Medical
officer.
Location and
movements.
Meteorology
and climate.
Rainfall and
crops.
Lines.
Water-supply.
Diet.
Duty and
employment.
Exercise,
amusements
and occupa-
tions.
Hospital.
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding.
CENTRAL INDIA.
67
(5). The health of the camp-followers has been very good.
Inspection. —Dr. Christison inspected on the 5th of February 1878. The
results were satsfactory. The sanitary and medical duties received careful
attention, and the health of the men was good. Dr. Christison describes them
as puny in physique, but efforts are being made to obtain a better class of
recruits.
The Deputy Surgeon-General also inspected the Oodeypore detachment, and
found the arrangements for the care and treatment of the sick to be sufficient.
Inspection.
Malwa Bheel Corps—Sirdarpore.
I. Medical officer. — S u r g e o n - M a j o r A . D . C a m p b e l l h a s b e e n i n m e d i c a l
charge throughout the year.
II. Location and movements .—
The corps is always stationed at
Sirdarpore. The permanent de-
tachments in 1877 have been the
same as in. 1876, except that the
small one of 5 men at Dehree has
been abolished : they are detailed
in page 4 of the annual returns.
IV. Meteorology and climate.
— T h e r a i n f a l l h a s b e e n u n u s u a l l y
small, only 17.02 inches, the
average for the 9 preceding years
being 30.92 inches. Fortunately,
the rain fell so opportunely, just
when it was most required, that
the khari f crops i n the di stri ct
were quite equal to the average, and there is every prospect of the rabi being above the
average. The yield of opium only will probably be small, the supply of water in the tanks
and wells being inadequate for its irrigation.
V. Lines .—The sanitary state of the lines has been very good throughout the year.
Several of the rows of huts have bad their height added to and the slope of their roofs increased.
VIII.
Water-supply.—The masonry build across the river, mentioned in the report for
1.876 has been a great success and secures a good supply of water, which will probably last till
the setting in of the rains of 1878, notwithstanding the unusually small rain of 1877.
IX.
Diet .—The bazar supplies have been ample, and their prices moderate throughout
the year. The corps having received the same increase of pay as was granted to the regular
native troops at the beginning of the year, the men are able to support themselves and their
families in comfort : formerly their very small pay was scarcely adequate.
XI. Duty and employment. —The duties have been the same as in former years. Towards
the end of 1876 rifles were issued to the corps for the first time, and I feared that owing to
the short stature and comparatively poor physique of the Bheels, contusions of the shoulder
would have been numerous, but this has not been the case, there having been only one admis-
sion into hospital on that account during the year.
XII. Exercise, amusements and occupations .—The men have been much employed in re-
pairing the station roads and other fatigue duties, by the remuneration for which they are able
to add considerably to their incomes.
XIV.
Hospital.— The hospital has been kept in good repair. The blankets provided in
conformity with the recent order sanctioning their supply add immensely to the comfort of
the sick. A corner room has been fitted up as a bathing room with all the requisites sanctioned.
XV.
Sickness, mortality and invaliding. —Strength of the regiment
—
Present
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
431
Absent
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
144
Total
.
.
575
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1872
. Sirdarpore . .
.
117.3
1.02
3.8
1873
.
Ditto
.
.
.
111.5
1.5
3.4
1874
.
Ditto
.
.
.
91.2
.67
3.15
1875
.
Ditto
.
.
.
120.
.67
3.26
1876
.
Ditto
.
.
.
106.7
1.17
3.07
Average
.
109.74
1.00
3.34
1877
. Sirdarpore .
.
.
90.95
1.22
2.81
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Daily
average
number
of sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
Admis-
sions. Deaths.
Admis-
sions. Deaths.
Daily.
average
sick.
Head-quarters at Sirdarpore
1st Jan. 1877 31st Dec. 1877
431
392
4
12.12 90.95
.92
2.81
Detachments
.
. .
No returns of sick of detachments.
Number of deaths in hospital, 4; out of hospital, 3; total
7; per cent. of total strength
.
1.22
invalided
.
.
10 ;
„ „
.
1.74
„
sent on sick leave
. .
.
.
.
.
.
„
.
1.04
„
of days silent in hospital,
4,426 ; per admission,
11.29; per man of total strength
.
7.71
„
on sick leave,
347; per man,
.
57.83;
,,
.
0.60
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
.
8.31