167
PUNJAB FRONTIER, FORCE.
period the men Were frequently employed on reconnoitering duties, and also in the construction
of stone breastworks, thorn fences, and other temporary fortifications. Small parties were also
occasionally sent off on short excursions for the protection of villages threatened with Afridi
raids. On the 9th of November the corps left its camp equipage, &c., at Lukha Talao, and
advanced with No. 3, or the Shadipur column, against the Jowaki Afridis. It is still
engaged in active field service in their country.
Hospital.—The
hospital at Abbottabad has been described in previous reports, and
no changes have been made in it during the year under review.
Sickness, morality and invaliding.—Strength of the regiment
Present
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. .
. . 656.66
Absent
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. 111.48
Total
.
. 768.14
Hospital.
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding,
STATION.
PERIOD
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
O F
Daily
average
number of
sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
Ad mis-
sions. Deaths,
Admis-
sions. Deaths.
Daily
average
sick.
Head-quarters at Abbottabad
1st Jan. 1877 10th Oct. 1877 643.72
448
2
24.51 89.76
. 40 3.80
Detachment at Oghi
.
.
217 days.
29.41
7
...
4.0
40.02
...
1.15
Head-quarter wing
with
.Jowaki Force
11th 0ct. 1877 31st Dec. 1877
359.45
98
...
8.85 121.35
...
2.46
Wing at Abbottabad .
.
Ditto
Ditto
263.02
61
2
12.48 103.23 3.03
4.74
TOTAL
.
.
. . .
...
656.66
614
4
24.
93.50
. 60 3.65
Number of deaths in hospital, 4; out of hospital, 3; total
7; per cent. of total strength .
.
.91
„
invalided
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
14;
,, ,,
.
.
1.82
„
sent sick on leave .
.
.
.
.
.
.
2;
„
,,
.
.
.26
,,
of days spent in hospital, 8,763; per admission . 14.27; per man of total strength .
. 11.41
,,
„
on sick leave, 434; per man
.
217;
,, ,,
.
.
.56
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
.
.
. 11.97
XVI. Principal causes of admissions.—The following table shows, in order of frequency,
groups of diseases to which the majority of admissions were due.
Principal
causes of
admissions.
DISEASES.
Number of
admissions.
Per cent. of total
admissions.
Fevers .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
301
49.02
Diseases, digestive system
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
65
10.58
Feet blisters
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
45
7.32
Respiratory diseases
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
38
6.18
Eye affections
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
36
5.86
Accidents
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
35
5.70
Venereal affections
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
31
5.04
Cutaneous diseases
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
30
4.88
Rheumatic affections
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
17
2.76
Wounds in action .
.
.
.
. .
.
.
.
.
.
.
4
.65
The health of the regiment was, on the whole, excellent during the year. Malarious
fevers were less rife than usual: admissions from this cause were 427 in 1876, and fell to 301 in
1877. Mild quotidian agues were prevalent at Abbottabad during the hot and oppressive
weather of June and July. They were less frequent in August, and for September the total
fever admissions was only 14. On the line of' march between Abbottabad and the Indus,
feverish seizures, due to exposure and changeable weather, were common, but the attacks
were mild, and those who suffered from them rapidly regained good health after a few days'
rest at Lukha Talao. When the regiment marched from that place on the 9th of November
only five cases, viz ., ague . 1; bronchitis 1; syphilis 1; gonorrhœa 1, and feet blisters 1,
Diminished
prevalence of
fever.