Chief sickness
in the force.
Mortality
—Troops.
Sickness and
mortality.
238
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
53. Sickness and mortality.— The general return closing this report gives the detail of
d i s e a s e s a n d m o r t a l i t y d u r i n g t h e e x p e d i t i o n . T h e f o l l o w i n g t a b l e i s a s u m m a r y : —
Statement showing total and relative sickness and mortality among the troops, transport corps,
and followers.
Average of 4 months; November, December
1874, January, February 1875.
Troops. Transport
corps.
Followers.
REMARKS.
Daily average strength
1,005.37 1,165.90
522.18 A.—G. G. O. 375 of 1875, p. 188,
shows the figures for three
months only.
" " number of si ck
31.27
76.34
11.86
" " p e r c e n t a g e o f s i c k t o s t r e n g t h .
3.10
6.54
2.27A
Admitted into hospital
507
1,260
111
B.—One man drowned: makes total
of deaths 10, and percentage
of deaths .85.
Discharged
403
1,231
106
Died in hospital
4
9B
6 C.—19 discharged to their homes
after a few days' service, as
unfit.
Transferred to depot or regimental hospitals
and afterwards discharged
100
20C
...
Admissions per cent. to average strength
50.42
108.15
21.25
1 to Chinsurah dispensary on
returning home.
Deaths " " "
.39
.77
1.14 D.—Of which Rheumatism 2 . 36 p.c.
Percentage of diseases on the several admission
rates: viz., troops 507; transport 1,260;
followers 111.
E.—Of which Rheumatism
3 . 9 6
Syphilis
2.46
Ague
27.21
23.01
29.72
6.42
Diseases under General, Sub-division B
3.15D
6.42E
.81 F.—Of which Dysentery 28.79
" "Respiratory system: all but 2
or 3 Bronchitis
6.50
3.57
.63
Diarrhœa
11.43
" " Digestive system
41.81F
40.40G
28.82
40.22
" "Cellular tissue and cutaneous systems
9.66
11.19
3.51 G.—Of which Dysentery 33.25
" "Accidental injuries
8.48
11.82
.81
Diarrhœa
6.58
Balance in other diseases
3.19
3.59
35.70
100.00
100.00
100.00
39.83
Comparison
and diseases—
Troops and
transport.
54. A comparison of the sickness in the three classes of men shows double the amount
of sickness, and admissions, and mortality per cent. to strength, in the transport corps as com-
pared with the troops. Ague admissions show a somewhat smaller percentage in the transport
corps than among the troops; the former were less exposed on night duties. Rheumatism
was more prevalent among the transport; probably because they were oftener and longer in
wet clothes. Both classes suffered alike from bowel disorders.
Sickness and
mortality
— F o l l o w e r s .
Races of men
in transport
corps and
admissions
from each
class.
The larger mortality among the followers* is due to the poor condition of many of the
survey coolies and mahouts. The followers, on
the whole, proved the hardiest; their work was
perhaps the lightest of all: the principal sickness
occurred at Narainpore and Hurtmutti. Those men
who accompanied the force were more picked men,
and they were made to take care of themselves.
55. The statement in the margin shows the different castes of which the transport
corps was composed, with the relative ratio per
cent. of admissions to strength: it was compiled
by Surgeon J. N. Keefer from data kept at my
request. The Sikhs suffered more than the other
coolies; but many old men were hurriedly enlisted
in the last two companies. The Goorkhalies came
next; but the men were difficult to get, and were
a poor lot. The Kahars, low-caste Hindoos, and
Musbi Sikhs stood the work best. They, the Pun-
jabee Mussulmans, and a few Sikhs, were the 900
first enlisted: great care was taken at the time:
men were made to run some hundred yards, and
their pulse and respiration noted. They were,
consequently, comparatively picked men.
56. The chief, indeed only sickness, was that of ague and bowel complaints, the
latter being the most severe; and they were to be expected from the circumstances the men
were exposed to.
Four sepoys died, † one case occurred, suddenly, in the 44th regiment, with head-quarters
at camp No. 9. Surgeon-Major White in his
report states: "Death by opium heart," i . e . ,
atrophy with dilatation, common among opium
eaters as this man was. He and his comrades were
sitting round the fire, and he fell back dead."
* 1 Cholera—Survey coolie.
1 Bronchitis "
1 Dysentery "
1 Fever—Mahout. "
1 Dysentery "
1 " Chowdry 44th.
C A S T E .
Total strength
1,238.
Strength of
each.
Ratio per
cent. of
admissions
to strength.
Sikhs
220
155.45
Kahars
144
66.66
Low Hindoos
222
76.57
Musbi Sikbs
135
59.25
Punjabee Mussulmans
380
107.63
Pathans
20
80.00
Goorkhalies
117
125.64
†1, 16th N. I., dysentery, Gohpore outpost
.
1, 16th " " Narainpore depôt hospital.
1, 43rd A .L. I. " " "
1, 44th S. L. I. " Camp No. 9.