APPENDIX—MED1CAL HISTORY OF THE DUFFLA EXPEDITION.
239
Of the detachments, that of the 16th Native Infantry, as was anticipated, proved the less
able to stand the service of the expedition. More-
over, the medical officer states: "The regiment
"had been unhealthy during their whole stay in
"Assam, where they have been since December
"1873, and they had also come to Assam from
"Julpiguri, which is not a very healthy sta--
" tion." The statement* gives the relative per-
centage to admissions in the regiments under the
two different diseases. The 44th suffered next as
regards ague. On this the medical officer remarks:
"The men of this detachment were all more or less affected with malarious taint, owing
to the relief in the previous April; which for the first time in half a century transferred the
regiment from a hill station (Cherra Poonjee, and latterly Shillong) to the miasmatic plains of
Upper Assam. They had also suffered unusual exposure in maintaining the blockade of the
Duffla passes during the previous rainy season."
The 42nd experienced a small outbreak of dysentery in January—19 cases out of the 44
treated—chiefly among men who could not be kept out of deep water while making a floating
bridge.
*
Ague.
Bowel
complaints.
16th N. I. Percentage of 29.06
40.39
42nd A. L. I. admissions to
3.60
19.60
43rd A. L. I. daily average
7.35
8.82
44th S. L. I. strength from
18.40
9.60
Relative
sickness in
the several
regiments.
57. The proportions of all diseases in the transport corps are noted in the first statement,
paragraph 53.
The two cases of cholera occurred two days after leaving Kooshtea, on board the steamer
in which I was present. They took place the day following anchorage, and cooking on shore,
some ten miles below where some fatal cases of cholera had been thrown overboard from one
of the river steamers early in October. This practice on board steamers might, for all that is
known on the subject, be the means of causing fresh cases.
The first case was a severe one, and died; the second recovered after a long illness. Both
occurred in the same section of 25 men who had cooked together on the river bank the night
before, and had used river water while cooking; diarrhœa was present among others of the same
section. There was no other clue to the origin of the attacks, which fortunately ended with these
two cases.
Although the admissions from dysentery were numerous, the medical officer remarks the
cases were mild; the average duration of the disease being only four days. The attacks, therefore,
were not severe.
Sickness in
the transport
corps.
Cholera.
Dysentery.
The admission under the heads of cellular tissue, cutaneous and accidents, were compara-
tively large, but were due to the nature of the service. Much inconvenience was caused by the
bite of the pipsi, referred. to in paragraph 42 under "leg bandages." Surgeon Bovill, in a quota-
tion from Hooper's Himalayan Journal, states that it is a small dipterous fly, a species of sim
u-lium. These flies settle on any exposed part, insert their proboscis and fill themselves with
blood; often leaving a drop of blood on the part after they are disturbed. They do not bite at
night. These bites give rise to much irritation or swelling in some persons; and if the parts
are scratched will turn into troublesome sores. Other persons will only feel a slight
itching.
The best treatment for the sores was found to be an ointment of acetate of lead and
carbolic acid, or a strong solution of nitrate of silver.
The only prevention was to cover an exposed part: as long, however, as the smell of car-
bolic acid remained on the skin, they would not bite.
Of the 10 fatal cases,* 9 occurred in hospital,
one was drowned as noted in paragraph 14.
Two other deaths occurred on board a steamer;
4 at Narainpore depôt hospital; 2 at Hurmutti;
1 only occurred among the men in the field.
* 1 Cholera
1 Diarrhœa on board steamers.
1 Drowned
2 Fever—Narainpore hospital.
2 Diarrhœa "
1 Pneumonia—Hurmutti
"
1 Dysentery "
1 " at Camp No. 6.
Cellular tissue
and cutaneous
and accidents.
Mortality.
Statistics of the Depôt Hospitals, Narainpore and Hurmutti.
58 The admissions, deaths, &c., having all been brought into the general return of
troops and transport, no further detail is necessary than what is given below. There were also
a few admissions from the guards at the Out-posts, and they have all been included.
The table shows the work done at the depot hospitals; at Narainpore for three months,
from 1st December to 28th February; at Hurmutti for two months, from the 6th December,
when it was established, to the 6th February; after which date no troops were received
into it.
At Narainpore the work was occasionally heavy: the highest numbers were on the 31st
January, when there were 37 soldiers, 104 transport, and 12 followers ═ 153, under treatment.
Very few transport coolies were treated at Hurmutti, not sufficient to give an average, the fatal
cases being left there for rest; all their sick were mainly sent back to Narainpore. More
troops were at first received at Hurmutti, as being nearer the front for convenience of men