The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-16 00:00:00

Health of the Army Abroad.

The returns which have been issued from the Army Medi-
cal Department relating to the health of the army in 1862,
are not quite complete in so far as regards the European
regiments in India in that year. The general abstracts,
however, include all but one regiment, and present this very
encouraging result : —Admissions into hospital, 1,736 per
1,000 of mean strength; deaths, 25.68 per 1,000, the deaths
being nearly a third under the proportion of 1861. The
mortality in the Madras Presidency was 20.83 per 1,000;
Bombay, 24.60; and Bengal (where the majority of
the troops are quartered), 27.55, the Bengal mor-
tality of 1860 and 1861 having averaged 42.27. These
statements include the deaths of invalids on their
passage home, or while waiting their discharge in Eng-
land. There were no less than 96 cases of Euustroke, or
heat apoplexy, and 30 terminated fatally. A death from
starvation is recorded, that of a corporal of the 54th Regi-
ment, who deserted, taking with him some public money,
and wh 3, after living on berries in the woods for some time,
was found starved aryl dying. The number of invalids sent
home in the year for discharge or change of climate was
1,795, being 2817 p r 1,000 of mean strength. The return
of deaths at each age shows a much more rapidly progres •
sive increase of mortality in India with the advance of age
than is usual in temperate climates, the mortality at the
ages 35-39 being double that at the ages 20-24; the
practical bearing of these results upon the question of
the reliefs of regiments in India must be obvious. Jn 1862
the deaths from spasmodic cholera in Bengal were only a
third of the ratio of 1861, but it still remains the chief
cause of mortality in this presidency, and its fatal character
appears to have undergone no modification, the proportion
of deaths to cases having still been lin F6l. Passing now
to the European troops employed in China in 1862, we find
an average strength of 3,511, admissions into hospital 1,847
per 1,000, and deaths no less than 99.12, literally decimating

the force. This is due chiefly to the returns from North
China; in South China the ratio was 28 78. At Shanghai,
where the average strength was 1,362, the deaths were 163
per 1,000, a fearful rate of mortality, duo in nearly equal
proportions to epidemic cholera and to dysentery and
diarrhces. There was a large increase of the force there just
at the commencement of the usual sickly season, and Shang-
hai ab )unds in all the elements of unhealthiness. The army
surgeons are not sanguine of its ever proving a healthy sta-
tion for European troops. The ravages of cholera were not
confined t 3 the country round Shanghai, but extended along

ing down to Japan. It is estimated on good authority that
before Shanghai and Scon-Kiang, distant some 40 miles,
about an eighth of the Chinese population died from cho-
lera in 1862. With relation, next, to Now Zealand, we
learn that the average strength was 5,432, the admissions

into hospital only 516 per 1,000, the deaths 9.10. Mr Monet,
Deputy Inspector General of Hospitals, notices the com-
parative absence ci some diseases, as venereal and malari-
ous fever, and the entire absence of others, such as smallpox
and cholera. He considers that with improvements (much
required) in barracks, a proper check upon intern- ,
perance, and an allowance of four consecutive nights in
bed, the mortality might be reduced one half. In Aus-
tralia the average strength was 1,000, the admissions into
hospital 683, and the deaths 22. This is a considerable in-
crease in the mortality ; it occurred chiefly in tubercular
diseases, which were three times as fatal as usual. This
probably arose from the eircumstanee that when the 12th
and 40th Regiments embarked for service in New Zealand,
all the weakly and delicate men were transferred to the
wings of these corps, which were left br service in Aus-
tralia, But making every allowance for this, the number
of cases of sickness and death is still so high that it would
seem to indicate that the Australian climate is not well
suited to persons having a tendency to tubercular disease.
In Ceylon the force was below 1,000; the returns show
a considerable decrease in the admissions into hospital,
but the deaths continued above nineteen per 1,000
Here also tubercular diseases were a source of con-
siderable mortality, but were comparatively rare among the
native troops, Dr Dane, Deputy Inspector-General of
Hospitals, reports that a complete change in the construc-
tion of the buildings occupied by the European soldier will
have to be made before he can be placed in a fair position
to contend against the influence of the climate. In Mau-
ritius the deaths rose to nearly 44 per 1,000, owing to the
prevalence of epidemic cholera ; the mortality from it
amounted to lin 2.64 cases. The chief cause of the in-
validing, which was much above the average of the three
preceding years, was pulmonary disease. At the Cape of
Good Hope the average strength was 4,519, the mortality
9.73 per 1,000, just 1 per 1,000 above that of the army at
home in the same year; more than 20 men per 1,000 were
in hospital for diseases directly resulting from intemper-
ar ce. From the West Indies the mortality return from
Jamaica, 12.81 per 1,000 is favourable, but in the Windward
and Leeward command the deaths were 13.10 per 1,000,
which is considerably higher than in the previous year; the
increase was owing to an outbreak of yellow fever at Bar.
badoee. Steps have been taken for remedying various
sanitary defects in the barracks. From Canada the return is
favourable—admissions into hospital 657 per 1,000, and
deaths 8.36, and this notwithstanding that upwards of half
the troops had to travel into Canada in the depth of
winter, and that the sudden accession caused for a time a
considerable degree of overcrowding. The admission into
hospital were chit.fly from venereal disease or the conse-
quence of intemperance. The former is more prevalent in
the summer, owing to its importation by sailors on the open-
ing of the navigation. It is suggested that they be examined
by the health officer before being allowed to land. At Malta
this class of disease was reduced in the year by more than half
owing to the adoptien of a system of police surveillance of
the loose women. At Gibraltar the sickness and mortality
were lower than in the army at home, but continued fevers
were in excess of the average. They aro attributed to the
continuance of imperfect drainage, overcrowding, intemper-
ance, and exposure to the heat of the sun on the public
works. Mr Paynter, Deputy Inspector-General of Hos-
pitals, believes intemperance to have been the source of
two 'thirds of the diseases which came under treatment. In
the whole army at home and abroad in the 3 ear 1862 the
admissions into hospital amounfel to 1,165 per 1,000 of
mean strength, the deaths to 16'38, and the discharges by
invaliding to 26.13. The number constantly non-effective
by reason of sickness was nearly 60 (49.77) per 1,000, ex.
eluding Bengal, from which there is no return.