222 MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
7. Medical comforts,—Sanction was given by Government for the supply of preserved
soups and milk, with the proviso that they were to be issued to officers on payment, on the
requisition of a medical officer. These additions were particularly applied for, because, in the event
of illness occurring, nothing would probably prove more grateful than a temporary change of
food from the rations, These, the Liebeg extract, and the port wine, proved very useful on
several occasions.
Lime-juice. Lime juice. ——T h e
reports of the Looshai campaign showed that men had suffered from scu
- v y . I n t h a t e x p e d i t i o n t h e s c a l e o f r a t i o n s d i d n o t , a t f i r s t , i n c l u d e v e g e t a b l e s o r c o n d i m e n t s .
The scale had been much improved for the present expedition; but it was not considered safe
to be without lime juice, and sanction was given to a supply being taken.
The quantity was calculated on the scale laid down for adult emigrants proceeding to the
Mauritius from November to March, at the rate of 1/3 o u n c e p e r m a n f o r e i g h t w e e k s ; i n a l l
about 66 dozen. No occasion occurred for its use.
Disinfectants.8. Disinfectants.—The disinfectants sanctioned for the expedition on special application,
and supplied by the Commissariat, were——
McDougall' s powder
1 , 7 4 6 t h s .
Common carbolic acid
441 „
Common sulphur.........
'"
168 „
Common sulphate of iron.......... 336 „
Expenditure of Expenditure of MC Dougall's powder—— The expenditure or MC Dougall's powder in its
McDougall's application, as by the detail of memorandum No. 47, Appendix E, was carefully noted, and
powder.the results are here given. It would, therefore, seem that the proportion laid down in part I,
paragraph 257, section b, of the Transport Regulations, was too limited for effective use——
Flat Konai, two decks. Number of crew all told, 22.
Upper deck, 107' x 2,461 s. f.* Deduct 298 s. f. for hatchways and 432 s. f.
for hospital for 18 men (at 24 s. f. each), leaves 1,731 s. f. as accommodation for 144 men,
at 12 s. f. each.
Lower deck, 120' x 24' =2,880 s. f. Deduct 90 s. f. for hatchways, leaves 2,790 s. f.
for 232 men, at 12 s. f. each,-10 latrines, 5 a side, lower deck, aft.
The expenditure was, under the instructions recommended in memorandum No. 47 of 12th
Oct ober 1874, Paragraphs 3. 4. 7. 8. 9_ and 12 (Appendi x E) : —
Mixture of 6 oz. to a ship' s bucket of two gallons of water for sprinkling the decks before sweeping
morning and evening.If the deck is not thus moistened, the dust and dirt which collects in
large quantities, flies about, settles on bundles, sticks to the awning, and dirties everything. Two
buckets of the mixture is required for each deck:8 buckets a day for morning and evening
use, at 6 oz. a bucket, is
Its.
3
After the sweeping, the decks should be sprinkled with the dry powder.This takes 1 thof powder for
each time. Total for two decks
4
Hanging pieces of canvas or taut, 1 lb foot square or more, soaked. in the mixture of 8 oz. to the gallon, is
most useful round the hospital day and night, and in different parts of the lower deck during
the night.In this latter position the atmosphere continues saturated with the smell through the
night, and up to the early morning it quite overpowers the smell of dirty clothes and men.
Two buckets required for lower deck, night, 1 for hospital day and night—3 buckets for 6 gallons
takes
-
3
For hospital use, its floor and vessels.There is often irritation of stomach and bowels other than chole-
raic.Coal-dust and sand is placed in vessels to receive evacuations, but the powder should be used to
clean them.The average quantity found to be required daily was
2
For latrines 4 buckets of the stronger mixture of 8 oz. to a gallon used twice a day was found ample ;
. .
total 4 buckets at 1 lb, each
4
16
Sixteen pounds might, therefore, be taken as the proper daily expenditure on board a
flat with two decks, filled with men at the regulation space. Special circumstances, such as
large space and cool weather, would allow of a lesser quantity being used.
For one deck the amount should be calculated according to circumstances,—crowding, or
otherwise; number and position of the latrines; state of the weather; &c.
The copperas solution, paras. 7 and 8 of memorandum No. 47, was found very useful during
the illness of the cholera cases. Sulphur fumigation was not employed during the voyages.
It was not found necessary to use any of the disinfectants on shore, though a supply
should always be at hand for use in epidemics.
Precautions against cholera
9.Precautions against Cholera—Early in October,letters were addressed to the Civil.
against Surgeons of Dacca, Goalundo, Pubna, Bogra, Rungpore, and Goalpara to ascertain if cholera
was present on the banks of the rivers. Reports were also received up to the date of sailing.
There were only a few isolated cases reported from those districts in the first half of the
month, but towards the end cases became more general, and medical officers were accordingly
warned against certain localities. Goalundo itself had been free during the month; but the
day before the transport corps embarked, a case was reported to me as having arrived in a
boat from Serajgunge: it was securely isolated.
Transports, 10. Transports, measurement.—As soon as transport was taken up, the Master Attendant,
T measurement. Assistant Quarter Master General, and myself, measured the accommodation on board the flats,
proceeding to Kooshtea to see those that were lying there.
It would appear that former measurements for occupation by men had not been sufficiently
exact in excluding hospital space, space for crew, gangways, hatchways, and all deck
fixtures, &c., which would contract superficial space. Also there is no authority to exclude the
Medical comforts.
* Superficial feet