Water-supply.
Diet.
Hospital.
Requirements.
86
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Lines.
Conservancy.
V. Lines .—The lines have been kept in good repair throughout the year, and are always
clean. There is some disadvantage in the floors of the huts being lower than the level of the
surrounding ground. I have observed that the men do not close up the ventilating apertures
of their huts as is the practice in most regiments.
VII Conservancy and latrines .—One mud-built latrine exists for the use of the regiment,
but does not fulfil the requirements of a satisfactory sanitation. Measures will, it is hoped, be
shortly taken to remedy its defects. Some neighbouring fields offer more attraction to the men,
and, as far as I have gathered, the latrine is used only by a few of the sowars and by the
c a m p f o l l o w e r s .
Hospital well
Latrines.
VIII. Water-supply .—Drinking water is obtained from two large wells, which are pro
-tected by a wooden grating and have a "pucca" bathing platform and escape-drains. The
water is considered good; I have as yet made noanalysis of it.
IX. Diet .—The usual arrangements obtain and give satisfaction. Samples of the
various foods sold in the regimental bazar are inspected daily by the surgeon. The men ap
-pear to be generally well nourished.
X. Hospital.—The hospital is a substantial brick building, containing, besides the office,
dispensary and store-rooms, two commodious wards; and the verandahs, which are walled in,
might also be used as wards, if necessary. Two small rooms are much required, and an effort
will be made to obtain them this year—one for the treatment of diseases of the eyes, and one for
the isolation of serious cases of illness. A few glass doors would be an advantage also, as,
when the outer doors are shut, there being no windows, the hospital is extremely dark. Some
means of ventilating the wards, when the doors are shut, as they must necessarily sometimes
be are required.
The hospital well is situated, I think, at an inconvenient distance from the hospital, and
is also so near the public road as to render it liable, I fear, to contamination from passers by.
It is protected by a wooden grating, and, notwithstanding a dense growth of a species of fern
covering its walls. it contains good and sweet water.
The hospital latrine is very conveniently placed near the hospital, and serves its purpose
very well The dry-earth system is carried out.
Bath-room.
The hospital is supplied with bathing tubs, &c., of which the patients take advantage.
Sickness
mortality and
Invaliding.
XV. Sickness, mortality and invaliding .—Strength of the regiment—present, 373.6;
absent, 72.9; total 446.5.
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
O F
D a i l y a v e r a g e n u m - b e r o f s i c k .
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
P E R A N N U M ,
From
To
A d m i s s i o n s .
D e a t h s .
A d m i s s i o n s .
D e a t h s .
D a i l y a v e r - a g e s i c k .
Head-quarters at
Segowlie and Mee-
rut . . .
1st January
1874.
31st Decem-
ber 1874.
307.1
500
2
15.6
162.8
.6
5.1
Detachment at Agra 31st January
1874.
Ditto . . .
42.9
35
. . .
1.4
88.9
. . .
3.3
" at Delhi 3rd February
1874.
Ditto . . .
49.1
109
1
2.9
244.1
2.2
5.9
Total . . .
. . .
. . .
373.6
644
3
18.9
172.4
.8
5.1
Number of deaths in hospital, 3; out of hospital, nil; total 3; per cent. of total strength . . .
.67
"
invalided,
36;
"" . . .
8.06
" sent on sick leave, 2; " " . . .
.45
" days spent in hospital, 6,898; per admission, 10.71; per man of total strength . . . 15.45
" days on sick leave, 459; per man, 229.50; " " . . .
1.03
Total temporary loss of service " " . . .
16.48
Prevalent
diseases.
Deaths.
XVI. Causes of sickness .—The principal causes of sickness during 1874 were ague, 416
admissions; simple continued fever, 23; injuries, 23; remittent fever, 20; acute rheumatism,
16; and dysentery 15 admissions.
Ague seems to have been most prevalent during the rainy season and the months imme
-diately following it, having attained its maximum in September.
The detachments of the regiment which are stationed at Delhi and Agra seem to have
had very good weather throughout the year, although they also suffered from intermittent
fever during the autumn months. No case of epidemic disease occurred.
XVII. Three deaths occurred during 1874, two of them from remittent fever and ence
-phalitis, respectively, at head-quarters, and one from dysentery at Delhi.
Inspection
Latrine.
Deputy Surgeon-General C. M. Smith inspected formally on the 24th De
- c e m b e r 1 8 7 4 . I n a d d i t i o n t o t h i s , w e e k l y v i s i t s w e r e p a i d t o t h e h o s p i t a l . T h e
Latrine arrangements are not considered satisfactory. The compartments are