PUNJAB FRONTIER FORCE.
181
from abscess in the ear; he suddenly became insensible and died. There was a suspicion that he
had partaken too freely of narcotics, but no post-mortem was allowed.
XVIII. Epidemics—There have been no epidemics.
XIX. Vaccination.—There has been no vaccination practised during the year.
XX. Recommendations .—The state of the drainage has been continuously reported on
and the matter is now in the hands of the Sanitary Commissioner.
XXI. Special observations and remarks .—The regiment, the station and city of Dera
Ghazi Khan enjoyed their usual health until the end of summer. During the months of July
and August there fell, for this district, an extraordinary amount of rain. The average rainfall
has been from 1869 to 1873, 6.75 inches; during 1874, it was 10.75. The Indus river rose to
a great height. Its water, although not in a continuous sheet, flooded a surface of about 14
miles in width to the east of Dera Ghazi Khan, and to the west the country was overflowed
by the mountain torrents which run down from the Subinaus. The irrigation canals were full,
and in some places burst their banks. The cantonments and city of Dera Ghazi Khan lie
extremely low, so that there was no outlet or fall for the water which had deluged the country.
The rain fell in storms and collected in pools, which owing to the peculiar nature of the soil
rapidly became stagnant and stinking. Thus the air of the district was saturated with
moisture with usual depressing effects of such a condition of atmosphere on the population.
It would seem that our knowledge of the causes of the actual phenomena of intermittent fevers
may be described as absolutely nil, but the conditions which in all climates and in every age have
appeared to give rise to them and to their sequelæ were prevalent in the Dera Ghazi Khan
district in the autumn of this year (perhaps it should be said the conditions, the removal of
which has been accompanied by a cessation of intermittent fevers.) Also the medicines which
cure them were as effectual here as elsewhere; quinine seldom failing to give speedy relief.
Further, those whose bodies were fortified by food, protected by good clothing, and whose sleep
was undisturbed, suffered but little; thus the jail population was but slightly affected. Living
on a well drained airy site, well fed, well clothed and but moderately worked, their rest unbroken,
and free from the cares and anxieties that beset their brethren who outside the jail were
every where struggling with the floods which covered the country, the prisoners enjoyed good
health, while the people of the district were prostrated with sickness. A sodden, sandy alluvial
soil, warm days, cool nights and chilly early mornings, with but little movement in the air, may
be described as the conditions which seem to have been coexistent with extensive febrile disease
of a mild type in this district during the autumn months of 1874. The weakening and in-
jurious effects of a residence at Dera Ghazi Khan during the above mentioned period have been
certified by the sickness and mortality from pneumonia which affected the men of the 5th
Punjab Infantry on its march to Abbottabad from this place.
Epidemics.
Vaccination,
Recommenda-
tions.
Special
observations.
2nd Regiment Infantry— Dera Ghazi Khan.
The annual report is written by Surgeon Joshua Duke, who joined the regi-
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily aver-
age sick.
1869 ... Kohat, Nov. 1868, from
Abbottabad
...
2 1 2 . 12.5
5.8
1870 ...
Do.
do. ...
223.5
2.2
6.
1871 ...
Do.
do.
198.6
2.3
6.6
1872 ... Dera Ghazi Khan, Jan.
1872 ...
. . .
175.8
2.
6 . 1
1873 ...
Do.
do. ...
173.3
1.9
5.1
Average...
. . 1 9 6 . 8
4.2
5.9
1874 ... Dera Ghazi Khan ...
194.1
1.2
4.8
ment in November:
II. Location and movements of
the regiment.—The regiment has
been stationed at Dera Ghazi
Khan continuously throughout the
year, and has furnished the follow-
ing detachments and guards:
escort with His Honor the
Lieutenant-Governor of the Panjab
from 1st January to 9th April;
detachments at Mangrotha,
Hurrund and Drigri, Rajanpur,
Bundowala and Dera Ghazi Khan.
The married sepoys'
quarters are reported to be
in bad repair, and their con-
dition was rendered very
much worse by the heavy rainfall of the year and the bad drainage . Food supplies
were abundant and good, and duties sometimes heavy; nights in bed, 4.43:
Hospital accommodation is sufficient, but detached wards for pneumonia
cases would be advantageous
x 1
Medica
charge.
Location.
Detachments
Lines,
Drainage.
Food.
Duty.
lospital.