Inspection.
Sanitary
conditions.
hospitals.
Physique.
Patients.
Venereal cases
Records.
Detachment
2nd B. C.
Accommoda-
tion.
Health.
Detachment at
Chunar.
Sanitary
condition.
latrine.
24
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Physique of
the regiment.
Invaliding.
Sanitary
condition.
In spite of the large venereal sick list throughout the year, the regiment is in very
good physical condition. The men are well fed, have a good carriage and show a smart-
ness at their exercises which does not indicate weakness of frame. The strength of the
regiment, which was only 674 in May, has been brought up to the full complement of 712
at the end of the year. The recruits were carefully selected and have good physique and good
sight. The sight was always carefully tested before enlistment. I have already mentioned
that gymnastics have done much to develop the physique of the younger men.
About 25 men will be sent to the next invaliding committee from regimental head-
quarters, but there is a number of old men serving with the detachment at Berhampore
who will also be sent up to be invalided. Among the men to be sent from head quarters are
about eight or ten who are the sad wrecks of syphilitic poisoning in middle-aged men.
_
A regiment broken up into five detachments during various portions of the year often
deteriorates considerably. I am glad to report that it has not been the case in the 13th Native
Infantry during 1874, and that I feel confident that both the Major General Commanding
the division and the Deputy Surgeon-General of the circle will report favourably on the
physique of the corps, although we have had so much to contend with during the past year.
Remarks by Officer Commanding.— I am glad to see that Surgeon-Major Verchere has
touched upon one point which I myself have brought to the notice of the Major General, and
recommended that all cases of venereal be treated the same as provided for in para. 412 of
standing orders of the Bengal Infantry. I see no other way of putting a stop to this spread-
ing disease.
Deputy Surgeon-General J. P. Walker, M. D., made the inspection of the
hospital, &c., of this regiment on the 30th January 1875. He reports the
state of the lines, huts, water-supply, drainage and conservancy as being satis-
factory. The latrines are on the trench system and are clean, but the
accommodation is inadequate. The hospitals and their surroundings were
clean and tidy, and their conservancy well attended to ; the accommodation
in hospital is described as being inferior and inadequate, but the erection of a
new hospital is under consideration. All of the men off duty were inspected in
undress, and presented a very satisfactory appearance : the recurits seem to
have been judiciously selected.
The patients in hospital were clean and comfortable, and all medical
and hospital details of duty carefully carried out. The large number of
venereal cases attracted attention. The medical history sheets were not kept
up as carefully as they should have been, and the departmental circulars
were loosely kept, or else imperfectly copied or abstracted so as to be useless
for reference.
Detachment 2nd Bengal Cavalry at Benares.— This detachment was
inspected by Dr. J. P. Walker on 30th January 1875. He reports that the
men had not sufficient accommodation, and in consequence were rather over-
crowed, especially so as they had no separate place in which to keep their
saddlery and accoutrements ; however, an additional room is about to be added.
The health of the men, notwithstanding the overcrowding complained of,
has been very good ; only three cases of sickness occurred during 1874, and the
men were treated in the regimental hospital of the 13th Native Infantry. The
lines were clean, and conservancy arrangements, water-supply, and food sold
in the bazar were all good.
Staff
dispensary.
Staff Dispensary at Benares.—Deputy Surgeon-General J. P. Walker, M. D.,
inspected this institution on the 30th January 1875, and he found it in good
working order. To this dispensary a hospital assistant and a compounder are
attached. Surgeon-Major A. Verchere, Staff Surgeon, reports favorably of both
these men.
Detachment 13th Regiment Native Infantry, Chunar.— Deputy Surgeon-
General J. P. Walker, M. D., inspected this detachment on the 25th January
1875. The sanitary state of the lines, huts, water-supply, drainage, con-
servancy and latrines is reported on as being satisfactory, and Dr. Walker
also states that the interior of the fort was in excellent order. A new
latrine inside the fort for native troops has been completed, but was not
in use owing to the want of an extra establishment for it. Dr. Walker
rightly considers that, "when a latrine on the dry-earth system and to be
worked on the same conditions as for European troops, is established in a fort,