Water.
Food.
Shoes.
Duty.
Hospital.
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding.
Principal
causes of
sickness.
Ulcers.
Native staff
hospital.
Lock hospital
108
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
works satisfactorily. The hospital latrine has been enlarged with benefit. Water
was brought in a masonry channel from the village Bibial and from wells
in the Artillery lines. It was scanty in the hot weather but of good quality.
Bathing and washing are conducted elsewhere. Prices of food were rather high
in the hot weather, but the men, as a rule, feed well and are well-nourished.
The Sikhs and Mahomedans have adopted the messing system. The men wear
native shoes, which Surgeon Murphy considers best suited for marching. Duly
is light ; nights in bed 6 . 1, The men engage in wrestling. The same hospital
is in use. A dead-house and isolation ward are much needed.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding.—Strength of the regiment—
Present
618.94
Absent
86.31
Total
705.25
S T A T I O N .
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Daily
average
number of
sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
Admi
ssions.
Deaths.
Admi
s s i o n s .
Deaths.
Daily
aver age si ck.
Head-quarters
. . . 1st Jan. 1877 . 31st Dec. 1877 603.48
388
12
14.16 64.29 1.98
2.34
Detachment at Ludhiana .
Ditto
. 7th Feb. „
104 .52
4
...
4.71
36.76 ...
4.50
Detachment at Phillour
.
Ditto
. 26th Jan. „
38.92
6
...
0. 76 216.41 ...
1.95
Total
.
618.94
398
12
14.72
64.30 1.94 2.37
Number of deaths in hospital, 12; out of hospital, 3; total
15; per cent. of total strength
2.12
„
invalided
16;
„ „
2.26
„
sent on sick leave
9;
„ „
1 .27
„
of days spent in hospital, 5,367; per admission .
13. 48; per man of total strength
7.61
„ „
on sick leave, 826; per man
91 .77; „
„
1.17
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
8.78
Principal
causes of
mortality.
Epidemics.
Vaccination.
Inspection.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness.—Of the 399 admissions, by far the greater number were
due to malarious fevers, which gave 115 admissions, and two deaths. Chest affections give the
next largest number, viz., 65, of which 1 was pericarditis, 34 bronchial catarrh, 18 bronchitis
acute, 10 pneumonia, and 2 pleurisy. Of the 10 cases of pneumonia 5 proved fatal. Next
in frequency are the admissions on account of ulcers which gave 29 admissions; these resemble
in some respects the so called "Delhie Sore." The majority were treated as out-patients,
and only the severe cases admitted. Dysentery, diarrhœa, general debility, blisters of feet, and
rheumatism come next in order of frequency of admissions. None proved fatal, with the exception
of one case of dysentery. The other cases of dysentery and diarrhœa were mild in character.
X VII. Principal causes of mortality.—Of the 12 cases that proved fatal in hospital during
the year, 5 were due to pneumonia, 2 to malarious fevers, 1 phthisis pulmonalis, 1 apoplexy,
1 pericarditis, 1 dysentery, and one fracture of left femur. The type of pneumonia was
peculiar; it occurred during severe attacks of paroxysmal fevers, and the first symptoms noticed
were those of congestion, as if the blood could not circulate freely through the lungs. The cases
were asthenic, and great prostration and exhaustion of the vital powers immediately succeeded,
the patients dying from exhaustion and inability to get rid of the viscid secretion, which
choked up the bronchial tubes, rather than from any morbid change in the lung tissue itself.
XVIII. Epidemics.—No epidemic disease prevailed in the regiment during the year, nor
did any disease assume an epidemic character; but small-pox to a slight extent was prevalent
in the neighbouring cantonments, and in the city and district.
XIX. Vaccination.—Has been carried out in 61 cases during the year, of which 49 cases
proved successful. The recruits who have not been vaccinated invariably state that they
have either had small-pox or been vaccinated or inoculated, and generally show some scar on
the fore arm or hand.
Inspection.—Dr. Cannon visited the hospital repeatedly during the year
and made the annual inspection on the 8th of November. The hospital was
in excellent order and complete in respect of arrangements and equipment.
The men were in good health. A difficulty was experienced then, regarding
the sufficiency of the water-supply, but it has since been overcome, and there
is now an ample supply of good water.
Native staff hospital, under the charge of Surgeon-Major W. Temple, v.c.
Inspected 8th November. The arrangements were appropriate, and appliances
sufficient; 38 house patients and 527 out-door had been treated during the year.
Lock-hospital, also under charge of Surgeon-Major Temple. Inspected on
the same day. There had been 96 women on the register and 8.93 under hospital
treatment. The admissions for venereal in the European Garrison had been at
the rate of 102.2 per 1,000, an improvement on the previous year. The hospital
arrangements were appropriate. Examinations are very carefully conducted.