Deaths.
Epidemic.
Inspection.
114
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Sanitary
circumstances.
Employment
on famine
duty.
Hospital.
The sanitary circumstances of the regiment while stationed at Umballa
remained as represented in the previous report. A new bazar has been built fur
-ther from the lines than the old one, and is said to be a great improvement on
it. The men feed well and are robust. They suffered much from ulcers on
their feet while employed on famine duty, owing to their boots getting wet and
subsequently hard. This has been somewhat remedied by having grease applied
to them. The duties in Tirhoot consisted of road or bridge-making and overseeing
coolies. The head-quarters remained at Durbungah, and detachments were
distributed over the famine tracts. These were gradually recalled as the rains
set in.
The hospital is in good repair, and the men provide themselves with suffici
-ent clothing and bedding.
Sickness,
mortality and
invaliding.
XV. Sickness mortality and invaliding —Strength of the regiment—present, 535.25
absent, 144.4; total,
679.6.
Prevalent
deseases.
. . .
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL OF
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-
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 Umballa . . .
1st Jan . . . 3rd Mar.
491.35
766
7
22.43 156.
1.42
4.5
18th Oct.. 31st Dec.
" " Durbungah 6th Mar.
15th Oct.
Detachment at Tirhoot . . . 6th Mar . . . 30th April . . . 235.
73
. . . 10.1
202.7
. . .
4.3
" " "
. . . 7th Mar. . . . 12th June . . . 200.
25
. . .
2.5
46.5
. . .
1.2
" " Umballa . . . 6th Mar. . . . 18th Oct . . .
60.9
82
3
4.9
216.1 13.2
8.
TOTAL . . . . . .
. . .
535.2
946
10
39.93 176.7
1.8
7.4
Number of deaths in hospital, 10; out of hospital, 3; total, 13; per cent. of total strength . . .
1.9
" invalided, 55; " " " . . .
8.1
" sent on sick leave, 8; " " " . . .
1.2
" days spent in hospital, 9,748; per admission, 10.3; " " " . . .
14.3
" " on sick leave, 1,440; per man, 18.0; " " " . . .
2.1
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength . . .
16.4
The diseases from which the men principally suffered were ague (275 cases)
caused by the damp weather; bowel complaints (63 cases) of similar origin;
ulcers (105 cases) due to the hard boots; contusions, wounds, and sprains
(87 cases) incurred during employment in famine work; and venereal diseases
(54 cases) contracted while they were scattered over the district of Tirhoot.
Ten deaths took place caused by general debility (3 cases), bowel com
-plaints (3 cases), fever 2 cases), small-pox (1 case), snake bite (1 case).
No epidemic disease prevailed; all the children born during the year were
vaccinated.
Mr. Tresidder made a thorough inspection of this regiment on the 22nd
of February. Sanitary and medical arrangements were satisfactory. He
remarks:—"The men are mostly old, as this regiment was raised hastily in the
mutiny; but they are well nourished and generally in good health, though of
late their duties have been very heavy. On the whole, the general appearance
of the men is good, and their physique excellent."
Station staff
hospital.
Lock-hospital.
The Station staff-hospital was inspected on the 8th of March. The build
- i n g f o r m e r l y u s e d h a s b e e n m a d e o v e r t o t h e g a r r i s o n s c h o o l , a n d a b u n g a l o w
temporarily hired. This building is not considered very suitable, but plans and
estimates have been drawn out for a new station staff hospital which is also
to include a dispensary, and the cantonment committee have consented to pay
half the cost of the building. A daily .average of 3 in-door and 72 out-door
patients were treated during the year. The Deputy Surgeon-General found
the hospital arrangements satisfactory, and is of opinion "that the hospital
does good service, and when a good charitable dispensary is attached to it,
it will do more good."
Mr. Tresidder inspected the lock-hospital on the 8th of March. It was in
good order. There were 102.98 women on the register during the year, among