Inspection.
Improvements
suggested.
Prevalence of
malarious
fever in
Meerut.
Convalescent
list.
89
MEERUT DIVSION.
In the left wing, which was at Meerut during the both rainy seasons (of 1873 and 1874),
In left wing. there were found 145 men with large spleens.
E Company, (Jats) . . .
41
F Do.,
(Mahomedans) . . .
40
G Do., (Boondelas) . . .
26
H
Do., (Seikhs) . . .
38
In left wing.
Amongst the "recruits" not joined the ranks, enlisted at Meerut during the year, there
were 25 cases of enlarged spleen in a strength of 48. Though the men of the regiment have
been prone to "general debility" from a variety of causes, both at Dacca and Benares, between
the year 1867 and 1872, "spleen disease" has been quite exceptional, and nearly always traced
to attacks of ague, from which the men had suffered when at their homes on furlough.
The right wing, tor some days at Umballa, and on the return march, was in sole charge of
3rd class Hospital Assistant Kuramut Oollah, an intelligent and efficient medical subordinate.
Among re
-cruits.
Deputy Surgeon-General C. M. Smith visited the hospital of this regi
-ment repeatedly during the year, and made a formal inspection on the 31st
of December. He found the sanitary and medical arrangements satisfactory.
The detached building (an old bell of arms) used for infectious diseases would
be greatly improved by being thatched and furnished with verandahs; a dead-house
is also required. A bath-room has been constructed in the hospital verandah, and
furnished according to order. The regiment had been very sickly during the
year owing to the great prevalence of malarious fever ; this has not been con
-fined to the native troops. Dr. Moir, the civil surgeon of Meerut, has shown
in a special report to the Government of the North-Western Provinces, " that the
admissions from fevers of malarious origin have, during the past five years,
more than doubled amongst the European soldiers and in the civil hospital, and
more than trebled amongst the native troops, while in the jail population they
are more than quadrupled." He attributes this to a cyclical prevalence of this
class of diseases. By other authorities it is attributed to canal irrigation.
Dr. Smith inspected all the men in March, and found a large proportion of them
suffering from splenic enlargement.
The Deputy Surgeon-General points out that it is the practice in this regi
-ment to have a convalescent list, the existence of which interferes with the
accuracy of statistics.
Lock-hospital.
Lock-hospital .—This institution is under charge of Surgeon-Major W.
Moir, civil surgeon of Meerut. He reports that there were in 1874, 87.26 wo
-men on the register, against 94.03 in 1873. Among these there were 53
admissions—18 from syphilis, and 35 from gonorrhœa, against 61 (12 and 49)
in 1873. 142 admissions took place from a strength of 1,518.52 European troops,
or 93.5 per 1,000, the percentage in 1873 being 98.08. The number of
cases of primary syphilis was 68. The 85th Foot had a larger proportion of
venereal disease than the Artillery or 15th Hussars. This is said to be due
to the greater leisure the men possess. The great prevalence of venereal disease
is said to be due to imperfect registration, and consort with unlicensed women.
The need is pointed out for a special European Inspector and a special police.
Attention is drawn to the large amount of venereal disease contracted at the
camp at Roorkee. Deputy Surgeon-General C. M. Smith frequently visited the
lock-hospital, and found the duties there always satisfactorily conducted.
18th. (The Alipore) Regiment of Aatibe Enfantry—Agra.
Surgeon-Major J. A. C. Hutchinson, M. D ., held medical charge of the head-
quarters throughout the year,
and has written the annual
report.
II. Location and movements.
— T h e h e a d - q u a r t e r s o f t h e r e g i m e n t
have remained stationary during
the year. The detachment (two
companies) at Futtehgurh, which
had continued there throughout
1873, returned to head-quarters
in February 1874, but a detach
- m e n t o f t h e s a m e s t r e n g t h w a s
again detailed for duty at that
station in September 1874.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily Sick.
1869 . . .
Gorakhpur, Dec. 1868
116.6
1.4
4.4
1870 . . .
Do. do. . . .
93.9
1.4
3 7
1871 . . .
Do. do. . . .
176.5
2.4
6.2
1872 . . .
Agra, Dec. 1872 . . .
205.5
1.3
7.2
1873 . . .
Do.
do. . . .
161.8
2.
7.1
Average
. . .
150.8
1 . 7
5.7
1874 . . . Agra . . .
145.2
1.2
4.7
Medical
charge.
Location and
movements.
Detachments.