Small - pox.
Inspection.
Conservancy.
The trench
system.
194
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
tthis outbreak of cholera was accompanied by a Sudden prevalence of dysent
er y
and
diarrhœa, these cases being by far More nurerous than those of choleraic nature.
Small-pox. —Three cases occurred, two ending fatally.
Deputy Surgeon-General Ross inspected on the 3rd March 1875. He
reports favorably of the lines and their drainage, but not so of the water-
supply, which is obtained from the river. He writes :—" The nearest
point of the river is below the bazars and huts of a large population; its
banks cannot be kept clean from natives using it, and from the refuse
thrown from the banks or floating alongside all steamers; their crews and
coolies use the latrines on board, so that the water-supply from the river,
even filtered as it is, must be often very impure and.. quite enough to
cause cholera and bowel complaints." The recruits, 130 in number, were par--
ticularly inspected ; all were in good physical condition. The hospital was
found in a clean and orderly state; the latrine, however, was in an " unservi--
ceable" condition. There are no quarters for the establishment.
44th Regiment (Splint) light Infantrp-debrooghur.
Surgeon-Maior J. B. White, who furnishes the annual report, wasin charge
Location and
movements.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1869
... Shillong ...
...
153.4
1.1
5.6
1870 ... Ditto
...
...
91.4
1.1
3.9
1871
... Ditto
...
...
182.4
1.9
5.8
1872
... Ditto
...
. . .
171.1
4.8
5.1
1873
... Ditto
...
...
148.
4 . 1 5.3
_
Average ...
. . . . . .
1 4 9 . 8
2.6
5.l
1874 ... ,Debrooghur, April ...
209.9
2 . 8 5.4
of the detachment on field
service with the Duffla
Force from November 1st to
the close of the expedition.
II. Location: and move-
ments.—The regiment, after
having its permanent head-
quarters in the Khasia Hills
(Cherapunjee, and subsequently
Shillong) since it was first
raised exactly half a century ago,
was moved in April last to Upper
Assam, relieving the 42nd
Meteorology
of the year.
Lines.
Drainage.
Assam Light Infantry, which in like manner had garrisoned Upper Assam for 50 years.
This change influenced the health of both regiments most disastrously, as will be shown
in other paragraphs.
The various posts occupied by tine regiment miring the year will be found
at paragraph Xy.
IV
IV. Mereorocogy and, climate.—The meteorological feature of the year was a greatly
in-creased rainfall, there being no less than 182 rainy days and 140 inches:collected, this being
28 inches above the average. The rain was likewise very irregularly distributed, more than
double the usual amount having fallen in the first five months, and less than the average
in June, July and August. In addition to these deviations from . the ordinary conditions
of the climate, there occurred two abnormally long periods without any rain whatever—one
in the latter end of May and early part of June, and the other in the latter half of July. The
excessive rainfall in the early part of the year, followed by long intervals of dry hot weather
in what ordinarily is the rainy season, doubtless exercised a most prejudicial effect on health,
more especially on unacelimatized men coming for the first time to the plains. The temperature
was about three degrees higher than. the average, and this pervaded every month in the year.
V. Lines, huts.—In consequence of the majority of the regiment having been. in the
field during the working season, the ordinary annual repairs could not be executed to the lines.;
the consequence has been that the sepoys' huts at Debrooghur have fallen into the most dil-
apidated condition, and do not now afford adequate shelter from protection from the elements.
They are now (may. 1875 ) being repaired.
VI. The drainage (surface) of the station is very complete and perfect. The levels
are correctly adjusted, and the whole system is so complete that even after the heaviest : down-
pours no water lodges in any part of the station.
VII. There are no conservancy arrangements in force; the men and their families
frequent the jungles in the vicinity of the station; very little of any nuisance is.caused by
this practice. Pucca latrines for the dry-earth system were constructed some years ago, but
have ,never been used for want of an establishment of mehters, which has not yet been
sanctioned. Lately, I have been informed orders
quarters to introduce the trench system, but as the movable screens required for their proper
working have not yet been supplied, no commencement has yet been made. Sweepers will also
be required for trenches as for any other plan of latrines, and the number with the regiment
are wholly insufficient to carry out any system of conservancy efficiently.