .
77.1
.9
2.7
1871 . . .
Ditto and Looshni . . .
140.4
2.8
3.4
1872 . . .
Ditto, April, from Loo-
shai.
181
1.6
5.2
1873 . . .
Ditto . . .
98.2
1.1
3.1
1874 . . .
Ditto . . .
91. 9
.5
2.8
Average . . .
117.72
1.38
3.44
1875 . . . Bakloh . . .
119.50
1.69
4.10
Location and
movements.
III. Topography, &c.—Vide former annual reports.
IV. Climate .—Characterized by a very mild winter with neither snow nor wind storms
of any severity. An unusually early setting in of hot weather and exceedingly heavy rains,
which commenced on the 23rd of June and lasted to the 7th of October. During this period,
the rainfall exceeded the average total fall for a whole year, 76 inches having been collected
within the four months, whereas the usual annual rainfall at this station is only 70.20. The
amount collected up to the 19th October was 95.94 inches.
A description of the lines, drainage, conservancy, &c., has been given in former reports
and need not now be repeated. The duty is said to have been light throughout the year—
number of nights in bed averaged upwards of 5, excepting for a short period, on the march to
Delhi when they fell to 1 in 2.
XIII. Marches.—The head-quarters marched from Bakloh to join the camp of exercise
on the 19th. October. Rain had been falling heavily up to within 12 days previously and all
the low-lying country in the district was still deeply flooded. Cholera had been severely epi
-demic in the neighbourhood, and the intended route of the regiment had to be modified in
parts, in other parts completely changed in consequence. The entire Gurdaspore district was
suffering from adynamic fever, which caused great mortality in the civil population. The
encamping grounds occupied as far down as Umballa were in all cases very damp, and in
many, notably those at Purmanund and Kartarpore, no better than so many morasses, in
which the water level was a couple of inches above the surface of the ground. After passing
Umballa, although the ground became even lower than that previously traversed, there had
been more time since the rain had fallen and the country was dryer. From arrival at the camp
of exercise, the climate and soil were everything to be desired, and although a great deal of
sickness had occurred on the road, attributable to climate, the men daily improved in health at
Delhi and the number in hospital progressively decreased.
Marches.
XIV. Hospital.—Described
in previous reports. The deficiencies complained of therein,
however, have all been ordered to be remedied. As these operations have been commenced
subsequent to our march, I am unable to describe them. I trust that by the time the regiment
shall have returned to Bakloh the hospital shall be in every respect complete for all purposes.