Huts.
Drainage.
Water-supply.
Contamina
-tion of river.
Dieting.
Underfeeding.
Price of food.
Clothing.
26
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Level of
subsoil
water.
Temperature.
Fever at
Dinapore
Berhampore.
during the rains, that the station and surrounding country Were not in the least flooded; con-
sequently, no temporary swamps, &c., were formed. The highest level of subsoil water was 14
feet i n November; t he l owest 19½ feet , i n May; t he mean l evel for t he year was 18 feet . I
am inclined to think that variations in the height of the river Ganges have very little effect
on the level of the subsoil water.
.IV. Meteorology and climate.—Meteorologically, the year 1877 differed very considerably
from its predecessor; the rainfall was much less, being only 28
.
4 inches,—12 inches below the
average of the previous five years. In the rainy season the Ganges did not rise to within
many feet of its usual level. Although the rainfall was so low, yet it was pretty evenly
distributed throughout the year, November being the only month in which no rain fell. Rain
in the cold weather was usually followed by damp, foggy mornings. As a necessary sequela
of the deficient rainfall, the general temperature of the year was high, the approximate
mean being 2 . 2° higher than that of 1876. The highest temperature recorded was in May,
when the thermometer in the north verandah reached 112°. During the latter half of June
the heat was both excessive and oppressive. At this time several cases of heat apoplexy
occurred among amongst the native civil population, and a few cases amongst the European troops in
garrison. In this regiment, a camp-follower, a Goorgah, was attacked on the night of 21st
J u n e , a n d d i e d n e x t m o r n i n g w i t h o u t e v e r h a v i n g r e c o v e r e d c o n s c i o u s n e s s . T h e c o l d w e a t h e r
did not really set in till the end of November. About the middle of December the weather
suddenly became very cold, with strong west wind, due to the rain which had fallen higher up-
country. I happen to know that in one night the minimum temperature was 43 0. The
cold weather 1877-78 promises to be considerably colder than that of 1876-77. When the
rains were over, there was no wet, rotting vegetation to give out, under the influence of a
powerful sun, the malarial poison, or whatever else it is that causes fever; and so in the last
quarter of the year, there were but 29 admissions at head-quarters for ordinary ague, in
marked contrast to Berhampore, where there were no less than 49.
V. Lines, 'barracks and huts.—The huts are in very good repair; the men have plenty of
room. No overcrowding whatever.
VI. Drainage.— Owing to the circumstances alluded to under the head of " Topography, "
the drainage was quite sufficient—in fact, there was never any strain on it.
Public
latrines.
Latrine tax.
Regimental
latrine.
Cultivation of latrine
ground.
VII. Conservancy and latrines.—All the public latrines are on the dry-earth system. Quite
recently, it has been resolved by the cantonment committee to levy a tax of one anna a head
on all adult natives (not sepoys) resident in cantonments, the cantonment authorities undertak-
ing to provide proper latrine accommodation for them. As the civil population of cantonments
is very large, it is manifestly impossible to include them all in these arrangements; the plan is
therefore being started with the camp-followers of regiments and batteries. For these, mat
latrines are being constructed in suitable places. Private servants will also be taxed, and their
latrines (which are usually in private compounds) will be under the charge of the cantonment
conservancy officer. Our regimental latrine is pretty much as last year. In April the whole
structure was moved 15 yards to the south, and re-erected on a platform of earth a foot high:
this ensures its keeping perfectly dry during the rains. The latrine at the same time was
enlarged by the addition of eight compartments. Strong glazed gumlahs are used in the
compartments, tar having been considered unnecessary; they answer very well. During the
year an iron filth receptacle was provided. In this both solid and liquid excreta are collected
preparatory to being buried in the trenches; the disposal of the fluid excreta in holes, as
described in last year's report, has therefore been abandoned. At the commencement of the
present cold weather, 187 square yards of latrine ground were planted with mustard: there
is now a luxuriant crop on it, far finer than the mustard in neighbouring fields. A more
exhaustive crop would perhaps have been preferable. The value of such land to the cultivator
depends entirely on the proper management of the trenches: if these be dug too wide or too
deep, or filled too full with night-soil, it will be two, perhaps three, years before the ground is
of any use. Crops planted in such ground six, or even twelve, months after it has been so
used, are simply burnt up. This I have seen more than once.
VIII. Water-supply.—The water-supply is unchanged since last year's report. In April
the men were prohibited from using the Soane water; the bed of the river had almost dried up,
and consisted merely of a collection of pools. There was reason to suspect some contamina-
tion higher up the stream where the banks are in parts used as places for burning corpses. If
the people are poor, the bodies are often not half-burned, and so the water may become
contaminated.
IX. Diet.—The system of dieting in force is as described in last year's report. I have
frequently inspected the bunniah's shops, and seldom have had to find fault with anything,
In only one instance was I able to discover an attempt at underfeeding, or, perhaps to be
more accurate, at improper feeding, for the man's illness was plainly due to an insufficient use
of vegetables. Owing to the famine in other parts of India, the price of food in general
was higher than in 1876. The rise, however, was not very great. Compensation for dearness
of provisions never exceeded Re. 1-1-1 a month.
X. Clothing .—Unchanged; it is sufficient. Ammunition boots are worn; they blister the
feet pretty much as usual, The undress-clothing worn by the men is sufficient, and suitable to
the seasons.
Duty.
XI. Duty and employment.—The duty, though more severe than last year, was not excessive.
The average number of continuous nights in bed for the year was at head-quarters 9 . 76 ;
at Berhampore, 9.4. Various small guards and escorts were out from time to time.