MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL.
Sir-i-Ab.
Quetta.
Hospital.
Sickness,
mortality, and
invaliding.
great terror by every one. It is not a bad place, if there is no wind, snow nor rain; but if there
is either of these, it is a fearful place. On our way across, we came on several dead camels, and
also the bones of a man. Fortunately we had a beautiful day; the thermometer at night went
down to 23°Fahr. The march to Sir-i-Ab was over the great Dasht; it is said to be only 15 miles
in the Route-book, but I should put it down as a good 19 miles. At this place we came
across water channels, which are common beyond. The water is brought from the hills by
underground channels; wells are dug about 30 yards apart, and are joined together by tunnels.
By this means water is brought from and used for irrigating purposes. Seven miles beyond
this is Quetta, at the end of the valley, with the pass to Candabar to the left, and that to Dera
Ghazi Khan to the right. The town itself is built round a large mound, on which is the
meri or fort, and the whole is surrounded by high walls. The cantonment is a little to the
east of the city, and is on the lowest piece of ground about. The old cantonments are to the
north, about one mile off, on a shingly soil, about 20 to 25 feet higher than we are.
XIV. Hospital.—No hospital has yet been built on account of the uncertainty of the
site of' the lines.
XV. Sickness, inortality, and invaliding.—Strength of the regiment
Present
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. 639.29
Absent
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
60.57
Total
.
. 699.86
STATION.
PERIOD.
Strength.
TOTAL NUMBER
OF
Daily
average
number
or sick.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH
PER ANNUM.
From
To
Admis-
sions.
Deaths.
Admis-
sions. Deaths.
Daily
averaie
sick.
Head-quarters at Jhelum
. 1st January . 9th November
560 ..31 402
4
13.76 83.66 .81 2.45
Detachment at Fort Attock . 22nd July
. 7th November
160.06
67
..
4.52 132.72 ...
2.66
Head-quarters on march to
Quetta.
9th November 31st December 665.35
118
2
15.13 122.15 2.07
2.27
Detachment at Jhelum
.
Ditto
.
Ditto
42.
2
...
2.79
32.84
...
6.64
Total
...
. . .
639.29
589
6
15.57
92.13
[ I L L ] 3
2.43
Number of deaths in hospital, 6; out of hospital, 1; total
7; per cent. of total strength .
. 1.
”
invalided
. .
.
.
.
.
.
33 ;
”
,,
•
. 4.7
”
sent on sick leave
.
.
.
.
.
.
2;
„
,, ,,.
.
.
.28
,,
of days spent in hospital, 5,693; per admission.
9.66; per man of total strength .
. . 8.13
,, ,,
on sick leave, 149; per man
.
745;
,,
,,
.
.
.24
Total temporary loss of service per man of total strength
,,
8.34
XVI.—The principal causes of sickness were
—
1875.
1876.
1877.
Fevers .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
172
841
192
.Syphilis
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
10
10
Conjunctivitis
. .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
62
47
45
Dysentery .
. .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
29
58
29
Diarrhœa
.
.
.
.
.
•
•
•
•
.
....
16
13
Blistered feet
. .
.
.
.
. .
.
.
22
21
52
Bronchial affection
.
.
.
•
. •
•
•
. . .
.32
29
Total admissions .
. .
.
.
606
1,188
589
Principal
causes of
mortality.
Epidemics.
Vaccination.
Recommenda-
tions.
The admissions for 1877 were, as seen above, less than half those of 1876, and less by a few
than those of 1875. The number of admissions for blistered feet have increased, owing to the
march from Jhelum to the Bugti Dun hills, the admissions being 27.
XVII. The principal causes of morlalily were, as usual, from pneumonia, generally as
sequel of ague.
XVIII.— Epidemics. None.
XIX.—Vaccination. None.
XX. Recommendations.—It was recommended that the in men sbould be supplied with poshteens
on account of the reports of the cold in the Bolan Pass and in Quetta: each man obtained one