A SKETCH

OF THE

MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BOMBAY,

FOR THE

YEAR 1872.

[ The Regiments are placed as they stood in the Army List on the 1st July 1872.)

PRESIDENCY DIVISION, ADEN, AND BOMBAY MARINE.

DETACHMENT 11TH REGIMENT NATIVE INFANTRY.

BOMBAY.—In Medical charge of Surgeon H. WAKEFIELD; Strength 158.

     Average strength of the detachment during the past year was 158.3.

     Admissions 140. Of these 122 were discharged as cured. Eleven were allowed sick
certificate. Four re-admitted for other diseases. Four were invalided. The daily average of
sick 5.9. One death during the year.

     The detachment of H. M.'s 11th Regiment Native Infantry has been under my charge
since the 26th of September, and left in November for Poona and returned in December.

     Nothing worthy of special notice has occurred. The European Officer Commanding pro-
ceeded on sick certificate. The havildar died of bronchitis; he had been thirty years in the
service, and was old and worn out. The detachment was removed from their old lines adjoin-
ing the 19th Regiment's lines on account of the unhealthy situation.

H. M.'s 19TH REGIMENT NATIVE INFANTRY.

BOMBAY.—In Medical charge of Surgeon WAKEFIELD; Strength 630.

     Average strength of the regiment during the past year was 630. Admissions 667; of
these 627 were discharged as cured, twenty-three were allowed sick certificate, six re-ad-
mitted for other diseases, twenty-five were invalided, the daily average of sick, 2.06, six
deaths during the year, the admissions were less by 206. One hundred and ninety-eight ad-
missions were on account of fever, of these four died. They were mostly men of weakly
constitution, and would not, as Purdessees, submit to any proper or strengthening diet.

     Hypodermic injection of quinine was tried very frequently; in some cases it seemed to
act most beneficially, but in others it had no marked benefit over the ordinary way of adminis-
tering quinine. Several cases remained in hospital for a long time, showing but gradual
improvement with frequent relapses, to be attributed to the impure state of the atmosphere
surrounding the hospital and neighbourhood; patients frequently suffered from diarrhœa and
vomiting, when the stench from Sonapoor drain was intense, and the wind blowing direct.

     Small-pox first showed itself in the beginning of the year, and lasted on till August.
Twenty-five cases were admitted, including women and children, two cases proved fatal. On
the appearance of this epidemic, the men were ordered under canvas, and there remained
till 11th of March. In the meantime the lines had been thoroughly cleaned; the cases were
treated in the pendals given over for that purpose. Measles and chicken-pox were also
prevalent at the same time as the above—two children of about a month old succumbed.

     Twenty-two cases of mumps contributed to the number of admissions.

     1  S