20

MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.

       The following officers were in medical charge during the year, and the last-
named reports as under:—

                                      Surgeon R. V. Power, B.A., M.D.

                                      Surgeon J. G. Collis, M.D.

                                      Surgeon-Major A. H. Beaman.

Climate of
the station.

       Climate of the station. —The rains failed and the year has been one more or less of drought.

Water-
supply.

       Water-supply. —A fair supply of water of good quality obtained during the year from wells
in the lines.

Diet.

       Diet. —Prices of all kinds of provisions have steadily risen during the year, and are at
present ruling very high. Sepoys have received rice-money. Owing to the high prices of
provisions the sepoys do not appear to have been able to provide their families with sufficient
food so as to maintain a fair standard of health.

Foot
soreness.

       Foot soreness. —A good deal of foot soreness amongst the men; such men are excused from
wearing boots a few days and the blisters heal.

Duty.

       Duty. —Not detrimental to the men's health; the men have two nights in bed.

Epidemic.

       Epidemic. —Up to the 26th of December no case of epidemic disease had occurred in the
regiment. Since the above-mentioned date, however, cholera has prevailed amongst the men
and their families, four cases having been treated up to December 31st.

Hospital
ventilation.

       Hospital ventilation .—Good.

Hospital
drainage.

       Hospital drainage. —Fairly good. Dry-earth system carried out in the hospital latrine.

General
conclusions.

       General conclusions. —Until the very end of the year under notice the men appear to have
enjoyed tolerably good health, but most of them to my mind present the appearance of being
under-fed. The children certainly are so.

       Deputy Surgeon-General W. J. vanSomeren, M.D., inspected this corps on the
7th July 1877, and reports as follows:—

Sanitary con-
dition of
lines.

       Sanitary condition of lines. —The lines generally are fairly clean but in serious disrepair,
the damage of the last storm still being but too manifest. The drains are defective in some
parts, the water standing where it ought not, and their masonry work requires repair. The
streets throughout are very much cut up and need re-metalling, while, in one part of them,
there was a perceptible fœtor of the atmosphere.

Conservancy.

       Conservancy. —Conservancy of the first district, in which these lines are placed, always a
difficulty, has had that difficulty greatly enhanced by the large influx of destitute and famine-
stricken poor into it. If scarcely fair at any time, it must be described as having been much
less than fair during the past year.

Hospital.

       Hospital. —The hospital is clean throughout. Its drainage still defective and the source
of considerable unpleasantness at the north-east angle of the northern ward. The latrine is
clean; coal-tar and earth are used in it. Excreta removed in municipal carts.

Principal
diseases.

       Principal diseases. —Of 457 treated 52 were cases of ague, 36 diarrhœa, 34 abscesses and
ulcers, 30 cholera, 27 wounds and accidents and as many of eye diseases, 26 of febricula, and
25 dysentery and venereal diseases respectively. Eight deaths occurred in hospital; 6 from
cholera, 1 asthma, and 1 from general debility. The maximum treated on any one day was 34
and minimum 9.

14th Regiment Native Infantry.

STATION—VELLORE.

Arrived from Rangoon on the 26th and 28th January 1874.