The "Blucher"
boot.
The ammuni-
tion boot.
Exercise and
amusements.
Hospital
accommoda
-tion.
Sanitation.
Bath-room.
Latrine.
Special ward.
Sickness,
mortality and invaliding
65
CENTRAL INDIA.
(just where the edge of the boot comes) are thereby induced. It is difficult ,to avoid this in
men previously unaccustomed to a boot of any kind, and I am about to recommend the substitu
- t i o n o f a s h o e . T h e " B l u c h e r " b o o t o f h a r d n a t i v e l e a t h e ri
s
a s u n c o m f o r t a b l e a f o r m o f
foot covering as could possibly be devised ; and scarcely a single regimental medical officer will
be found to speak favorably of it. If socks were worn it might do, but they are quite
beyond the means of a sepoy on Rs. 5, 6, and 7 per month. The European ammunition boot
has been very much liked by the few corps to which it has ever been served out, the 8th
Bombay Native Infantry among the number ; and for regimental duty alone it will last
an indefinite time, perhaps three years, but the price, Rs. 5-8 to Rs. 6, will always be found
prohibitive.
XI. Duty and Employment. Ordinary.—The ordinary duties are in most respects much
the same as those of any other infantry regiment, namely, the usual guards over two stations,
Kherwarra and Kotrah; two standing detachments at Oodeypore and Banswarrah of 60 and
21 men, respectively ; very much more than the usual escorts, as the roads are not safe
and all stores for officers and men, besides treasure, require an escort from Agra or Ahmedabad
as the case may be ; the usual parades and exercises, two parades a day during the cold season,
at which period also two strong escorts are usually out with the commandant and 2nd-in--
command in their political capacity.
Ordinary duty
Emergent.—The emergent duties are, and have been for some years past, very heavy and
are becoming more so year by year as the corps is made by degrees to perform all the police
duties,* not only of the large district which I have noted to be under the political sway of
its commandant, but even beyond its limits, as has been the case during the year under report.
The corps has been so remarkably healthy during 1874 that these duties, though at times,
as I shall show, very hard, have had no appreciable effect on the health of these men.
Number of nights in bed for the year, 4.20.
Emergent
duties.
XII. Exercise and Amusements .—As may be gathered from paragraph XI foregoing,
there has not been much time on their hands for amusements ! Nearly every Bheel in the
corps belongs to some Pal (village) from five, to ten or fifteen miles off ; and when not
wanted for duty, each is occasionally permitted on the eve of the two regimental holidays
(Thursday and Sunday) to go off to his home until the morning after ; when he may be seen
coming in at a swinging trot of near five miles an hour to be present at parade. They can
sustain this pace for several hours together, and are as good runners and walkers for the long
distances as can be found in any country.
XIV . Hospital .—A tiled mud building (or rather of sun-dried bricks, an improve
-ment upon mud), 90 feet in length by 43 in breadth s including the two verandahs, con
-tains 18,152 cubic feet—quite sufficient space for the usual number of sick without fear of
overcrowding. It consists of a main ward 71 feet, 20 inside Measurement, with plenty of venti
-lation. In fact, it is rather too cold for appreciation by natives of India who are accustom
-ed to a minimum amount of fresh air in their own confined little dwellings in the cold season.
There is no means of warming it. Situate on rising ground about eighty yards south-west
of the lines, it is well drained and the sanitation good. It possesses no surgery and
a confined little dispensary. There is also a corner of one verandah which has been
enclosed for bathing purposes, for which it is very convenient. A masonry latrine is close
at hand, and ten yards to the south are small and indifferent quarters for the two hospital
subordinates ; also sufficient quarters for the usual establishment of servants, including four
dooly bearers. I omitted to notice the existence of a small corner room which will just
contain four beds, and is useful for any severe case which may require isolation and quiet.
The hospital is in good repair.
XV-. Sickness, Mortality and Invaliding .—Strength of the corps.—present, 473.52 ; absent,
233.16 ; total, 706 68.
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength.
T O T A L N U MB E R 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 PER
ANNUM.
From
To
Admis-
sions.
D e a t h s .
Admis-
sions.
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 Kherwar-
rah.
1st January
1874.
31stDecember
1874.
299.21
204
4
11 7 68.18 1.33
3.76
Detachment at Kotrah . . . Ditto . . . Ditto . . .
114.48
200
2
6.84 174.70 1.74
5.94
Detachment at Oodeypore . . . Ditto . . . Ditto . . .
59.83
3 3
1
1.46
55.15 1.67
2.44
Total . . .
. . .
. . .
473.52
437
7
19.57
92.28 1.47
4.13
Nuumber of deaths in hospital,
7; out of hospital, 4, total, 11 ; per cent. of total strength . . . 1.55
" Invalided, none " " . . . none
" s e n t o n s i c k l e a v e , n o n e " " . . . none
" o f d a y s s p e n t i n h o s p i t a l , 7 , 1 5 0 ; p e r a d m i s s i o n , 1 6 . 3 6 p e r m a n " " . . .
10.11
T o t a l t e m p o r a r y l o s s o f s e r v i c e , p e r m a n . . .
1 0 . 1 1
* Or duties analagous to those of a Punjab Frontier Regiment over three times the ground.
R