xiii
intendence, aided most effectively by the officers of the Quartermaster General's
and Medical Departments, who were associated with him in the accomplish-
ment of the grand object of securing the due conservancy and consequent
healthiness of the immense gathering under canvas at Delhi on that occasion.
29. The drinking water used by the sepoys has been generally abundant,
and, with few exceptions, of good quality. The great importance of a pure
water-supply, and of preserving it from every possible source of defilement,
app ears to have been generally recognised.
Water-supply.
30. From their training in the Army Medical School at Netley, the medi-
cal officers of the Indian Medical Department may be considered, on entering
the service, to be fully competent to conduct a complete analysis of water;
but I should like to know that they keep up their practical knowledge of the
subject by being required to render a rough analysis of the water of their "lines,"
together with a specimen of it, so that the Chemical Examiner to Government
might now and then verify the results which they had obtained, An analysis
of water, at all events a qualitative one, may be required at any time, more
especially on the sudden outbreak of certain diseases, or on the occasion of
troops marching or taking the field, &c., &c., and on this account it is very
necessary that there should be no probability of a medical officer failing to
conduct such an important duty in a complete and trustworthy manner.
31. The water from some of the wells in the lines of the 16th Regiment,
Madras Native Infantry, at Jubbulpore was analysed and condemned as unfit
for drinking purposes on account of sewage contamination. Yet no bad effects
had been observed to result from the use of this water, though not impro-
bably, at another season of the year, equal immunity might not have been
enjoyed.
Necessity for
medical offi-
cers to keep
up their prac-
tical know
l e d g e o f w a t e r
Bad water in
lines of 16th
Regiment
Madras Na-
tive Infantry
at Jubbulpore.
32. In paragraph 31 of my letter forwarding the Sanitary and Medical
Report of the Native Army for 1875, I suggested that it might be worth the
outlay to have any one station of known unhealthiness thoroughly drained, as
I considered that defective drainage, both surface and subsoil, was accountable
to a great extent for the malarial fevers and outbreaks of cholera which are
of almost yearly occurrence in this country. With reference to this sugges-
tion, the Government of India, in Military Department letter No. 361 of the
7th March last, was pleased to inform me that it was one which should be
practically tested, and directed me to submit the name of the station which
should be selected to be thoroughly drained, or, if I had any doubt as to the
particular station, to submit the names of two or three. Acting on these
orders, I issued a circular memorandum (No. 15 of 25th April last) to all the
Deputy Surgeons-General of my Department in the Presidency, asking each one
" what stations in his circle he considered it would be of the greatest advantage
to drain thoroughly, as an experimental measure, with reference to reducing
the sickness generally connected with insufficient and imperfect means of drain-
age." To this circular I received replies from all circles by the 12th of July,
and I record the opinions of the several Deputy Surgeons-General in a sum-
marised form as follows :—
Presidency Circle.—Deputy Surgeon-General R. Cockburn considers that
Barrackpore is a station which it is desirable should be drained thoroughly, in
order to improve its healthiness.
Dacca Circle.—Officiating Deputy Surgeon-General W. H. Adley men-
tions Cachar and Gauhati. The latter station he considers to be in need of
such a measure more than any other in his circle, but " the engineering diffi-
culties are very great."
Dinapore Circle.—Dr. J. Irving names Dinapore being the only station
in his circle for European troops.
Allahabad Circle.—Dr . J. P. Walker reports that, in his opinion, the can-
tonment of Banda is in need of thorough drainage as soon as possible, because
sickness actually results from want of it.
Saugor Circle.—Deputy Surgeon-General Tyrell Ross reports that there
is no military station in the Saugor Circle in which it can be said sickness is
generally connected with inefficient and imperfect drainage.
Agra Circle.—Dr. Thorpe considers that Agra is more in want of thorough
drainage than any other station in his circle.
Lucknow Circle.— The medical officer in charge of the Deputy Surgeon-
General's Office states that the drainage of Lucknow is incomplete, and leaves
4
Drainage.