Principal
causes of
sickness.
Cinchona
alkaloid.
Principal
causes of
mortality.
Vaccination.
Inspection.
Medical
Officers.
Location and
movements.
Detachments.
Huts,
drainage and
llatrines.
SIRHIND DIVISION.
107
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
O F
Daily
average
number
of sick.
PER CENT. OP STRENGTH
PER ANNUM .
STATION.
From
To
Admis-
sions.
Deaths.
Admis- sions. Deaths.
Daily
average
sick.
Head-quarters
.
.
.
1st Jan. 1877 31st Dec. 1877
323
234
2
10.62 91.02
0.61
3.28
Depôt at Umballa
.
.
Ditto
„
21st Jan. „
80
1
3.50 21.75
...
4.37
Detachment at Jullundur . 15th Feb. „
31st Dec. „
65
18
...
0.42 32.08
...
0.64
Total
.
.
. . .
...
385.75
313
2
11.29 81.14
.52
2.93
Number of deaths in hospital, 2; out of hospital, 1; total
3; per cent. of total strength
.
. 0.66
„
invalided
.
.
.
.
.
.
,
.
9;
"
"
.
.
.
1.99
„
sent on sick leave
.
.
.
.
.
.
3 ;
„
"
.
.
.
0.66
„
of days spent in hospital, 4,130; per admission . 13.19; per man of total strength .
.
. 9.13
"
„
„ on sick leave, 130; per man
. 43.33;
„
„
.
.
. 0.28
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
.
.
. 9.41
XVI. Principal causes of sickness.— During the past year the health of the regiment has
been remarkably good. Fevers have been more prevalent than any other class of diseases,
and, as is usually the case, the quotidian has been the prevailing type. Nearly the whole of
the fever cases were treated on first admission with emetics and purgatives to clear the
alimentary canal, after which the cinchona alkaloid was given. None of the annual supply
of sulphate of quinine has as yet been touched, as the alkaloid has answered every purpose
as a frebrifuge.
XVII. Principal causes of mortality.—There were two deaths in the regimental hospital
during the year, one from pneumonia, and the other from bronchitis. They were both very
decrepid old men of inferior physique, and could not, under the most favorable circumstances,
or, according to the ordinary course of nature, have lived much longer. A native officer died
at his home from the effects of hepatitis while on sick leave ; he had been ailing off and on for
some years past. Only three men required to be sent on sick leave to their homes throughout
the whole year.
XIX. Vaccination.—This was performed by myself on 87 of the children of the
regiment, of which number 76 were successful. Arm-to-arm vaccination was practised, to
which circumstance I attribute the large proportion of successful cases. There were 6 cases
of small-pox in the regiment amongst the children. They were at once isolated completely;
and the hut occupied by the family fumigated and shut up for a month. By these means
the disease was prevented from assuming an epidemic form.
Inspection.—Deputy Surgeon H. M. Cannon, M.B., frequently visited the
hospital of this regiment in the course of the year, and made a formal inspection
on the 10th of November. The sanitary state of the lines and bazar was
unobjectionable, and the hospital in admirable order. There were only 16 cases
under treatment. The want of proper accommodation for the hospital assist-
ants was urgently brought to the notice of the authorities by the Deputy
Surgeon-General with the result already recorded.
25th (Punjab) Regiment, Native Infantry—Umballa.
Medical Officers.—The regiment was under the medical charge of Surgeon
H
. K. McKay during the
greater part of the year ;
but the annual report is
written by Surgeon W. R.
Murphy, who joined on 4th
January 1878.
II. Location and movements.—
The head-quarters have remained
at Umballa during the year; two
detachments of 105 and 39 men,
respectively, were stationed at Lud-
hiana and Phillour up to 4th Feb-
ruary and rejoined head-quarters
on the 7th, when relieved by a
similar detachment of the 12th
Native Infantry on their return from the Imperial Assemblage, Delhie.
The huts occupied by the regiment are reported to be in good repair and
well ventilated and the drainage of the lines good. The trench system of latrines
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1872
. Rawal-Pindi, Nov. 1870
52.7
1.8
4.
1873
.
Ditto
.
.
.
77.8
1.3
2.1
1874
. Meean-Meer, Feb. 1874
139.1
. 8
3.9
1875
.
Ditto
.
.
.
165.99
1.7
3.63
1876
. Umballa, Nov. 1876 .
153.41
1.27
4.39
Average
.
117.8
1.37
3.60
1877
. Umballa
.
.
.
64.3
2.12
2.37