Medical
charge.
Location and
movements.
D etachm en ts.
Drainage
oaerations at
Gowhatty.
EASTERN FRONTIER DISTRICT.
191
XVIII. Epidemics.—No epidemic prevailed amongst the men of the regiment.
fatal case of small-pox occurred at Nowgong. Only one other man was attacked there.
single case occurred at Shillong, but it was very mild.
The Epidemics.
A
One fatal case of cholera occurred also at Nowgong. It attacked the man who was
convalescent from small-pox. The men of this detachment soon after returned to head-quarters
at Shillong, and two cases of cholera occurred amongst them. The entire detachment was im-
mediately put into a kind of quarantine at one end of the lines, and the disease stopped. Both
of the cases recovered.
A brief epidemic of cholera also took place in September at Gowhatty amongst a party of
recruits on their way to join the regiment. The party consisted in all of 35 men, 8 women,
and 4 children. 3 men and 1 woman were attacked; all 4 cases proved fatal.
XIX. Vaccination.-38 men were vaccinated during the year, chiefly recruits. Of this
number 32 were successful. The regiment is well protected against small-pox. Inspections of
the .men at head-quarters are held every year in January or December, and all doubtful cases
eithervaccinate
vacci nat ed
The regiment was inspected by Deputy Surgeon-General J. T. C. Ross
on the 9th March 1875. He remarks that the situation of the lines is very
bleak and exposed, and that the huts are ill-ventilated. Trees are, however,
being planted, which will much improve the site. The regiment, about 400
men, were seen in undress, 38 recruits among them; "all looked healthy in
good physical condition." Mr. Ross concludes:—" The inspection of the regi-
ment was most satisfactory, and every detail reflects great credit on the medi-
cal officer."
Cholera.
Vaccination.
Inspection.
42nd.
Re g i n m e n t ( A s s a m ) L i g h t I n f a n t r y — G o w h a t t y .
Surgeon E. G. Russell, M. B., who furnishes the report, took charge for the third
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTII
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1869
.. Debrooghur
...
...
152.2
2.5
3.2
1870
...
Ditto ...
...
...
150.7
1.6
4.1
1871
... Ditto ...
...
146.8
1.8
3.5
1872
...
Ditto ...
...
...
197.2
5.8
4 . 6
1873
... Ditto ...
...
...
144.5
1.4
3.5
Average ..
160.1 4 2.6
3.8
1874
... Gowhatty, Apri11874 ...
112.2
4.9
3.4
time during the course
of the year on the. 13th
November ; on the 23rd
the head-quarters left Gow-
hatty en route for the
Duffla Expedition, leaving a
depot with Dr. Russell in
charge at Gowhatty
II.—The head-quarters of
the regiment were stationed
at Debrooghur during the early
months of the year. On April
18th they arrived at Gowhatty,
where they were stationed till they left on 23rd November to join the Diffla Expedition.
The regiment furnished various detachments during the year: these are
fully detailed in paragraph XV.
III. Topography.—The topography of Gowhatty has been previously described. Certain
drainage works, which were noted as under contemplation in previous years, have been
completed during 1874. Large tracts of swamps at the back of the lines, into which the
natural drainage from the lines tends, have been connected by an artificial canal with a small
nuddee_tributary to the Brahmaputra. This nuddee formerly communicated with the Brahma-
putra at Gowhatty, and the swamps were consequently flooded from that river during the rains.
This communication with the river has been now blocked up, so that this nuddee is compelled
to empty itself into the great river in its natural course about 9 miles lower down. Now, as the
fall of the ground along this portion of the Brahmaputra valley is in the direction of the flow
of that river at about 1 foot a mile, these swamps now empty themselves therefore into the
great river with a fall of about 9 feet; while the Brahmaputra can no longer directly flood
them during its rise.
Some improvement in the general health is to be hoped for as a result of this; but as the
low lands to south of the lines form the natural basin of drainage of hills surrounding them
on three sides, it is probable that they will retain their marshy malarious character.
IV. Meteorology and climate.—The air, during even the high temperature of the summer
months, is nearly saturated with aqueous vapour. This covering of moisture prevents extremes
of, or sudden changes in, the temperature, which is tolerably low during the year.
Climate.