138
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
22nd (Punjab) Regiment Native Infantry—Jhelum.
Medical
charge.
Location and
movements.
Sanitary cir
-
cumstances.
Boots.
Hospital.
Surgeon-Major A. J. Daleretained medical charge of the regiment throug
out the year. Surgeon D. P.
Palmer, however, assumed
medical charge of the head-
quarters on the corps pro
-
ceeding to the camp of exer
-
cise. Mr. Dale reports:—
II.—Location and Movements.—
The Regiment continued to be
quartered at Jhelum from the
commencement of the year till
the 9th November, giving a de
-
tachment of 132 men from the
14th May to the 9th September
to Attock.
On the 9th November the
head-quarters, in company with
the others corps at the station
,
marched for Rawal Pindi, leaving
a depôt of 147 men behind. At the close of the year the regiment was still at Pindee, and
its depôt at Jhelum.
The sanitary circumstances of the regiment at Jhelum underwent no
change. The men fed well and duty was light, the nights in bed being 5 in
7. The medical officer considers that an ammunition boot of the same pattern
as that used by the European army, and kept soft in the same manner, would
prevent much of the blistering of feet which now befall the native soldier.
Every recruit is provided with a rezai. On the subject of hospital accommoda
-
tion. Mr. Dale writes:—
The accommodation has been ample for the number of sick. The bath-room has been
furnished in accordance with the general order on the subject, and is very complete. Wood for
firing has been allowed in the wards—a great boon to the sick, for which they are indebted to
the Deputy Surgeon-General who agitated the matter through many difficulties till sanction
was obtained. Nothing has been done towards providing quarters for the hospital establishment,
and the grievance so strongly noticed last year still remains unredressed.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths.
Daily aver
-
age sick.
1869
Morar, June 1866, from
Umballa . . .
218.7
2.5
5.5
1870
Fort William, December
1869 . . .
230.9
1.1
6.2
1871
Dacca and Barrackpore
March 1870 . . .
255.6
1.3
6.7
1872
Jhelum, April 1872 . . .
284.2
5.1
8.5
1873
Ditto ditto
9 9 .
. 7
2.8
Average.
. . .
217.7
2.1
5.9
1874
Jhelum
66.6
.58
2.1
Sickness.
mortality and
invaliding.
Prevalent
diseases.
Deaths.
Epidemics.
Vaccination.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding .—Strength of the regiment—present, 615.6;
absent, 69.4; total, 685.
STATION.
PERIOD.
S t r e n g t h .
TOTAL NUM-
BE R OF
D a i l y a v e r a g e n u m b e r o f s i c k .
PER CENT. OF
STRENGTH PER AN-
NUM.
From
To
Admis-
sions.
D e a t h s .
Admi s-si ons.
D e a t h s .
D a i l y a v e r a g e s i c k .
Head-quarters at Jhelum
and Camp of Exercise . . . 1st Jan. 1874 31st Dec. 1874 557.28
358
3
11.55
64.2
.53
2.07
Depôt at Jhelum . . . 9th Nov. 1874 31st Dec. 1874 144.92
7
. . .
3.15
33.07
. . .
2.17
Detachment at Attock . . . 14th May1874 8th Sept. 1874 129.44
45
. . .
3.17 107.5
. . .
2.45
TOTAL . . .
. . .
. . . 615.6
410
3
13.12
66.6
.48
2.13
Number of deaths in hospital, 3; out of hospital, 1, total 4; per cent. of total strength .58
" i n v a l i d e d , . . . 3 1 ; " " "
4.5
" sent on sick leave, 7; " " "
1.02
" of days spent in hospital, 4,788.8; per admission, 11.7; per man " "
6.9
" " " on sick leave, 960; per man, 137.1 " " "
1.4
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength, . . . 8.3
The health of the regiment has improved greatly since its arrival
at Jhelum, and may now be pronounced to be satisfactory. Ague, dysentery,
diarrhœa, rheumatism, syphilis and blisters of the feet were the principal
causes of sickness. Of the 3 deaths in hospital, one was due to suicidal
gunshot wound, another to suicidal poisoning by corrosive sublimate, and a
third to phagedænic venereal sore. No epidemic occurred; twelve children
were vaccinated, and the men are reported to be well protected from small-pox.