110
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Vaccination.
Recruits.
Comparative
healthiness of
different
castes.
Inspection.
Lock-hospital.
XIX. Vaccination.—All the older sepoys are protected either by having been vaccinated,
or by having had small pox. The recruits who joined during the year were examined and,
without exception, all were found to have had small pox. All the children of the sepoys and
camp followers in the lines were vaccinated successfully.
Recruits.—The recruits who joined during the year were a very inferior class of men to
those who used to be obtained from the Punjab. A larger number than usual had to be dis-
charged for physical unfitness by the commanding officer. The chief reasons of the difficulty
in getting good recruits probably were that last year was a highly prosperous one in the Punjab.
The regiment is not likely to return to the Punjab for some years, and a good class of men who
are well off at home do not care to enlist into a regiment which will not be stationed near
their homes for some years.
Regarding the healthiness of the several castes in the regiment, Mr. Gal-
loway remarks :—
My general impression is that the Dograh is the most unhealthy, and the Punjabi Mussal-
man the most hardy of the three. The Dograh, as a rule, or at least such as we get, is a small,
badly developed man with small chest. The Punjabi Mussalman, although not better developed
than the Sikhs, generally feeds himself better.
Dr. Cannon inspected this wing on the 21st of March and 23rd Novem-
ber. He noticed the want of a dead-house and quarters for the hospital
assistants and native medical pupils, and moved the authorities to provide
them. The regiment was healthy and arrangements for the treatment of sick
satisfactory.
Dr. Cannon visited the lock-hospital on the 23rd of November and remarks
—
" There were only three mild cases of syphilis under treatment out of a
strength of 69 prostitutes on the register. Dr. Collison informed me that there
has not been a single case of Hunterian chancre during the current year, and
secondary syphilis is almost unknown.
The European troops at this station have been singularly free from disease.
In the detachment of Her Majesty's 5th Fusiliers only one man has been
admitted during the month of November, and that from gonorrhœa. In fact,
the success which has attended in lock-hospital arrangements at this station is
well worthy of notice."
The hospital dhai has been found of great service in detecting both prosti-
tutes and disease.
LEFT WING.
Location
The civil surgeon of Shahjahanpur, by whom the sanitary report is written,
was in charge for the entire year.
Two companies of this wing marched with the Lieutenant-Governor's camp
to Cawnpore and back. With this exception the wing was stationary for the year.
Huts.
Drainage.
Latrines.
Water-supply.
The huts in the lines were in bad repair, and were insufficiently ventilated.
The drainage is reported as not being as good as in former years in conse-
quence of the railroad passing through the station. The sepoys are said not to
use the latrines, but to frequent adjacent fields instead. The water-supply is
good and abundant.
Bazar.
Boots.
Duty.
Hospital.
Prevalent
diseases.
Epidemics.
The regimental bazar has been well supplied with all the ordinary grains
and vegetables. There were not any cases of decided underfeeding amongst
the sepoys. The ammunition boots are reported as objectionable from causing
ulcers on the feet. The number of nights in bed 4.88.
XIV. Hospital.—The hospital is large, well ventilated, and in good repair. There are not
any quarters for hospital assistant or for medical pupils.
XVI. Principal causes of sickness.—Ague, abscess, syphilis, ulcers, blisters of the feet
and dysentery were the chief causes of sickness.
XVII. .Epidemies—No epidemic occurred.
Inspection.
Defects.
This wing was inspected by Dr. Cannon on the 3rd of November. The
sick were without rezzais or bed-sheets. A dead-house and quarters for hos-
pital assistants and native medical pupils were wanting. Steps were taken to
supply the want. On visiting the lines, the huts were found to be devoid of
ventilation, and in urgent need-of re-thatching. These matters were brought to
notice The wing was healthy, and. sick properly attended to.