MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Grinpoorah Irregular Force—Gri npoorah.
Surgeon S. Brereton reports as follows:—
Medical
Officers.
Location and
movements.
Topography,
and physical
geography.
Meteorology
and climate.
I. Medical Officers.—
Surgeon H. D. S. Compigné
was in medical charge from
1st January to 31st March.
3rd Class Hospital Assistant
Mahomat Fakir, from 31st
March to the llth July,
and Surgeon S. Brereton,
from 11th July to 31st De
-
cember.
II. Location and movements.—
The head-quarters are perma
-
nently stationed at Erinpoorah; one
detachment, average strength 72,
was at Aboo throughout the year; another, average strength 61, at Joudpore for 7½ months—
both of which were relieved every three months; and an escort, average strength 98, was
furnished to the Agent to the Governor General in Rajpootana, while on his tour, from
the 1st of October to the end of the year.
III. Topography and Physical Geography.— The extensive plateau which lies north of
the Satpuras terminates on the south, parallel to the Nerbudda, by the escarpment called the
Vihdhya. Range, and on the west by the Aravallis, generally averaging 3,000 to 4,000 feet high,
Mount Abco, the highest, rising to 5,653 feet; on the west of this range is an amphitheatre,
about 10 miles long by Smiles broad, formed by its offshoots. Erinpoorah is situated on the main
road from Agra to Ahmedabad, 150 miles from Ajmere and 50 miles from Aboo. The exact
latitude taken at the north-west angle of the hospital is 25°8', 55".8 north, and the longitude
7 . 3°5 ' , 5 6 " . 5 e a s t , t h e a l t i t u d e a b o v e t h e s e a a t K a r a c h i 8 6 9 f e e t . T h e w a t e r - s h e d o f t h e
country is the Aravaili Range, the country gradually sloping towards the west and north.
The hills in the neighbourhood differ so much, that it is difficult to give an average height.
Bonik Hill. 13 miles south-west-by-west, is 2,098 feet high, Jallor Fort 2,092, and the Dudialli
Hills, about 20 miles south-west, are 2,700.
The general appearance of the country is rugged and mountainous, and scarcely belies its
name Marwar—sandy monotonous plains, with scanty vegetation and hills rising abruptly from
the plains are the prominent features. Erinpoorah is, however, situated in Sirohi, ½ mile from its
northern frontier, presenting a marked contrast to the country by its buildings, &c., and.
numerous trees, principally neem, which quite shade the station. The inhabitants consist of
the aborigines Minas, Bhils, Sungas, Goojer, &c., with their Rajpoot conquerors. The
aborigines consider themselves a kind of autocthones, and differ in language and religion from
the Rajpoots;. belt owing to the proselytising influence of the latter, and from a desire to
assimilate themselves with the dominant race, they have partly adopted their language and
religion and amalgamated them with their own. A considerable number of measurements
that 1 have made show them to be under the average height and chest measurement. The
beads are rather dolion-cephalie, special senses are acute, but the intellect is not of a high
order. The district presents facilities for the study of ethnology, but the subject cannot be
discussed here.
There are no rivers or swamps in the neighbourhood. A nulla on the immediate north
make a river in the rains, but is almost or entirely dry at other seasons. The soil is poor, light
and sandy but by irrigation and manuring, crops of barley, wheat, pulse, bajra, til, vegetables
and some cotton are raised. The flora, or fauna, present nothing for remark here. The sub-soil
water varies from 30 to 40 feet on an average in depth, becoming more superficial. as the hills
are approached.
IV. Meteorology and Climate.—H a v i n g
j o i n e d t h e a p p o i n t m e n t o n l y a l i t t l e o v e r f i v e
months ago, I would scarcely be justified in reporting on the climate from experience, and
the data available are but scanty. The instruments consist of a hospital thermometer and
aneroid, both of which are not exact. The meteorological statistics can only, therefore; be
considered rough approximations. The temperature was equable and moderate. The mean
82°5" was under last year. The minimum 66° in January, and the maximum 97° in May. The
rain-fall was probably over the average, and was occasionally very heavy, accompanied by
severe thunder-storms and wind. The climate is popularly supposed to be temperate and
healthy, and has sustained its reputation during the time I was in charge. The most remark
-
able phenomenon during, 1875 was a severe shock of an earthquake on the 9th of October.
The direction of the wave at Erinpoorah was from south-west to north-east, and the duration
of the shock, three seconds, producing considerable vibration and a noise like that of a carriage,.
The shock was felt for a considerable distance to the south as far as Deesa, and several points
indicate somewhere neat Aboo as the centre of the disturbance, when the shock was much
more violent and repeated several times.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1870
Erinpoorah . . .
68.8
. 7
2.8
1871
Ditto . . .
47.8
1.3
2.2
1872
Ditto . . .
82'9
. 8
2.5
1873
Ditto
65.1
. 4
2.4
1874
Ditto . . .
89.1
1.1
2.8
Average
. . .
70.86
. 8 6
2.54
1875
Erinpoorah
. . .
85.90
1.14
2.60