42

MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF MADRAS.

thoroughly saturated with the excreta, and when the wind blows from this quarter a most
offensive effluvia is carried to the lines. The dry-earth system is carried out as far as possible,
but till the new latrines which were sanctioned two years ago are built, the present unsatis-
factory state of things will exist.

Water-supply

     Water-supply. —The drinking water is of good quality.

Sanitary
arrangements.

     Sanitary arrangements satisfactory.

Diet.

     Diet. —During the early part of the year provisions were cheap and plentiful; but owing
to the total failure of the north-east monsoon there were no new crops, and rice, cholum, &c.,
all rapidly rose in the end of the year to famine-prices. In the month of January rice could be
purchased at 12 maunds per rupee, whereas in December it was selling at 5 measures per rupee.
Owing to the want of water vegetables were scarce and dear. The sepoys received compensa-
tion on account of the dearness of provisions. The men are but poorly nourished, and in several
instances are only able to obtain one poor meal a day, and under these circumstances the diet
cannot be said to be sufficiently nutritive to preserve health.

Foot soreness.

     Foot soreness. —The boots are defective both in construction and material, and till these are
remedied and socks worn, the men will suffer from shoe-bites, especially if sent on active service.

Vaccination.

     Vaccination. —There were 142 individuals vaccinated during the year.

Epidemic.

     Epidemic. —During the greater part of the year cholera and small-pox were raging in the
cantonment and surrounding districts, but there was only one admission from the former and
two from the latter disease.

Hospital
ventilation.

     Hospital ventilation fair. Tents had to be applied for in December to accommodate the
increasing number of sick, and the Apothecary’s quarters near the hospital (unoccupied) were
placed at our disposal.

Hospital
drainage.

     Hospital drainage satisfactory. The dry-earth system of conservancy is efficiently carried
out in the hospital latrine.

Hospital
water-supply.

     Hospital water-supply sufficient and of good quality.

General
conclusions.

     General conclusions. —During the first seven months of the year under review the regiment
enjoyed excellent health, but owing to the want of proper and sufficient food, consequent on the
high price of rice, sickness increased from the beginning of August and continued up to date.
As the Madras sepoy has several depending on him for support, he suffered unusually this year
from the famine, which was general throughout Southern India, and not unfrequently himself
and family had to sustain life on one meagre meal a day.

     Deputy Surgeon-General J. Wilson inspected this corps on the 9th December
1876 and reports as follows:—

Sanitary
condition
of lines as to
cleanliness,
ventilation,
&c.

     Sanitary condition of lines as to cleanliness, ventilation, &c. —The lines are very well built
and remarkably clean, the drainage being generally very good. Average number of inmates
in each sepoy’s hut is 3.92.

Sanitary
condition of
latrines, &c.

     Sanitary condition of latrines, &c. .—There are two large latrines which are kept clean.

Rations.

     Rations. —The staple food is rice, which is dear and is rising in price.

Water-supply

     Water-supply. —Water very good.

Hospital.

     Hospital. —The hospital is clean and well-ventilated by ridge ventilators. It is however
dark, and is a portion of the same building as that occupied by the 19th Regiment N. I., but
has a ridge ventilator, which the latter has not. It is built for 27 patients, but, as there are
at present 30, is a little crowded.