Blistered feet
Principal
causes of
mortality.
Epidemics.
Vaccination
Recommenda-
tions.
Special observ
ations, &c.
Prevention of
chest diseases.
Medical
officer.
Location and
movements.
Sanitary
circumstances.
Duty and
employment.
PUNJAB FRONTIER FORCE.
183
more or less slow of cure. The free application of potassa fusa, followed by carbolic dressing,
was found to be the best treatment. The cases of blisters of feet far exceed those of last year.
This is in a great measure due to the increased duties which were thrown on the men.
XVII. Principal causes of mortality.— There were seven deaths in hospital and four
out of hospital; the causes of the deaths in the former cases were, one from bronchitis ; one from
ague ; one from simple continued fever ; one from small-pox ; one from congestion of the spleen ;
one from apoplexy; one from pneumonia. Two men of the four who died out of hospital
were on furlough. Of the other two, one sepoy, Multana, had been sent to his home on
four months' sick leave on account of debility; the other, Subadar Chartoo, had also been
sent to his home on four months' sick leave on account of chronic bronchitis.
XVIII. Epidemics.— Two cases of small-pox were admitted, one a mild case of varicelloid
in April, the other a case of semi-confluent small-pox, was admitted on the 31 st of May, and
terminated fatally on the 7th of June.
XIX. Vaccination.—There were no cases of vaccination; all the recruits had shown signs
of having had small-pox, or having undergone noculation.
XX. Recommendations.— Everything has been so satisfactory, that it was not found neces-
sary to make any recommendations of importance ; the recommendations which were made
about minor details received full consideration from the commanding officer.
XX. Special observations, &c.— The health of the regiment during the year has been
so very good, that it calls for little in the way of special remarks. I cannot help attributing
the decrease in the number of cases of pneumonia to the increased protection afforded to the
chest in wet and cold weather by the new overcoat (alluded to under para. X). Since its issue
only one case of pneumonia has occurred, and that was in the person of an old debilitated sepoy,
who had not done duty for months, and who was only kept in the regiment to await his
discharge by the annual invaliding committee. In the physique of the recruits there is a
marked improvement—a result due to the recent allowance for the purchase of a kit.
This has induced many who had hitherto held aloof to seek enlistment. The number examined
during the year was 72 ; of these, 54 were approved and 18 rejected. By caste the
approved recruits were
—
Pathans 12, Dogras 15, Sikhs 17, Punjabi Mussulmans 9, Hindustani Mussulman 1.
Their average height was 5 feet 7 inches; their average chest measurement, 34½ 0/7 inches.
Recruits.
6th Regiment, Punjab Infantry—Edmardesabad.
— S u r g e o n J . T . B . B o o k e y h e l d c h a r g e o f t h e r e g i m e n t
throughout the year.
II. Location and movements.
—Head-quarters remained at Ed-
wardesabad from the 1st of Janu-
ary till 28th February. On this
date the regiment went into camp
for field-firing, returning to can-
tonments on 16th March. There
were no further movements till
August, when a wing was ordered
on service to the Kohat district.
It marched from Bunnoo on the
25th, and at the termination of
the year was engaged in the opera-
tions against the Jowaki Afridis.
Detachments were supplied to
Zam, Sheik Budin, Jani Kheyl,
Edwardesabad and Bahadur
Kheyl.
The sanitary circumstances in cantonments appear to have been as previ-
ously reported. The men feed well, and are reported to be in good physique.
XI. Duty and employment.—Till the regiment marched on service in August, the duties
were those usually performed by the men ; but during the march to Kohat, and in the subsequent
operations, the duty was excessive. The marches were long, and the heat so great, that they
were obliged to.be performed at night. On the 30th of August the men were 26 hours under
arms and marched 40 miles. But few men fell out. I have no doubt, however, that the large
number of sick left in the Kohat hospital after this affair, and many of the deaths which also
occurred, were due to the hardships which the men endured on this occasion. During the blockade
and expedition of the 9th of November, the weather was cold and wet. The men suffered
from exposure. Nights in bed 5.21.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1872
. Dora Ismail Khan, Feb-
174
1.6
3.4
ruary 1872 .
.
.
1873
.
Ditto
.
151.5
1.6
6.5
1874
.
Ditto
.
159.8
1.6
5.4
1875
. Edwardesabad, 3rd Feb.
151.26
1.8
5.16
1876
.
Ditto
.
.
119.45
2.8
3.41
Average
.
.
151.20
1.88
4.77
1877
.
Edwardesabad .
.
120.08
3.13
3.83