Principal
causes of
sickness.
Principal
causes of
mortality.
Epidemics.
Vaccination.
8
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding.—Strength of the regiment-
Present
3 4 4 . 4 4
Absent
3 7 . 1 1
T o t a l
3 8 1 . 5 5
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER OF
PER CENT. OF STRENGT PER ANNUM.
From.
To
Admissions. Deaths.
Dai l y aver age number of si ck.
Admissions. Deaths.
Dai l y aver age s i ck.
Head-quarters and Right Wing at Barrackpore.
1st Jan. 1877
31st Dec. 1877
344.44
435
4
11.21 126.29 1.16
3.25
Number of deaths in hospital, 4; out of hospital, 1; total
5; per cent. of total strength
1 . 3 1
,, invalided
1; ,,
,,
. 2 6
,, sent on sick leave
10; ,, ,,
2 . 6 2
,, of days spent in hospital, 4,090; per admission
940; per man of total strength
1 0 . 7 2
,, ,, on sick leave, 1,820; per admission
182; ,, ,,
4 . 7 7
Tot al t empor ar y l os s of t ot al s er vi ce per man of t ot al s t r engt h
1 5 . 4 9
Recommend
ations.
Special
remarks.
Causes of
healthiness
of the regiment.
Inspection
XVI. Princi pal causes of sickness.— The principal causes of sickness throughout the year
have been intermittent fever, dysentery and diarrhoea. Of these, 199 were admitted for ague (a),
54 for dysentery, and 15 for diarrhoea. Nineteen cases of itch occurred, but these were confined
to one barrack, and by careful isolation and sulphur fumigations the disease was checked.
XVII. Principal causes of mortality.—There were four deaths in hospital this year, and
one out of hospital. Of the four in hospital, two were due to diarrhcea, one to dysentery,
and one to remittent fever. The man who died out of hospital had been sent on sick leave for
anaemia.
X V I I I . E p i d e m i c s . -
N o e p i d e m i c s h a v e o c c u r r e d d u r i n g t h e y e a r .
XIX. Vaccination.—Thirteen men were vaccinated during the year. Of these, nine were
successful, the remaining four had probably been formerly vaccinated, although the marks were
not well defined. Most of the men of the regiment are protected either by previous vaccination
or former attacks.
XX. Recommendations.— Several recommendations have been made during the year with
regard to the clothing, &c., of the men ; these have invariably been carried out by the Com-
manding Officer.
XXI. Special remarks.—The head-quarters and right wing has been so remarkably
healthy during the year, that I have little to offer in the way of special remarks. During
the latter months of the year there was a considerable increase in the number of malarial fever
and dysentery cases, but, with a few exceptions, these were mild. The good health of the men
is, in my opinion, due to several causes. The lines are markedly healthy, situated as they are on
the border of the parade ground, with a fine open space on either side, and no jungle or decaying
vegetable matter in their proximity ; the lines are also well drained and dry. All the old worn-
out sepoys have been weeded out, and their places filled by fine healthy recruits. Apart
from ordinary parades and guards, the men are not overworked, and seem cheerful and con-
tented. Owing to careful supervision, there is no underfeeding; and that they clothe themselves
well when off duty is evidenced by the very few cases of acute lung diseases that have
occurred during the year. To these combined causes, in my opinion, are due the good health
and efficiency of the regiment.
Inspection.—The result of the annual medical inspection by Deputy
Surgeon-General R. Cockburn on the 4th December 1878 was favorable. The
lines were clean and in good order, but the Deputy Surceon-General considers
that the raising of the floors of some of the barracks would be an improvement
. H e a l s o a g r e e s w i t h t h e m e d i c a l o f f i c e r s , t h a t t h e t r e n c h l a t r i n e g r o u n d s h o u l d b e
cultivated. The men were in good health, not quite so robust-looking as at the
previous inspection, but still in fair condition. There was a good deal of fever
and dysentery ; the latter caused, Mr. Cockburn suspected, by the use of tank
water. The recruits were inspected and pronounced to be promising. The
hospital arrangements were minutely scrutinised, and found to be in every
respect suitable and efficient.