Invaliding.
Principal
causes of
mortality.
68
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Principal
causes of
sickness.
Epidemics.
Vaccination.
Inspection.
XVI. Principal causes of sichness.— Out of 392 cases admitted during the year, there
were of malarious fever 143 or 36 per cent.; guinea-worm, 46; injuries (all slight), 36, including
17 of blister of feet; conjunctivitis, 31; diseases of the respiratory system, 29, including 20 of
pneumonia; mumps, 27; abscess, ulcers, and boils, 21; diarrhœa and dysentery, 13.
The amount of fever was much under the average but the large number of cases of
guinea-worm from their tedious nature added greatly to the temporary loss of service.
Invaliding.— Ten men were invalided during the year on account of old age and general
debility.
XVII.
Principal causes of mortality.— Of 4 d e a t h s i n h o s p i t a l , 3 w e r e f r o m p n e u m o n i a ,
and 1 from remittent fever. Of 3 out of hospital, 2 occurred in the regimental lines—one
of those was shown by a post-mortem examination to be due to emphysema and extreme
congestion of the lungs; and the other was from a gun-shot wound, suicidal, instantly faral.
The third case occurred in one of the detachments, and was said to have been caused by diarrhœa.
Epidemics.— There was a slight epidemic of mumps at the beginning of the year.
No ease of small-pox occurred amongst the men, but there were 5 cases amongst children.
• Though a few cases of cholera occurred in some of the towns and villages in the Bheel
station during November and December, none were reported nearer than the city of Dhar, which
is about 23 miles from Sirdarpore.
Vaccination.— During the year the number of children of fighting men vaccinated
was 90, of which 87 or 96.6 per cent. were known to be successful. The children of camp-
followers and of the general population of the station were likewise vaccinated.
Inspection.— Deputy Surgeon-General A. Christison, M.D., visited the
station in course of his inspection tour on the 14th of December 1877. The
regiment was healthy; there were only 6 sick in hospital. The sanitary state
of the lines was satisfactory. The hospital was in excellent order, and all the
medical and sanitary duties appertaining to the charge carefully carried out.
Bhopal Battalion—Schore.
Medical
officers.
Location and
movements.
Metcorology
Rainfa1l and crops.
I. Medical officers.— The head-Quarters of the corps have been under
the medical charge of Sur-
geon-Major W. E. Allen,
from the 1st of January to the
6th of March; and from the
7th idem, to the end of the
year Surgeon F. Odevaine
held medical charge, and
writes the present report.
II. location and movements.—
The head-quarters remained at
Sehore throughout the year. A
detachment averaging 56.47, and
relieved every three months, has
been stationed at Indore during
1877. From the 5th of January
to the 2nd March, an escort aver-
aging 83.62, accompanied the Agent, Governor General's camp, and from the 30th of Novem-
ber another escort of 3C men was detailed for the same duty and remains still absent. The
detachment from the camp at Delhi was en route to head-quarters from the 1st of January to
the 23rd of February.
Meteorology.—The most notable features under this heading have been the unusual
and excessive rainfall during January and February last, and the small amount which fell during
the ordinary period from June to September inclusive; the total fall being less than half of that
of the previous year. Owing, however, to the rain having come at opportune intervals, the
crops, though twice in considerable danger of perishing from drought, have turned out very
well. In the table given below the thermometrical readings and rainfall are contrasted with
those for 1876:
Monthly appro-
ximate mean.
J a n u a r y .
F e b r u a r y .
M a r c h .
A p r i l .
M a y .
J u n e .
J u l y .
A u g u s t . S e p t e m b e r .
O c t o b e r .
N o v e m b e r .
D e c e m b e r .
T O T A L
RAINFALL.
I n c h e s .
T e n t h s .
1876
61
64
65
84
93
8 0
78
76
75
71
65
60
62
3
1877
60
62
73
81
88
89
8 1
80
81
75
70
66
30
3
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1872
Sehore
132.6
2.08
3.8
1873
Ditto
62.7
2.43
1.88
1874
Ditto
60.1
.43
1.44
1875
Ditto
61.02
1.90
1.30
1876
Ditto
59.02
1.18
1.33
Average
75.09
1.60
1.95
1877
Sehore
117.58 .85
2.08