Brackish
water.
Calcutta
water.
xiii
at Shillong, further measures can be adopted to that end by sending specimens
of the suspected water to the Chemical Examiner of the Province, or, still better,
by deputing a competent officer for the purpose of examining the water on the
spot. The reports show that in many cases " rough analyses" of waters were
made by medical officers ; and this practice will in future years become universal.
The scanty rainfall and drought of the year caused wells in several Stations
to become very low, or even to dry up, and deepening had to be resorted to
in such cases. It does not appear, however, that this circumstance was a cause
of disease in any instance. In some stations, as at Agra and Delhi; the water is
apt to be brackish from the large admixture of saline ingredients obtained from
the soil. The practice of occasionally filling wells from canals adopted in the
latter station appears to be a good remedy for this condition. The pure filtered
water supplied by the Calcutta Municipality is now in use by the troops sta-
t i oned at Fort Wi l l i am, Al i pore, and Bal l ygunge, and t here can be no doubt
that the measure is eminently favorable to health. Difficulties appear to
exist in procuring a sufficiency of the same excellent water at Barrackpore,
for the use of the native regiments stationed there. The water used by the
wing at Dacca is of very doubtful purity, and liable to serious contamination.
The prevalence of dyspepsia and bowel-complaints at this station is attributed
to this cause. The town of Dacca is, under arrangements resembling those in
force in Calcutta, now supplied with pure water ; but this unfortunately is not
available for the wing. At Umballa wells have been sunk at some distance from
cantonments, and a sufficient supply of good water is conveyed from them to
a covered-in reservoir by an aqueduct. The arrangements for supplying water
to the troops at Peshawar are the same as have been so frequently reported on
unfavourably, but an improved system of covered channels will soon become
available, and will, it is hoped, secure for this station a more wholesome supply.
Precautions for preventing the contamination of wells, by masonry platforms,
drains, and parapets, are everywhere adopted ; but it is only at Mooltan that
a pump has been introduced for drawing water from wells ; and this does not
seem to work well.
Effect of
the scanty
rainfall.
Water-supply
at Dacca.
Umballa.
Peshawar.
Pumps.
21. In consequence of the failure of the monsoon rains, and the very
general wreck of summer crops, there resulted during the last half of the
year scarcity of food and high prices of all descriptions of supplies. The
degree of enhancement varied in different parts of the country, but provisions
were everywhere unusually dear. There appears to have been, no difficulty any-
where in obtaining a sufficiency of food at the advanced prices ; but the quality
of the article supplied was sometimes inferior, and had to be closely watched.
Compensation for dearness of food was drawn throughout the Presidency. The
amount varied, reaching, in the case of the 5th Madras Native Infantry at
Saugor, as much as Rs. 6-14-2 in October. With their compensation, and the
increased pay bestowed on the occasion of the Imperial Proclamation, the Native
Army was well fed amidst a stinted, and perhaps starving, population. The
reports are strong and unanimous to this effect. It is only in a few regiments
that any disposition to under-feeding is reported to exist, more especially in
Madras regiments, where men have large families and many dependents. Re-
giments serving in Bengal are also apt, if not carefully watched, to adopt a
rice in place of a wheat diet. There is evidence, however, that any tendency to
under-feeding which may exist is capable of easy check by the commanding
officer, and several instances are recorded in which his interference became
necessary. . The supply of food through the agency of regimental b u n n i a h s
enables the 'regimental authorities to find out what each man purchases, and
it is easy to lay down a scale, and insist upon it as a minimum. The scale for
which compensation is calculated is a good basis, and the withholding of com-
pensation when the scale is not reached is a fair and effectual means of pre-
venting under-feeding. Only 60 cases of scurvy have been registered throughout
the year. The reports of the Bhopal Battalion, 42nd Assam Light Infantry, and
38th Native Infantry allude to a scorbutic affection of malarious origin which
has been frequently observed in Bengal jails. It is important to distinguish this
condition from true scurvy. The system of messing by troops or companies has
been advantageously adopted in many regiments. The rationing of all native
troops is advocated by some medical officers. The system works well in the
province of Assam ; but the experience of the year, which was one of general
4
Food .
Dearness of
provisions.
Compensation.
Under-
feeding.
Means of
preventing
the practice.
Scurvy.
Troop-
messing.
Rationing.