Drainage of
lines.
Conservancy
and latrines.
Defects of
trench sys
-tem.
Supplies.
Clothing.
Duties.
Amusements.
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Litter.
Water-supply.
To find what was the average cubic space for each man when in his hut, a hut belonging
to each set of lines was measured with the following result, viz. :—
1. The men in the serai have about 537.46 cubic feet of space each man.
2. The men immediately outside the serai about 489.71 cubic feet of space each man.
3. The men in the third set of huts about 633.93 cubic feet of space each man.
The cubic space mentioned is the cubic space supposing the hut to be empty : nothing has
been subtracted for charpoys, clothes, accoutrements, &c. The sowars say that their syces sleep
in their huts in cold or rainy weather; now there is generally one syce to every two, sowars,
so that in cold or rainy weather the cubic space for each man would be still less.
VII.—Drainage lines .—The drainage of the lines is good in all seasons. There is a
natural slope towards the river. Shallow water-courses lead into deeper ones and these pour
their water into nullahs, which conduct it into the Ganges.
VIII.— Conservancy and latrines .—The trench system, with screens over trenches, is in
force. The trench is about 10 feet long 18 inches deep and 1 foot wide; a fresh trench is dug
every other day, the old one is filled up, and the screen is wheeled over the new one.
The trenches are certainly not universally used. It is not yet a popular system. It is
very difficult to keep the purdahs in proper repair. They are worn by the weather, or stolen,
or both ; therefore privacy is not secured. Owing also to the early habit, nearly universal
among the natives, the latrine accommodation at the particular time it is required is not
nearly enough.
The sweepers attached to the latrine ground say that a model trench-screen made of
corrugated sheet iron, that was sent for trial, is much preferred by the men, because it gives
more privacy and by its solidity is not easily shaken by the wind. The mehters complain,
however, that it is heavy and that additional aid is necessary to move it about.
The litter from the horses in the lines is partly carted away by zemindars, who give, I am
told, 1 rupee for 4 ghari loads of it, or it is thrown into excavations existing in the lines
(outside the serai) and there burnt. The litter is removed morning and evening. In the rainy
season no litter is thrown into the excavations.
IX.—Water-supply .—The water-supply is entirely obtained from wells. In all the wells
the distance from the surface of the ground to the level of the water is between 40 and
50 feet. The water is good and ample.
For bathing purposes both well and river water is used. Clothes are only washed in the
Ganges. The horses drink well water but are washed in the Ganges.
The bazar supplies have been generally abundant and of good quality.
The clothing is suitable to the season and the duties of the men.
The duties have not been excessive.
The men amuse themselves with nezabazee, &c. &c.
Hospital.
Sickness, mor-
tality, anti in-
validing.
X1V. Hos pi t al. — T h e
h o s p i t a l i s a
p u c c a
b u i l d i n g , w i t h a t h a t c h e d r i d g e r o o f a n d
verandah. It has accommodation for 16 patients inside, but, if there are many sick, 9 more
can be accommodated in the verandahs. In addition, two more could be accommodated in
private wards, but on account of scarcity of quarters, one of these wards is inhabited by a
hospital assistant, and the other by a medical pupil and the compounder.
The hospital latrine, a pucca building, is not liked by the men, because there is not
enough of privacy; but this matter is to be attended to. The latrine is managed on the
dry-earth principle.
XV.—Sickness, mortality, and invaliding .—Strength of the regiment—present 371.76 ;
absent 79.2; total 450.96.
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 PER
ANNUM.
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 Allahabad . . . 1st January 74 . . . 31st December 74
247.66
337
1
11.5
136.07
. 4 0 4.64
Detachment at Barrackpore . . .
" " . . .
" " . . .
124.1
230
1
9.03
185.33
. 8 0 7.27
TOTAL . . .
. . .
. . .
371.76
567
2
20.53
152.51
.53
5.52
Number of deaths in hospital, 2; out of hospital, 0; total, 2; per cent. of total strength . . . .44
"
invalided, 28 ; " . . . 6.21
sent on sick leave, 10;
"
".
.
. 2.21
"
of days spent in hospital, 7,516; per admission, 13.25 ; per man "
. . . 16.66
" o f
d a y s s p e n t
o n s i c kl
e a v e ,1
, 8 2 4 ;
p e r m a n ,
1 8 2 . 4 " " . . . 4. 04
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength . . . 20. 70