Prevalent
diseases.
Causation.
'rincipal
causes of
mortality.
Epidemic of
mumps.
Vaccination.
Recommenda-
tions.
Special
observations
and remarks.
C o m p a r a t i v e
healthiness of
barracks.
Comparative
healthiness of
different
castes and
races.
Inspection.
Hastings
(Station Staff)
Hospi tal.
Sick treated.
Garrison
Dispensary,
Fort William,
Uses.
3
PRESIDENCY DISTRICT.
The admissions were mainly due to fevers, bowel-complaints, chest diseases,
dyspepsia, blistered feet and general debility.
I am inclined to think an important element in the causation was the continued residence
of the regiment, an up-country one, in Bengal. An undue proportion of fever, dysentery and
diarrhoea occurred while the troops were out at target practice at Dum-Dum, arising, there is
little doubt, from the condition of the encamping ground, which at times was little better than
an ordinary swamp. Insufficient undress clothing, as mentioned already, and want of
proper care on the part of the men in changing their dress, were important factors in the
production of those diseases which are predisposed to, or excited, by chills
XVII. Principal causes of mortality.—The number of deaths during the year was thus
distributed :-diarrhoea, 3 ; ague, complicated with dysentery, 1 ; dysentery, 1 ; bronchitis, 1 ;
pleurisy, 1 ; suicide (in lines), 1 ; pneumothorax, 1 ; general debility, 1 ; and 1, from an unknown
cause, at patient's home.
XVIII. Epidemics.—There was an epidemic of mumps, including 41 cases. The disease
is believed to have been brought by some sepoys to the fort from Dum-Dum, as the first cases
occurred among men out there at target practice. The men affected were isolated, and other
necessary measures taken to prevent the spread of the disease.
X1X. Vaccination.- There were 22 men. vaccinated during the year, with successful
results in all cases. At the end of the year the recruits were examined, and, with the exception
of 7 (Since vaccinated), all were found to be protected either by previous attacks of small-pox,
by inoculation or vaccination.
XX. Recommendations.—These related chiefly to the clothing and water-supply, and were
invariably attended to.
XX1. Special observations and remarks.—The general health of the station was highly satis-
factory up to the end of July, the daily average number of sick during that period being only
20.60. From that time up to the end of the year almost the sickness steadily increased, the
increase being chiefly due to the growing prevalence of fever, dysentery and diarrhoea. The
north and south barracks were more healthy than the bomb-proof, the admissions from the
former being only 416 as against 520 from the latter ; moreover, the temporary loss of service
of the men occupying the former was about 10 per cent. less than that of the men occupying
the latter. Caste, or rather the mode of diet imposed by caste, seems also to have influenced
the admissions, as the following table shows:-
C a s t e .
No. in Regiment.
No. of admissions.
Chutree and Rajput
273
411
Brahman
154
226
Mussulman
105
106
Sikhs
83
87
Others
93
106
With the exception of some old Cawnpore men, the general physique of the corps is satisfac-
tory. The men on the "l ong rol l " have an average chest gi rth of 35 i nches, and the
recruits 34¾ inches, the average height of the latter being 69¼ inches.
Inspection.—Deputy Surgeon-General R. Cockburn inspected the corps on
the 28th of November. He remarks :—
" The whole of the men off duty were inspected in undress, and, as a rule, they were found
to be properly nourished and in good physical condition, and the recruits, with one or two
exceptions, were a strong and healthy-looking body of young men. The lines were also inspected,
and every part found very clean and tidy. The hospital arrangements were in every respect
Satisfactory."
Garrison Dispensary, Fort William, under the superintendence of Sur-
geon J. C. G. Carmichael, Garrison Surgeon, and immediate charge of
a resident apothecary. Medicines for men, women and children of the
European regiment and battery of artillery in the fort, for the staff of the
fort and non-commissioned and warrant officers of the Ordnance and Com-
missariat Departments, for prisoners in the garrison cells, and for the sick in
the Hastings Hospital, are kept here. European soldiers reporting sick are also
seen and. treated, if their cases are trivial, at the dispensary. There is no hospital
within the fort, and the garrison dispensary provides for all medical require-
ments within its walls. Deputy Surgeon-General R. Cockburn inspected it on
6th of December, and found it in good order.
Hastings ( Station Staff) Hospital was inspected on the same day. A small
stock of medicines . from the garrison dispensary is kept here. - There is hospital
accommodation for 12 sick. The strength of the establishments (Ordnance and
Commissariat) whose medical wants the hospital supplies is about 1,000. Most
of the sick are treated in their lines, The daily average for 1877 was 4%29