82

MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.

   The following return shows the rates of sickness, deaths, and invaliding, as
contrasted with previous years:—

   The following corps were serving in this division on the 31st December 1876:—

   Deputy Surgeon-General W. Williamson was in medical charge of this division
during the year and reports as follows:—

Constitution
of the force.

   Constitution of the force. —The constitution of the force at Secunderabad remains the
same as last year.

Lines.

   Lines .—No changes during the year in any of the lines occupied by the native troops.
Those in which the 3rd Light Infantry are located were reported to Government as unhealthy
from various causes, and a special report was called for and sent in to the Surgeon-General,
Madras, both from the office of the Deputy Surgeon-General, Secunderabad, and from the
Medical Officer of the 3rd Light Infantry, and are now under the consideration of His Excel-
lency the Commander-in-Chief, Madras. The conservancy of all the lines is carefully attended
to, and may be said to be on the whole good. The natural drainage in most instances
is good, with the exception of the Sapper lines and those of the 3rd Light Infantry, where it is
neutralized by the lines being built across instead of with the natural slope. The surface drainage
in all, with the exception of the 29th Native Infantry, is defective. Only shallow trenches exist
along the sides of the streets, which become silted up during the rains. This condition of things
can only be rectified by the introduction of stone or brick-and-mortar faced drains, but their
expense, I fear, will prove an obstacle to their general introduction. The latrines, public and
private, in the lines are kept clean by the daily removal (morning and evening) of all
excreta. No public latrines in the lines of the 3rd Light Infantry. Should, however, the lines
of this regiment be retained on their present site, new ones will be built and other recommend-
ations, suggested by a special committee, carried out with a view of improving their sanitary
condition; but I am not hopeful of any really beneficial results accruing from this to the health-
state of the regiment. Nothing, in my opinion, short of an abandonment of the present site
of the lines will effect any material good. The dry-earth system of conservancy is fairly
carried out both in the public and private latrines.

Hospitals.

   Hospitals. —There have been no changes in any of the hospitals: they are all in good repair
and cleanly kept. Accommodation in all ample.

Hospital
latrines.

   Hospital latrines large and roomy: the dry-earth system of conservancy is as well
carried out as it is possible to do. Coal-tar is used in all.

Guard-rooms,
cells, &c.

   Guard-rooms, cells, &c. — All clean and in good order.

Duties and
employment

   Duties and employment. —The duties and employment of the troops comprise the usual
drills, guards, parades, brigades, &c. common to all garrisons. An escort is furnished to the
Resident, which is relieved weekly. There is no reason to think that these duties have had
any injurious influence on health.

Drainage and
conservancy.

   Drainage and conservancy. —The drainage and conservancy of the station are attended
to by the Assistant Quartermaster-General and Cantonment Committee. Drainage is for the
most part naturally good. No small difficulty is experienced in keeping the public latrines in a
satisfactory sanitary state. Complaints from time to time are made of their want of cleanliness,
but this may always be expected to be the case so long as water continues to be used by the
natives generally and the impossibility of getting them to use dry-earth after defecation. Means
however are about being taken by the Cantonment Magistrate to put matters on a better footing
in this respect.

Water-supply

   Water-supply. —On account of the scanty rainfall the water-supply in all the wells in the
regimental lines, as well as those in the cantonment, has been very deficient and may be