Food,
Clothing.
Boots.
Duty.
Hospital.
XV. Sickness. mortality and invaliding.—Strength of the regiment
—
Present
667.15
Absent
33.11
Total
700.26
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding.
Principal
causes of
sickness.
Ague.
Ophthalmia.
Blister of the
feet.
46
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Water
analysis;
result.
The water contained in the two regimental wells was sent for analysis in
January, and both were pronounced to contain an unsafe amount of organic
impurity. They were emptied, cleaned out, and the masonry repaired; and on
a subsequent analysis in May, the amount of organic matter was pronounced to
be within the limits of safety.
Food supplies were good and abundant, but became somewhat dear towards
the close of the year. Cases of underfeeding occur, owing to large families and
numerous dependents. The undress clothing of the men is thought not to be
sufficient for the cold season. The boots in use cause much galling of the feet.
Ammunition boots are recommended.
Duty is not severe, and is rather beneficial to the men than otherwise, as
giving them exercise Which they would not otherwise take. Some of them
play cricket, &c., and a few fish, shoot and engage in gardening. The hospital
is in good repair, and affords sufficient accommodation. The men are well
supplied with bedding.
STATION,
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Daily
average
number
of si ck .
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM .
From
To
Admis
-sions.
Deaths.
Admis-
sions.
Deaths.
Daily
average
sick.
Head-quarters at Jubbulpore 1st Jan. 1877 31st Dec. 1877
667.15
562
5
18.28 84.23
.74
2.74
Number of deaths in hospital, 5; out of hospital, 2 ; total
7; per cent, of total strength
. 9 9
„
invalided
21;
„
,,
2.99
„
sent on sick leave
2;
,,
,,
.28
„
of days spent in hospital 6,672 ;per admission
11.87; per man of total strength
9.52
„ „
on sick leave 186; per man
93;
,,
„
.26
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
9.79
Probable
cause of excess
of ague.
Ammunition
boots recom-
mended.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness. The principal diseases causing admissions into
hospital were ague, ophthalmia, bowel complaints, wounds of different kinds, measles,
rheumatic affections, abscess and ulcers, venereal diseases, blister of the feet, boils and itch.
Ague.—In 1877 there were 385 admissions from ague, against 183 in 1876. During
the last five months of the year, ague prevailed to a serious extent amongst the men and
families of the regiment. About the first week of September, there was a case of fever in
almost every hut in the lines, and in some huts whole families were fever-stricken. Amongst
the sepoys the fever was of the quotidian type, after a few days, however, assuming frequently
the tertian, and occasionally the quartan, type. A few of the cases were complicated with
pneumonia. I attribute the great increase in the admissions from ague in August last to a
great extent to the then unsanitary, swampy state of the bed of an old tank which lies
close to and west of the lines. I recommended the thorough draining of this ground, but
the officer commanding Saugor District remarked that "the matter was under his consi-
deration, but that it did not appear urgent."
In support of my opinion, however, I record the following important, and, to me, at least,
conclusive fact. In the detachment 3rd Regiment Madras Light Cavalry, whose lines
are about half a mile distant from, and east of the tank, the ratio per 1000 for the 10 months
they have been here for all diseases is only 583.17, and that for ague alone in the 16th
Regiment 577.08.
• Ophthalmia.—There were 43 cases of ophthalmia, all of the catarrhal variety, and attri-
butable for the most part to the glare of the sun in the day time or to the cold winds.
Blister of the feet.—There have been only six admissions from foot-soreness, but, on
an average, about one-third the regiment has been excused the wearing of boots for various
periods. The ordinary ankle-boot, made of native leather, is generally worn by the men of
the regiment. Some few possess ammunition boots, and prize them highly on economical
grounds, and for their durability and, in comparison with the ankle-boot, the ease with which
they can be worn. From careful observation I have come to the conclusion that boots made
of native leather can never be made suitable for the rainy season, as they become sodden and
misshapen, and the stitching gives way. As this question of the boot is one affecting the
efficiency of native troops on active service, I would suggest the issuing of ammunition boots
to every Madras sepoy, or, at least, to a certain number in each regiment, for the purpose of
experiment.