Mortality.
Epidemics.
Vaccination.
Recommend-
ations.
Special
obervations
and remarks.
Inspection.
122
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Principal
causes of
sickness.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness.—The regiment has been very healthy. There were
438 admissions to hospital against 545 last year; of these 313 were intermittent fever of a
mild type, and seldom attended by any complications except enlarged spleen, from which
many of the men suffer, the result of their three years' residence in Peshawar. Most of the admis-
sions from fever were men who bad suffered at Peshawar; caste returns of fever cases were kept
both at Peshawar and Mooltan. At Peshawar rum was served out to the Sikhs as a prophylactic,
but as there was no excess of fever among those who did not drink, nor those who did, rum,
though often applied for by the men at Mooltan, was not recommended. The caste return
results were much the same at Mooltan as at Peshawar. The unusual rainfall in September
did not cause a rise in the number of fever cases. The greatest ranges of temperature were in
May and October; the largest admissions for fever in June and October. Bowel complaints
were most prevalent in October, November and December. There were very few cases of
venereal. Injuries, as usual, account for a large number of admissions, but none of a serious
nature occurred. There were only four ulcers, and those healed readily. There was no case of
what is termed Mooltan Sore. During the march the men were very healthy.
XVII. Principal causes of mortality.—No deaths.
XVIII. Epidemics.—No epidemics.
XIX. Vaccination.—Only 3 children were vaccinated; all the men are supposed to be
protected.
X.X. Recommendations.—No recommendations of any importance were called for; any
suggestions were acted upon.
XXI. Special observations and remarks.—Twenty-seven recruits were examined; of these 9
were rejected. Four men were invalided by the annual committee for old age and general debility,
one short service, seven for phthisis, and one discharged by the commanding officer as unlikely
to turn out a good soldier.
Inspection.—Deputy Surgeon-General G. H. Ray, M.D., in his inspection
report, dated 22nd February 1878, confirms the report of the medical officer
regarding the healthiness of the preceding season at Mooltan. The drainage
of the lines presents practical difficulties, but in other respects their sanitation
was satisfactory. The hospital is a hot building and too small for Mooltan.
It was in good order, and the equipment sufficient. Quarters for hospital
assistants are much wanted; this has been repeatedly brought to the notice
of the Military authorities.
19th (Punjab) Regiment, Aatibe Infantry—Mooltan.
Medical
Officer.
Location and
movements.
Topography, &c.
Causation of
fever.
Absence of
inundation.
September
rainfall not
followed by
fever.
I. Medical Officer.—Surgeon-Major T. S. Veale, M.D., writes the annual
report.
II. Location and movements.—
The regiment has been stationed
at Mooltan during the whole year.
A detachment of the strength of
89 of all ranks proceeded on
escort duty on the 22nd Decem-
ber in charge of ordnance stores
destined to Quetta, and will be
relieved at Jacobabad.
I I I . T o p o g r a p h y , &c . —T h e
main factors of malarial disease,
and consequently of most of the
sickness of the station, appear, as
noted in my report for 1876, to
reside in the quality of the sur-
face and subsoil, which, from their
compactness and tenacity, admit of very slow percolation through them; in the absence of
any natural lines of surface drainage owing to the flat configuration of the surface; in the
slow rate of sub-soil drainage mainly attributable to the stiff alluvial clay, which is still
further impeded during the height of the rainy season by the pressure of the water in the
Chenab; and in the inundations which occur almost annually from the great rivers the Chenab
and Ravee, and from the net work of artificial canals which is spread out over the district.
This year there has practically been no overflow from the rivers and canals, and the sick-rate
from malarial diseases fell in 1877 to less than one-half of its amount in 1876, when the inunda-
tions covered extensive tracts of country. It is an interesting circumstance that, though
the rainfall in the month of September amounted to 9.15 inches, it was not followed by
any notable development of paroxysmal fevers; and it would thence seem reasonable to infer
that, though the rate of movement of sub-soil water is slow, it is nevertheless adequate to the
YEAR.
STATION
PER CENT. OF TOTAL STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1872
. Talagang, October 1871
114.8
. 7 2.8
1873
.
Ditto
.
.
123.9
. 5
.2
1874
.
Ditto
.
.
98.9
. 7 2 1.7
1875
. Mooltan, Nov. 1875
.
81.44
1.01
1.73
1876
.
Ditto
301.17
. 7 1 3.99
Average .
144.02
.73
2.08
1877
. Mooltan
170.58
. 8 4 2.77