101
Co-operation between Military Hygiene Officers and Civil Health autho
-rities has been sought by a memorandum issued by the Central Advisory Health
Board at a meeting held in Madras. Lists of names and appointments were
circulated to indicate the corresponding officers between whom liaison should
be established. It has been chiefly left to the Military health officers to ini
-tiate any co-operation which has been achieved.
Comment is made by our hygienists that in practically all cases the
scheme is due solely to military initiative, still depends on military drive
and owes nothing to civilian energy. In Northern Command 15 fully orga
-nised co-operation committees are now in being; but the main barrier to real
progress is the unwillingness to provide money for obviously necessary schemes.
Military Medical Embarkation Officers at Madras, Bombay, Calcutta
and Karachi have been appointed to perform ex officio the duties of Port,
Health Officer in respect of all troop ships.
D. Dairies.
In the Government Military Dairies Service we have an institution which
is steadily improving, which yearly proves more and more valuable to the
Army in India and which is responsible in no small measure for the improve
-ment in health in military cantonments.
A very high standard of hygiene is maintained which contrasts well with
other uncontrolled supplies which unfortunately the power of vested interests
can still maintain in various cantonments.
In many stations all the Indian units now take their supply of milk from
the Military Dairy. British families also are becoming more sensible in this
respect though the temptation of credit and lower prices of the local gwalla
is often great.
Excellent new dairies have been completed at Lahore, Sialkot, Peshawar,
Meerut, Wana, Jubbulpore, etc., and are in building or under improvement
at other places. For stations where dairies do not exist depots provide the
supply, such as at Bareilly, Abbottabad, and Bombay, with good results.
In Southern and Eastern Command small pasteurisers are provided in a
majority of the dairies to deal only with small quantities of milk. Large
pasteurisers to deal with the whole output have not been installed. The policy
of putting such large pasteurisers is now being steadily pursued as funds be
-come available, but the cost is very high and has been more than doubled since
the onset of war. Provision will therefore be only gradual.
Other dairies.—In cantonments these vary from moderate to frightful;
but full control is difficult except when an epidemic gives a lever to exert
pressure. The ever present danger however is the local gwalla who peddles
his dirty and adulterated wares round married quarters and small messes.
A good example of the damage which can be done is quoted in paragraph 76
in relation to the milk-borne outbreak of dysentery at Cliffden near Murree.
E. Field-Hygiene and Sanitation: Training and Inspections.
Special attention has been paid to training of Officers and men in field
hygiene, particularly in Northern Command. Special training has been given
to short service officers by Deputy Assistant Directors of Hygiene of Districts.
The question of provision of training facilities in the shape of Field Hy
- g i e n e d e m o n s t r a t i o n a r e a s h a s b e e n t a k e n u p . S o m e y e a r s a g o t h e s e w e r e
established in a number of stations, but they had been allowed to lapse through
neglect and were practically useless. Arrangements have now been completed.