89
MEERUT DIVISION.
15th May another, 160 strong, under a European Officer, marched to Morar, in charge of treasure,
and returned on the 31st of the same mouth. A detachment of 155 men, under a European
Officer, has been posted at Fatehgarh since the 5th December.
The exceptional weather, already described in the report of the 8th Native
Infantry, was the most remarkable circumstance in the sanitary history of
the year. The water used by this regiment has the same defect as in the case
of the 8th Native Infantry. Trench latrines are in use, and work well. Though
the number of admissions for blistered feet is small, this is owing not to any
exceptional merit in the boots used, but to the practice of only admitting severe
cases into hospital. The issue of a "free kit" to recruits and of blankets to hospi-
tals is considered to be a great boon. The recruits and young sepoys are put
through a course of gymnastics by the Adjutant with benefit. The same hospital
is in use, but arrangements for the erection of a new one are in progress.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding.—Strength of the regiment—
Present
631.81
Absent
67.47
Total
699.28
The weather.
Water.
Latrines.
Boots.
Gymnastics.
Hospital.
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding.
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Daily
average
number of
sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
Admis-
sions.
Deaths.
Daily
average
sick.
From
To
Admis-
sions. Deaths.
Mead-quarters at Agra
1st Jan. 1877 31st Dec. 1877
561.22
305
4
12.31 54.34
0.71
2.19
Detachment at Alwar
6th Jan.
„
Ditto
52.59
48
...
0.43 92.55
...
0.82
„
Moray
15th May „
31st May
„
160.00
1
. . .
0.70 13.40
...
.43
„
Fatehgarh
5th Dec.
„
31st Dec.
„
155.00
11
...
4.51 95.98
...
2.91
TOTAL
...
...
„
631.81
365
4
14.25 57.77
0.63
2.25
Number of deaths in hospital, 4; out of hospital, 3; total
7; per cent.o f t o t a l s t r e n g t h
1.00
„
invalided
26;
„ „
3.71
„
sent on sick leave
7;
,,
„
1.00
„
of days spent in hospital, 5,210, per admission
14.27; per man of total strength
7.45
„ „
on sick leave, 1,559; per man
222.71 ;
„
„
2.22
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
9.67
These figures compare favourably with those for the previous year.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness.—First in order of causation comes ague, which gave
83 admissions out of a total of 365. This number compares very favorably with that for
1876, which was 260; next come syphilis 38, boils 29, dysentery 18, catarrhal ophthalmia 17
gonorrhœa and blisters of the feet each 9, and diarrhœa 8 admissions. The small number
admitted from blisters of the feet is remarkable as compared with former years, and the
statistics of native regiments generally; the immunity is, however, more apparent than real,
as I found upon enquiry that only the severe cases were admitted into hospital, while the others
were in the habit of being kept under observation for a few days, or treated as out-door
patients.
XVII. Principal causes of mortality.—There were 7 deaths, viz., 4 in hospital and 3 out
of hospital. Of the former class, 1 was due to enteric fever, 1 to ague, 1 to phthisis, and 1 to
hydrophobia. Of the latter, 2 died while on sick leave from anæmia and pneumonia, respectively,
and 1 died in the hospital of the 40th Native Infantry, Gorakhpur from valve disease of
the heart. The diagnosis on the case of enteric fever was verified by post-mortem exam-
ination. The case of hyrophobia possesses peculiar interest from the disease having been
lately the subject of much discussion at home. In this instance the most remarkable feature
was the long period which had elapsed from the date the injury was received until the com-
mencement of the symptoms. The man stated (his story was corroborated by his mother) that
he had been bitten on the right hand by a dog in the last week of October 1876. but the
Principal
causes of
sickness.
Principal
causes of
mortality.
Case of hydro-
phobia.