MEERUT DIVISION.
103
XVIII. Epidemics.—None.
Epidemics.
daily average sick represent the entire loss (temporary) of men from disease, except of course
those few cases (17 in 1874) who are absent on sick leave. In the sappers and miners every
sepoy is either in hospital or on duty.
XVII. Principal causes of mortality.— Seven deaths have occurred in hospital, and 2
out of hospital, viz., 2 remittent fever, 2 general debility, 1 ague a, 1 rupture of the gall-blad-
der and peritonitis, 1 valvular disease of the heart. The two last cases have been already detailed,
and there was nothing in the other five calling for special comment. The numbers are too few
to have a practical bearing on the medical history of the year.
Deaths.
XIX.
Vaccination.— The recruits of the last two years were marched to the hospital in
February. Each was asked if he had any objection to being vaccinated. About half of them
refused, the general excuse being that they were already protected by inoculation. The results
among those who underwent the operation have been detailed at page 6 of the annual return.
Apart from the shrinking which so many high caste Hindoos feel to vaccination by a low caste
operator, there are other inconveniences in the army. The recruits cannot be released from drill
for three weeks while the pock is maturing, and yet their tight dress is sure to press on and break
the pustule. As a matter of fact, in none of the men who were vaccinated did the pock ripen and
dry up healthily. Adult practice is always unsatisfactory in this respect. There has been,
as in previous years, general vaccination practised in the city, regimental bazars, and canton-
ments. The people seem to be growing more familiar and less opposed to it ; but my experi-
ence at the dispensary would lead me to suspect that a great number of the children who are
vaccinated suffer subsequently from ruptured vesicle, re-injection of the escaped lymph, and
troublesome open sores.
XX.
Sanitary recommendations.—The usual weekly inspections of the lines have been
made. Whenever the general health is good, and there is no prospective increased sickness
apprehended, my custom is to take week by week one particular branch of sanitary observa-
tions. Thus, for instance, I pass through the bazar one week, and see that the butcher's shop is
wholesome and sweet, cattle fold clean and no improper food being used, the house drains, the
quality of the foods for sale, and the general repair and ventilation of the houses. The next
week the conservancy and disposal of drainage. The third week water-supply ; and the fourth
week the regimental buildings and out-offices. So much good was initiated by my predecessor
Dr. J. P. Walker, now Deputy Surgeon-General at Allahabad, that little improvement is requir-
ed. There is a public latrine in the sapper bazar which requires close inspection to maintain
pure. In all these matters of sanitation the difficulty here in Roorkee is the limited area within
cantonments for local improvements, and the very insignificant means at our disposal from
cantonment funds.
Vaccination.
Method of sa-
nitary inspec-
tion.
Dr. Eteson appends to his report some remarks on the large amount of
invaliding which is taking place in the native army. He would attribute this
(1), to the inferior physique of men enlisted hurriedly after the mutiny, and
(2), to the increased work now demanded of the sepoy, who does not corre-
spondingly increase the amount or nutritive value of his food. Dr. Eteson
suspects that the present system tends to encourage malingering, and that cases
are decided more on general grounds than consideration of individual instances.
He recommends the introduction of a system of enlistment for short periods,
say 10 years, with a liability to reinlistment on a favorable medical report, a
suitable gratuity being given at the end of such period or periods, and a
pension given only to men of long service say twice the present period, and
then without the intervention of a medical board.
Remarks by Colonel F. R. Maunsell, C. B., Commanding.—" The matter
of conservancy for the native soldiers has been a difficulty since a more strin-
gent action in these matters has been in vogue ; a complete arrangement
would require some establishment, but so much is already deducted from the
soldier's pay, that anything further would be objectionable.
Remarks on
invaliding.
Recommen-
dation.
The com-
manding
officer's opi-
nion on con-
servancy.
" Regarding the physique of native soldiers, I believe a bad effect is caused
by the want of good pay—for food, bedding, clothing, &c., during the first years
of their service, due to the heavy deductions necessary for kits. It is particu-
larly during the first year of their service that plenty of good food is wanted.
This remark does not apply in the case of British soldiers, whose free kit, and
the care taken that they have good food, leave nothing wanting in this respect.
" A rule has lately been established that more than four hours' employ-
ment at a time is not to be given unless the men have first had their dinner."
Deputy Surgeon-General C. M. Smith, on the occasion of his inspection
visit, found all the sanitary medical arrangements in a " thoroughly satisfactory
state."
On the
physique of
native sol-
diers.
Inspection.
Lock Hospital, Roorkee.—Under charge of Surgeon-Major Eteson. There
were 36 women on the register, among whom were 17 admissions—8 soft
Lock-hospital.