SOUTHERN DISTRICT.

39

       Water-supply was chiefly derived from a tank supplied from an irrigation channel.
There are also several wells in the lines, quality, on the whole, good.

Water-supply

       Sanitary arrangements .— With the exception of the defect mentioned, the sanitary
arrangements were good.

Sanitary
arrangements

       Diet .— Very dear and scarce. Vegetables scarcer than usual, but no actual dearth of them.
The dearness of provisions must have prevented the married sepoy procuring as good and
ample supply of food as in former years.

Diet.

Clothing was sufficient and adapted to the climate.

Clothing

Foot soreness .— The admissions into hospital from this cause were not numerous.

Foot soreness

       Duty .— The usual parades and mounting guard, which did not have any injurious effect
on the health of the troops.

Duty.

       The average number of nights per week the men had in bed was 3.98.

       Vaccination .—Precautions were taken to have every one in the regiment vaccinated. No
deaths from small-pox.

Vaccination.

       Epidemic .— There were 17 cases of cholera and 5 deaths. For several years this
disease has frequently broken out in the lines, the site of which, I believe, is favorable to its
growth and development. The unusually wet weather was, I suspect, the cause of the large
number (150) of admissions due to intermittent fever.

Epidemic

       Hospital ventilation was good. The hospital is too small; there was considerable and,
I believe, injurious overcrowding, especially in the month of November.

Hospital
ventilation.

       Hospital drainage .— The earth-sewage system was carried out properly. As before
mentioned some inconvenience was caused by the conservancy cart on a few occasions not
coming to remove the night-soil.

Hospital
drainage.

       General conclusions .— The health of the regiment for the year under review cannot be
considered as having been satisfactory, for the admissions into hospital show a large increase.
Ague was especially very prevalent. The sickness and mortality arising from cholera are much
to be regretted, and, in my opinion, will always occur as long as the regiment stays in these
lines.

General
conclusions.

       Eight sepoys died in hospital; out of these cholera was the cause of death in 5. One
subadar fell a victim to cholera, and another native commissioned officer of the same rank
died from heat apoplexy.

       Deputy Surgeon-General J. Wilson inspected this corps on the 25th Septem-
ber 1877 and reports as follows:—

       Sanitary condition of lines .—These lines are remarkably well built and clean. The drainage
is apparently good, as I inspected them after heavy rain and found that water did not lodge.

Sanitary
condition of
lines.

       Sanitary condition of all buildings .— The latrines are clean; there are no cess-pools or
foul drains. The dry-earth system is carried out effectually and poudrette manufactured. Coal-
tar is freely used in the latrines.

Sanitary
condition of
all buildings.

       Conservancy .—The conservancy under Municipal direction is well attended to.

Conservancy.

       Hospital .— The building is clean, with good natural drainage; well ventilated, but rather
crowded, as it is calculated only for 12 patients.

Hospital.

38th Regiment native Infantry.

STATION—TRICHINOPOLY.

Arrived from Rangoon on the 14th and 20th February 1871.