Level of th
e station, Boundaries.
62
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
application of the pencil of "eye-caustic". If there be chemosis accompanied by livid redness
and swelling of the skin covering the eyelids, chloroform is administered prior to the applica
-tion of the pencil of "eye-caustic" in the cases in which the disease attacks young children.
And sometimes it is found expedient to administer the anæsthetic in the case of adults labour-
ing under the disease in its severe form. Of late the purulent form is comparatively rarely
seen, because the men of the regiment and the inhabitants both of Augur and Goonah have
learned the value of the early application of this remedy in the treatment of this disease.
Formerly I used to apply sweet oil to the conjunctiva of both eyelids after applying the pen
-cil of "eye-caustic," but I find that this is not necessary. The particles of the "eye-caustic"
mingling with the tears form an excellent eye-wash, and in no case has its application been
followed by injurious effects. It is a somewhat painful remedy, but any drawback in this
respect is counterbalanced by the great rapidity with which it effects a cure. Several hundreds
of cases have been treated both at Augur and Goonah by this method, and almost always with
complete success.
Megwar Bheel Corps—Bherwarrah.
Medical
charge.
Surgeon-Major L.F. Dickson, M.D., furnishes the annual sanitary report
of the corps for the past
year.
I . M e d i c a l O f f i c e r s . — A t
head-quarters Kherwarrah, from
1st January to 1st April,
Surgeon T. H. Hendley; from
17th April to end of the year,
Surgeon-Major L. F. Dickson,
M . D . ,(
o f f i c i a t i n g ) .
At Kotrah outpost, during
the year, 1st class hospital assist
-ant Sewtuhul. At Oodeypore
Surgeon-Major R. W. Cunning
-ham held charge of the detach
-ment from 1st January to end
of March ; and after his de
- p a r t u r e . D r . K . B u r r , U n c o v e n a n t e d S e r v i c e , f r o m h i s a r r i v a l i n M a y , t o t h e e n d o f t h e y e a r .
Location.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1869
Kherwarrah . . .
1 5 0 . 2
1.4
3.9
1870
Ditto . . .
150.9
. 7 7 4.17
1871
Ditto . . .
129.4
1.42
4.09
1872
Ditto . . .
148.9
1.2
4.02
1873
Ditto . . .
152.9
1.13
5.41
Average . . .
. . .
1 4 6 . 4
1.18
4.32
1874
Kherwarrah . . .
92.2
1.55
4.13
11. location and movements .—The head-quarters, with an annual strength of 299.21, has
been (as usual) stationed all the year at Kherwarrah.
Detachments.
Detachments
not furnishing
returns.
Composition of
the corps.
Topography.
A detachment, average present strength 114.48, has been (as usual) stationed at Kotrah
all the year. As the men of this detachment are raised from the Kotrah district, it is never
relieved. A detachment, average strength present 59.83, has been (as usual) stationed at
Oodeypore during the year, relieved at irregular intervals of three or four months. From the
above head-quarters, and three standing detachments, the sick included in the return are taken.
Besides these, a small detachment, averaging 21 men, has been (as usual) at Banswarrah
during the year, relieved at irregular intervals of three or four months. A detachment of 166
men and one officer was employed from 27th June to 27th August in closing the passes
against Meena outlaws; on the Serohi border also a detachment of 169 men was sent to
Oodeypore to keep the peace whilst the succession to the throne of Meywar was being deter
-mined, from 15th October to 5th November.
None of these three are included in any way in the returns, as the two former had no
medical attendant capable of making out returns ; and the third, for the short period of its
stay in Oodeypore, was quite separate from the standing detachment there, had no sick, and con
-sequently did not come in contact with the medical officer there.
Dr. Dickson has given a most interesting account of the Bheel Corps as
to its origin, composition, &c., and also a very complete ethnological descrip
-tion of the races composing the population of the States of Meywar, Doongur
-pore, and Darriawad, which, however, has been found too lengthy for inser
-tion here.
III.
Topography.—Kherwarrah is situated on high ground, sloping off on every side,
on a rocky soil, covered with a super-stratum of gravel. It is surrounded on every side by hills,
a portion of which towards the south forms the Burla range, through a pass of which comes
a short cut into the road leading to Doongurpore city, and through it, Banswarrah, and
Ruttam, almost directly west, to Indore.
Level.—The station is about 1,200 feet above sea level.
Boundaries. —On the north-east it is bounded by the Soane, which, arising in a hill
forty miles to the north-west at a high elevation, here forms a considerable river, which, even
in the hot season, leaves a chain of pools (very deep) about four miles off. Into this fall several
small streams, one of them forming a northern boundary to the station, whose wells it supplies.