Epidemics.
Small-pox.
Cholera.
Vaccination.
Recommenda-
tions.
Special observ-
ations and
remarks.
Duty.
Hospital.
Sickness,
mortality and
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
XVIII. Epidemics.—Small-pox was prevalent from April till July in the cantonment
and neighbouring city and villages and at Bhopal itself. It assumed an epidemic form, and
caused great mortality. Several of the sepoys' children suffered from the disease, and one'man
was admitted into hospital on the some account. Guards were placed so as to prevent all
intercommunication between the inmates of the healthy and infected huts in the married
quarters. There were a few cases of cholera at Sehore in October and the early part of
November last, principally amongst travellers passing through from the famine districts about
Gwalior and Agra. A sepoy of the battalion, who had two days previously returned from
up-country viâ Saugor, was seized with cholera in his hut in the married lines of No. 5
Company. This case was severe and protracted, but ultimately did well.
XIX. Vaccination.—Twenty recruits who presented doubtful marks of previous small-pox
were vaccinated; of these eight successfully so, nine were doubtful, and three failed in produc-
ing any result. Lymph direct from the arms of healthy children was used in each case. A
good number of children of sepoys in the married quarters have also been recently vaccinated.
XX. Recommendations.—During the prevalence of small-pox, it was recommended that
all intercommunication between healthy and infected should be guarded against, and when
cholera was present, all men returning from furlough, &c., were directed to report themselves
for inspection at the regimental hospital previous to being permitted to enter the lines. The
above recommendations were sanctioned by the officer commanding the corps.
XXI. Special observations and remarks.— I would here state that since the 1st of last
July, all cases of malarious fevers admitted into hospital at Sehore, have been treated by
cinchona febrifuge, with a result which shows the mixed alkoloids to be quite as efficient as
quinine. A full detailed report of the treatment of 600 cases of paludal fever in the Bhopal
battalion hospital here, by cinchona febrifuge alone, has been forwarded to the Surgeon-
General of the Indian. Medical Department, and it is therefore considered unnecessary to make
any further allusion here to the subject. This Report has been published in the Indian
Medical Gazette, Vol. XIII, page 69.
Mhairwara Battalion—Ajmere.
Medical
officer.
Location and
movements.
Sanitary cir-
cumstances.
Rainfall.
Food.
I. Medical officer .—Honorary Surgeon-Major T. Murray, M.D., held medical
charge of the regiment
during the year 1877.
II. Location and movements.
— The head-quarters of the regi-
ment was stationed at Ajmere
throughout the year. Detach-
ments were stationed at Beawur,
Sambhur and Todgurh.
The sanitary circumstances
of the corps underwent no
change. The year was a
hot and dry one, only 11.76
inches of rain having fallen.
Food-supplies were however
abundant and moderate in
price.
Detachment and
escort duty give the men ample but not excessive work. The hospital is
in good repair, and its out-houses sufficient in number and in serviceable order.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding.—Strength of the regiment
—
Present
.
.
.
.
.
.
. .
.
.
. 571.17
Absent
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
139.58
Total
.
.
710.75
STATION.
PRESENT.
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Daily
a v e r a g e
number of
sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
FER ANNUM.
From
To
Adrnis-
sions.
Deaths.
Adrnis-
sions.
Deaths.
Daily
average
sick.
H cad-quarters at
Ajmere
let Jan. 1877 31st Dec. 1877
443.64
540
3
26.86 155.5
. 6 7
6.04
Detachment at Bertwar
.
. . .
...
51.33
29
...
3.48
56.5
...
6.63
Ditto
Sambhur .
. . .
...
55.98
109
...
1.15 194.6
...
2.05
Ditto
Todgurli
.
...
...
1.96
0.01 105.2
... .52
Ditto
Agent, G. G.'s
...
...
18.26
10
...
0.16
54 . 9
. . .
. 8 8
camp.
Total
.
...
...
571.17
690
3
31.66 120.79
. 3 5 5.53
Number of deaths in hospital, 3; out of hospital, 1; total
4; per cent. of total strength .
.
0.56
„
invalided
.
. .
.
.
.
.
5 ;
,,
,,
.
.
0.70
„
sent on sick leave
.
.
.
.
.
29 ;
,, ,,
.
.
4 . 0 5
,,
of days spent in hospital, 11,555; per admission,
16.74; per man of total strength .
.
16.27
„
,,
on sick leave, 1,341 ; per man,
.
46.24;
„
„
.
.
1.88
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
.
18.15
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1872
. Ajmere
.
.
.
139'
2.19
5.44
1873
.
Ditto
.
.
.
108.7
1.33
4.7
1874
.
Ditto
.
.
.
139.5
.85
4.84
1875
.
Ditto
.
.
.
12365
.56
4.79
1876
.
Ditto
.
.
.
117.72
.64
4.76
Average
.
.
125.71
1.11
490
1877
. Ajmere
.
.
.
120.79 .56
5.53