EASTERN FRONTIER DISTRICT.
199
Liebig's extract well covered with magnesia, egg flip, &c. Such things, of course, I have to
prepare myself. Government makes no allowance for these extras, and I can't ask a Brahmin
to buy eggs or Liebig's extract.
X. Clothing.—As usual. It is well suited to the climate. The boots, however, are not at all
satisfactory. Whenever the regiment goes out for a short march, a few men are sure to fall out with
blistered feet. They don't wear socks or bandages. So many complaints and recommendations
have been made by regimental medical officers on this point that I forbear to say more on the
sub j ect.
Clothing.
Blistered feet.
XI. Duties. -From the following it will be seen that the duties have been far
from severe during the year:-
Duties
.
Average continuous nights in bed for the year.
Native officers
7.6
Havildars
21.6
Naiks
7.7
Drummers
4.5
Sepoys
10.3
XII. Exercise and amusements.—Many of the men go in for wrestling, the club, single-
stick, &c., &c., and practise regularly every day; some, especially the bandsmen, have made
small flower gardens and vegetable gardens.
Exercise and
amusements.
XIV. Hospital.—The addition mentioned in last year's report has been made, accor-
dingly the hospital now affords ample accommodation for the sick.
The hospital has been in good repair throughout the year, as have the out-houses; the
annual repairs have just been begun.
The want of a small dead-house near the hospital is much felt.
There is no separate house at this Out-post for the treatment of the sick, nor is one wanted.
One side of a large hut is set apart for the purpose, and is but rarely used.
Hospital.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding.— Strength of the regiment:—present, 644.64;
absent, 49.4; total, 694.07.
Sickness,
mortality, and
invaliding.
STATION.
PERIOD.
S t r e n g t h .
TOTAL
NUMBER OF
D a i l y a v e r a g e n u m b e r o f s i c k .
PER CENT. OF
STRENGTH ER
ANNUM.
From
To
A d m i s s i o n s .
Deat hs .
A d m i s s i o n s .
D e a t h s .
D a i l y a v e r a g e s i c k .
Head-quarters, Cacher
January 1st December 31st 505.83 485
9 15.98 95.88 1.78 3.16
Detachment at Nowarbund
35.72
3
. 1 2 8.4
.34
„ at Monierkhal
40.43 170
3.63 420.5
8.98
„ a t M u n n i p o r e
41.
23
. 9 7 56.1
2.37
„ a t C h a r g o l a
September 27th
41.
3
.08 27.7
.2
41.
3
.07 27.7
.17
TOTAL
644.64 687
9 20.85 106.57 1.4 3.23
Number of deaths in hospital, 9; out of hospital, 3; total, 12; per cent. of total strength
1.73
„ invalided, 16; „ „ „
2 . 3
„ s e n t o n s i c k l e a v e , 1 ; „ „ „
.14
„ of days spent in hospital, 7,084; per admission, 10.3; per man of total strength
10.2
„ „ „ on sick leave, 167; per man, 167; „ „ „
. 2 4
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
10.44
XVI. Principal causes of sickness.- Malarial fevers account for 359 cases, equal to over 52
per cent. of total admissions. I include here 11 cases of remittent fever. This contrasts favour-
ably with 1873, when the total admissions from fever amounted to no less than 508, including
8 cases of remittent fever. This latter disease has been this year of a very severe type. It is
not unlikely that a few more cases of it may have occurred at the Out-posts, especially at
Monierkhal, where the men suffer so much. The hospital assistants, as a rule, and especially
when their knowledge of English is slight, return all fever cases simply as "ague." No doubt,
however, the great majority of the cases are simple intermittent. Rheumatic affections give 56
admissions, against 32 in 1873. Cutaneous affections similarly give 53 against 45. There
has been a great diminution in the number of itch cases. There were 42 admissions from
dysentery, and 12 from diarrhœa, against 32 and 15, respectively, in 1873. Diseases of the
respiratory system furnish 38 admissions, against 35 in 1873, and finally, there were 18 admis
-sions from venereal diseases against 12 in 1873. It is seen, then, that fever alone shows a
marked improvement on 1873, all the other principal causes Of sickness being enhanced.
Prevalent diseases. XVII. Principal causes of mortality.—Of the 9 deaths occurring in hospital, no less
than 3 were due to remittent fever—a very large number, indeed, out of 11 admissions. In two
of the cases there was pulmonary complication; the third was rather an unusual case I should
say amongst soldiers, being most markedly adynamic, with hæmorrhage from the mouth,
throat, stomach (slight), intestines, and bladder; the remaining deaths were due to the follow
-ing causes:—pulmonary phthisis, 1; laryngeal phthisis, 1 (lungs ultimately affected); hepatic, 1;
(entered as ascites); simple Cholera 1; debility 1; and ague 1 (death from exhaustion)
One death occurred in the lines; it was very sudden, I had almost said instantaneous, and was
Deaths.