Medical
Officer.
Location and
movements.
Detachments.
Meteorology.
Threatened
famine.
Conservancy
improvements
Clothing.
New “ jum
-per.”
Boots and
blistered feet,
76
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OP BENGAL.
6th Regiment, Aatibe Light Infantry—Lucknow.
I. Medical Officer.—Surgeon-Major S. C. Amesbury held medical charge
throughout the year. He
reports :—
II. Location and movements.—
The regimental head-quarters re-
mained at Lucknow during the
past year, and did not march in
course of relief owing to the
famine. The usual alternate
weekly detachments were furnish
ed for Fort Muchee Bhawan, con
sisting of 118 non-commissioned
officers and men, the same being
relieved by a similar guard from
the 4th Native Infantry. As on all
former occasions, the sick of the
detachment were treated at the
head-quarters' hospital, only trivial complaints receiving medical aid from the hospital assistant
detailed for duty at the fort.
Mr. Amesbury confirms Surgeon Palmer's observations regarding the
meteorology of the year. He remarks :—
The hot winds commenced on the 16th of May, and continued with irregular intervals
up to the 31st September, which is most unusual in these parts. The great scarcity of rain
during the whole of the past year necessarily raised the price of grain almost to famine rates.
In consequence of the dearness of food, the sepoys received compensation commencing from
1st August 1877 to present date, at the usual rate, the amount varying according to the daily
bazar nerrick. Sufficient rain fell on the 19th July and 8th August to cause prices to fall, and
towards the end of December a plentiful supply put an end to existing fears of further famine.
In other respects the sanitary circumstances affecting the men were
favorable.
VII. Conservancy.—In the latrines some improvements were made during the year, brick
walls being substituted for the mat partitions, and the whole surface of the ground occupying
the site of the sheds was, on my suggestion, at once covered by a layer three inches thick of dry
earth, well beaten down, so that little or no unpleasant effluvia arises. Trenches are dug as usual
according to pattern, and the filth buried. Earthen glazed pans have been substituted for the
former unglazed ones in each compartment.
X. Clothing.—The only difference in the clothing of the men since . last report has been
the addition of au extra khakee coloured drill jumper or overcoat, and a pugree of the same
material. These. overcoats are worn over the red, and came into use on the 7th October 1877
for all fatigue duties, musketry and regimental duty, and marching order. The dress itself is
neat and strong. It is made like a countryman's blouse, opening a short way down the front,
fastened by three buttons, drawn in at the waist by the belt. With regard to the boots worn by
the men, I have nothing different to record to my former report of 1876. The number of admis-
sions into hospital from foot-sores caused by the boots will be shown in the accompanying
comparative table:
Disease,
1873.
1 8 7 4 .
1 8 7 5 .
1876.
1877.
Per cent. tostrenth for
1877.
B l i s t e r e d
...
... 64
62
62
49
62
8.94
YEAR. STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1872 . Morar,January1870 .
1 7 3 . 4
1.02
4.9
1873 . Ditto
.
.
.
1 3 6 . 2
.74
3.8
1874 . Lucknow,Nov1873 .
8 0 . 1
2.34
2.82
1875 . Ditto
.
.
.
1 1 0 . 5
1.05
3.27
1876 . Ditto
1876
.
Ditto'
.
.
.
9 6 . 9
1.01
3.17
Average
.
1 1 9 . 4 2
1.23
3.59
1877 . Lucknow
.
.
8 7 . 4 7
1.00
3.41
Hospital.
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding.
XIV. Hospila1.—The hospital is a very good one, in thorough repair. No dead-house has
been built, nor have any of the new quarters for the subordinates, the ground for which
was surveyed by a committee years ago.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding.—Strength of the regiment
Present .
.
. .
.
.
. .
•
.
. 624.15
Absent .
.
. .
.
. . . .
•
.
. 72.91
Total .
.
692.06