69
CENTRAL INDIA.
In other respects sanitary conditions remain as described in previous reports.
Vegetables are said to be scarce and dear in the hot weather, but Mr. Odevaine
is inclined to attribute the spongy condition of the gums, occasionally observ-
ed, to malarious rather than scorbutic causes. It is intended to change the
colour of the hot weather unifom from white to brown.
The shoes now worn by the men answer their purpose very well, and in support of this
statement I have only to say that not a single case of blistered feet has been recorded in the
whole regiment during the year, notwithstanding that pretty strong detachments marched all
the way from Delhi to Sehore, and that the whole strength at head-quarters, not otherwise
employed, are frequently out "route marching".
In contrast to the above, I would refer to my remarks on the subject at page 104 of the
annual sanitary report of the Bengal army for 1870.
The shoe at present worn is that of the country, the leather being soft and limp, and the sole
not too heavy. Buff leather gaiters are being supplied to the men, which are fastened over the
trousers, the latter being somewhat of the Zouave pattern; besides giving the sepoys a smart
appearance, these gaiters are of use in protecting the upper part of their feet when marching
through thorny ground or j owar stubble fields, &c.
Duties have not been heavy; nights in bed 5-30. The recruits are regularly
trained in the gymnasium with great benefit to their physique.
The hospital and its furnishings are in an efficient state.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding.— Strength of the regiment—
Present
818.96
Absent
116.09
Total
935.05
Food.
Shoes.
Duties.
Hospital.
Sickness.
mortality and
invaliding.
S T A T I O N .
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Daily
average
number of
sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
Admis-
sions.
Deaths
in
hospital.
Admis-
sions. Deaths.
Daily
average
sick.
Head-quarters at Sehore
1st January
31st December 730.26
883
4
15.34 120.91 0.54 2.12
Detachment at Indore
Ditto
Ditto
56.47
64
1
1.38 113.33 1.77 2.37
Escort with the Agent, Gov-
error General's Camp.
5th January
2nd March
83.62
7
1
0.87
53.59 7.62
1.04
Escort with the Agent, Gov-
error General's Camp.
30th Nov.
31st December
36.00
...
... ...
...
... ...
Detachment returning from
Delhi Camp.
1st January
23rd February 103.00
9
...
1.05
59.00
...
1.02
Total
818.96
963
6
17.07 117.58 0.73
2.08
Number of deaths in hospital, 6; out of hospital, 2; total
8; per cent. of total strength
0.85
„
invalided
17 ;
„ „
1. 81
„
sent on sick leave
11 ;
„ „
1.17
„
days spent in hospital, 6,233 ; per admission
6.47 ; per man of total strength
.
6.66
„ „
on sick leave, 1,889; per man
171.72;
„ „
2.02
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
8.68
The sickness during the year under report has been much in excess of that of the pre-
vious one, being as 963 to 490; the deaths are, however, less 11 for 1876 and 8 for 1877, one of
the latter being suicidal. The increased sickness is due principally to the much greater pre-
valence of malarious fevers during the past year.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness. —Fever has caused by far the largest number of admis-
sions being 74.35 per centum of the total number of patients admitted during the year. Dy-
sentery gave 59 and diarrhœa 15 admissions and 30 cases of conjunctivitis and of pneumonia
were taken into hospital during 1877.
XVII. Principal causes of mortality.— There were six deaths in hospital of which four
occurred at head-quarters—two from tetanus, one from hypertrophy of the spleen and one from
pneumonia—the other two took place, one at the detachment hospital at Indore, and the other
with the Agent, Governor General's Camp at Morar, both being due to remittent fever. Out of
hospital two men died, one from diarrhœa whilst at his home on sick furlough, and the second
man committed suicide in the lines at Sehore, by placing the muzzle of his loaded rifle at the
epigastrium and then most probably pulling the trigger with his toe: the ball passed through
the left side of the chest, and death ensued very shortly. In the two cases of tetanus the disease
was traumatic, one from compound fracture of the humerus implicating the elbow joint, and
the second man had a sebaceous tumour removed by incision from the calf of his leg, the wound
being nearly healed when tetanic symptoms first began and which lasted for twelve days before
death. The disease being at first mild and having assumed a semi-chronic form induced me to
hope for his ultimate recovery.
General re-
marks.
Principal
causes of
sickness.
Principal
causes of
mortality
S