Principal
causes of
sickness.
Causes of
mortality.
Epidemics.
Small-pox.
Vaccination.
Recommenda
-
tions.
34
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Inspection.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness.— The principal causes of sickness were, ague a (424)
ague b (82), ague c (60), chronic rheumatism (102), contusion of feet (50), dysentery (40),
abscess (35), primary syphilis (19) , diarrhœa (19), and bronchitis (22).
XVII. Causes of mortality.— Fever has been the principal cause of mortality, giving
three deaths; small-pox, hepatic abscess, phthisis, and hæmoptysis each gave one. All
these cases occurred previously to the time at which the writer joined the regiment.
XVIII. Epidemics.— Besides the usual epidemic of intermittent fever during the
autumn and winter months, an outbreak of variola occurred in Morar during March, April,
and May—one sepoy died; seven suffered from the disease. The sick were, I understand, sent
to the small-pox hospital, and all needful precautions taken, except that no vaccination seems to
h a v e b e e n u n d e r t a k e n .
XIX. Vaccination.—None.
XX. Recommendations.—T h en
u i s a n c e c a u s e d b y t h e b a z a r l a t r i n e w a s b r o u g h t t o t h e n o t i c e
of the local authorities, and at the same time certain measures for its removal were suggested.
The nuisance has since entirely disappeared, but whether it will remain during the rains, the
future must decide.
This regiment was inspected by Deputy Surgeon-General E. C. Thorp on
the 18th February 1875. He reports that the sanitary condition of the lines
was satisfactory, and that all the medical and sanitary arrangements in the
hospital were carefully attended to.
34th (Fattchgurh) Regiment Native Infantry—Morar.
Medical
Officers.
Location and
movements.
Detachments.
Situation of
the lines.
Lines,
barracks or
huts.
The following medical officers held charge of the regiment during the
past year. Surgeon-Major
E. C. Thorp, M. D., from 1st
January to 6th May ; Sur
-
geon-Major G. Barnard,
from 7th May to 9th Sep
-
tember; Surgeon F. W.
Wright, M. B., from the
10th September to 25th
November. Surgeon-
Major F. Odevaine took
over the medical charge
on the 26th of November,
and writes the Annual
Sanitary Report.
II. Location and move
-ments.— The regiment remain
-
ed at Morar till the 20th of last October, when it marched to Allahabad, arriving at the
latter station on the 23rd of November, and taking up the lines previously occupied by the
33rd Regiment Native Infantry.
There have been no detachments during the year.
III. Topography.— The l i nes and offi cers quart ers at present occupi ed by t he regi ment at
Allahabad and recently vacated by the 33rd Native Infantry, occupy a piece of ground said to be
somewhat more elevated than other parts of the station. The Ganges, not more than a quarter
of a mile distant, forms the northern boundary; to the east there is a deep nullah, an open plain
with mango trees, and further on a low piece of ground, which becomes inundated during the
rainy season. At about a quarter of a mile to the south are situated the European Infantry
barracks, between which and a part of the regimental lines there exists a large piece of low-
lying land under cultivation, and which must become water-logged during the rainy season.
To the west of the lines we come upon the parade ground and uneven land. Here are situated
the latrines, which it would have been preferable to have had on the eastern side of the men's
quarters, were it not that the rough state of the ground in this situation and other causes
would make the change of site undesirable.
V. Lines, barracks or huts.—T h em
e n o c c u p i e d t w e n t y - f o u r t i l e d h u t s , t h e w a l l s b e i n g
made of sun-burnt bricks. Each hut is 72 ' 8" long, and 20 ' broad, and is constructed for
the accommodation of twenty-nine men, allowing each 49' of superficial space. The cubic
capacity of each hut is 20,160 feet, thus giving upwards of 695 cubic feet breathing space to
each man. Practically, there is more space than this, as the married men, when not on duty,
sleep at their homes in the, married quarters. Free ventilation takes places under the tiles, and
there are six door-ways 7' × 4', besides several smaller openings to each hut, which is also pro-
vided with a verandah 4' 6" broad along its whole length on either side.
Year.
Station.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions.
Deaths.
Daily sick.
1869
Lncknow, Feb. 1867,
from Barrackpore . . .
28.9
. 2
1 .
1870
Ditto ditto . . .
80.3
. 5
2.1
1871
Morar, Nov. 1870 . . .
304.3
. 8
10.2
1872
Ditto ditto . . .
234.8
1.6
7.2
1873
Ditto ditto . . .
162.2
. 8
6.1
Average . . .
. . .
162.1
.78
5.3
1874
Allahabad, Nov. 1874
128.5
1.44
2.79