121

NORTHERN DIVISION OF THE ARMY.

Vaccination.

       54. Vaccination has been successfully effected throughout the
year.

Cholera.

       55. No cholera in regiment or cantonment during the last
three years; last epidemic in 1869, when fifteen of the civil popula-
tion died of the disease.

       56. No European officer obtained sick leave during 1872.

H. M.'S 24TH REGIMENT N.I.

DEESA.—In Medical Charge of Surgeon P. W. COCKELL; Strength 619.

       From the foregoing it may be concluded that the first half of the year was the most
healthy, and the sickness began with the rainfall. For the month of June only, 10 were
daily in hospital—two inches of rain only fell; but the rainfall next month was 11 inches, and
the temperature decreased 10 degrees, the minimum being 20 degrees below that of the
month before. This month also—July—the daily average of sick increased threefold, showing,
I think, that there is some cause for disease appearing in the rains.

       In September the average daily sick was 53—two-thirds less than in the previous month
—but that in October, when the difference in temperature ranged 30 degrees between the morn-
ings and afternoons, the average daily sick again increased to 162, the highest average for the
year. At that time not only the hospital but 13 doubled poled tents were full of fever
cases, beside line sick and women and children in the lines. In fact, this second attack of fever,
coming so closely upon the dengue, has weakened the regiment so much, that I consider nothing
but removal to a more bracing climate, near the seashore, will render it efficient, as the
usual sequelæ of these diseases are now making their appearances, namely, chest affections (bron-
chitis and pneumonia). The number of daily sick has been decreasing the last two months to
85 in November and 34 in December, the present month. The number invalided during the
year 29, gone on sick leave 24; 12 men died, and one European officer in Deesa, and four men
on sick-leave and furlough.

       The lines of the 24th Native N. I. are in the same condition as last reported.

       The water-supply of Deesa is known to be good, although I have had no opportunity of
testing it; but the absence of cholera and typhoid fever from the station is a pretty good natu-
ral test. For though, I believe, the origin of cholera is in the impregnated air, yet bad water
would certainly increase it. The soil of Deesa is favourable, being sandy and of that description
known to geologists as green sand. It forms a capital natural filter. We are about to intro-
duce the Dry-earth system into the native hospitals, and I shall be able to report upon it next
quarter.

       The 24th Hospital has been lately enlarged to accommodate 50 beds; and new first class
servants' quarters and partly second class ones built. These quarters, however, are built

       31 S