Bowel
complaints.
Chest
affections.
Causes of
mortality.
Vaccination,
210
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
STATION.
P E R I O D .
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Dai l y av- er age
number
of sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
Admi
s-sions. Deaths.
Admis-sions. Deaths.
Daily
average
sick.
Head-quarters at Edwardesabad 1st Jan.
27th Jan.
554.77 746
13
28·90 132·6 2·34 5·20
” on the march
28th Jan.
1st Feb.
” at Kohat
2nd Feb.
31st Dec.
Detachment at Bahadur Khel
3rd May
9th July
59
2 ...
·19 18·19 ... ·32
” at Lahore
24th Nov.
31st Dec.
85·18 11 ...
1·14 122·22 ...
1·69
TOTAL
......
.....
573·18 759
13
29·08 132·29 2·26 5·07
Number of deaths in hospital 13; out of hospital 11; total 24; per cent. of total strength ...
3·26
” i n v a l i d e d . . . . . . . . . 3 5 ; ” ” . . .
4 · 7 5
” sent on sick leave ... ... 16; ” ” ...
2 · 1 7
„
”
of days spent in hospital 10,616; per admission 13·98; per man of total strength ...
1 4 · 4 2
” ” ” on sick leave 1,634; per man 102.12; ” ” ...
2·22
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength ...
1 6 · 6 4
Principal
causes of
sickness.
Inspection.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness. —Of those diseases which cause the greatest number
of admissions into hospital, 61.55 per cent. are due to malarial fevers, 12.02 to bowel com-
- p l a i n t s ( d y s e n t e r y , d i a r r h œ a , a n d c o l i c ) , 4 . 6 2 t o c h e s t d i s o r d e r s , 3 . 9 6 t o r h e u m a t i c a f f e c t i o n s ,
3.30 to boils, 2.11 to contusions, and 1.71 to venereal diseases. It will thus be seen that
malarial fever causes by far the largest number of admissions into hospital, though it is
endemic in Kohat, and cases occur at all times of the year, yet the autumn mouths are those
in which it is most prevalent. It commences usually about the last week in August or 1st
of September and reaches its climax in October; it then gradually wanes till the end of
December, when cases become comparatively few. At first it assumes a mild quotidian type;
but later on the tertian and quartan types become most frequent; this latter is often very
rebellious to treatment, is almost invariably accompanied by enlargement of the spleen, and
change of air seems the only effectual remedy; this, I believe, seldom fails to effect a cure. No
race or class seems to enjoy immunity from this disease.
Bowel complaints give the next highest number of admissions; they are usually of a
mild description and readily amenable to treatment. One or two large doses of ipecacuanha
seldom fails to effect a cure in the cases of dysentery which one meets with in this climate.
Chest affections come next on the list; of these, pneumonia is by far the most fatal, and
whether it occurs alone or as a complication of some type of malarial fever, its effect is equally
destructive; few patients recover, and those who do, do so imperfectly. Cases of chronic
bronchitis and chronic rheumatism are of frequent occurrence in the cold weather, and it is
t o t h e s e a f f e c t i o n s t h a t m u c h o f t h e i n v a l i d i n g i s d u e .
XVII. Causes of mortality. —There have been thirteen deaths in hospital during the
year; of these, four were due to remittent fever, three to intermittent fever, three to pneumonia,
one to chronic pneumonic phthisis, one to splenitis, and one to general debility.
XIX. Vaccination. —None. There have been no cases of small-pox in the regiment
during the year, nor, I believe, has more than one case occurred within the past ten years; most
of the men have either been inoculated or have had the disease naturally.
Mr. Banister reports that this regiment arrived at Kohat on the 2nd
February, after three sickly years' service at Edwardesabad, and had benefit
-ed by the change. The lines, although on low ground, were well drained and in
g o o d o r d e r ; b u t t h e b a r r a c k s we r e o v e r c r o wd e d , b a d l y v e n t i l a t e d , a n d n e e d e d
the addition of doors and verandahs, which he considered to be indispensably
necessary in such a climate for protection against extremes of temperature in
summer and winter. The garrison hospital had been re-roofed, and, on the
completion of other repairs, then in progress, would afford excellent accommo-
-dation for the sick of the three infantry regiments, although the massing together
of so many diseased persons should be strongly remonstrated against. The huge
building is well ventilated and fairly lighted, but inadequatety warmed, as
there is only one stove, of faulty construction, in each ward, measuring 27,740
cubic feet. Mr. Banister was much pleased with the arrangements, cleanliness,
and order which prevailed.
The recruits, 44 in number, were strong and promising, except one,
who was over -aged.