Madras troops.
The Central
India Force.
The Punjab
Frontier
Force.
Temporary
loss of service
caused by
ckness.
iv
STATEMENT No: IV.
Sickness and mortality of the four sections of The Native Army.
Regular Army. C e n t r a l I n d i a F o r c e .
P u n j a b
F r o n t i e r F o r c e .
A r m y o f B e n g a l .
Madras troops.
Admissions per cent. of average strength
110.23
90.69
141.08
114.47
90.65
1877 Daily sick „
,,
,,
3.39
2.80
4.16
3.49
2.51
Total deaths per cent. of total strength
1.35
1.05
1.45
1.34
1.27
Admissions per cent. of average strength
142.31
87. 41
i.
156.75
140.47
104.87
1876 Daily sick ,,
,, ,,
3.94 3 . 0 1
4.17
3.91
2.59
Total deaths per cent. of total strength
1.54
. 9 3
1.48
1.47
1.23
Admissions per cent. of average strength
123.03
91.98
167.24
128.75
89.77
1875 Daily sick
,,
,,
,,
3.99
2.98
4.63
4.03
2.62
Total deaths per cent. of total strength
1.56
.96
2.17
1.63
1.42
Admissions per cent. of average strength
127.71
88.89 172 36
132.97
106.53
187 4 Daily sick ,,
,, ,,
4 . 2 1
3.15
4.75
4.23
3.20
Total deaths per cent. of total strength
1.34
.92
1.36
1.31
.91
Admissions per cent. of average strength
129.91
85.93
162.71
132.38
68.88
1873 Daily sick
,,
,,
,,
4.14
3.37
4.66
4.17
2.02
Total deaths per cent. of total strength
1.76
1.30
1.86
1.14
.75
Time spent in hospital.
The Madras troops again present ;more favorable admission and death-
rates than those of the Bengal troops. This result is apparent in every one
of the five years embraced in the statement. It is not due to the removal of
sickly men by invaliding or sick furlough ; for in these respects also the Madras
regiments present a favorable comparison with Bengal regiments. On analyzing
the Native Army of Bengal into its three component sections, it will be observ
-ed that the local regiments stationed in Rajputana and Central India, and
constituting the Central India Force, render sickness-rates very nearly as low as
those of the Madras troops, and give a somewhat more favorable death-rate.
The experience of previous years demonstrates that the statistics of these two
sections are very much alike—a result no doubt due, as was pointed out in the
last report, to the more favorable conditions of life and service which these
troops enjoy, as compared with the two other sections of the Native Army.
The Punjab Frontier Force, again, presents higher rates of sickness and mortal-
ity than the Regular Army. In both cases, however, there is a marked improve-
ment in sick-rates, while the death-rates are lower than in any year except
1874. The Central India and Madras regiments, on the other hand, while
exhibiting, as has been stated, lower figures, do not partake so conspicuousl y in
the reduced rates of the year.
7. The temporary loss of service by sickness is represented by the number
of men who were admitted into hospital and proceeded on sick leave, and the
length of time they remained in hospital and on sick leave, respectively. The
facts of the year are, that 62,131 men entered hospital and spent 692,324 days
there, and that 1,062 men proceeded on sick leave and were absent for 137,921
days ; 1896.78 men were, therefore, constantly sick and 377.8 absent on sick
leave throughout the year—or a total of 2,274 men constantly non-effective.
The corresponding numbers for 1876 were 2,103 and 410.7. There is, therefore,
a daily gain of 239 effective men in favor of 1877 ; and as the strength of the
Army in 1877 exceeded that of 1876, the gain is all the more real. The loss of
service from sickness in 1877 may be conveniently represented as a loss of
3.17 battalions of 715 men, against 3
.51,
3
.6 and 3.5 in the three preceding years.
The relation which the constantly ineffective holds to the total strength of the
Army is 3
.62 per cent., against 4.01, 4.17 and 4.11 in the same periods.
Each man admitted into bopital spent on the average 11.14 days therein,
and each man was absent on sick leave for 129.9 days. The corresponding
numbers for 1876 were 10.15 and 126.8. The cases treated in hospital would
thus appear to have been of somewhat greater severity in 1877, requiring
longer detention. This circumstance is probably due to a fact, which will be
dwelt on in a future paragraph, namely, thatague, which accounts for the great
majority of hospital admissions, was less prevalent during the year under report.
Cases of ague seldom require prolonged treatment in hospital, and the
r e d u c e -