STATISTICAL REPORT FOR 1861.

An examination of this Table shows that in the Presidency and Mhow Bombay. Divisions only has the mortality exceeded 16 per 1,000, or the rate which, till within the last few years, prevailed among the troops serving in the United Kingdom. The very high ratio in the Presidency Division was caused chiefly by dysentery and diarrhoea, hepatitis, and remittent fever at Colaba, and the high ratio in the Mhow Division by cholera at Nusseerabad. This disease became very prevalent and fatal among the native population of Ajmere early in July, but none of the men of a company of the 28th Regiment quartered in the About a fortnight afterwards Fort were attacked. On the 15th of July a case occurred in the head-quarters of the 28th at Nusseerabad, but recovered. cholera broke out with great severity in the 3rd Dragoon Guards at the same station, and on the 30th of July attacked the 28th Regiment. In these two corps it continued to prevail for some weeks, while a battery of Royal Artillery and the 1st Bombay Lancers escaped, and a Native Infantry Regiment in the same cantonment did not suffer till towards the end of the epidemic. No explanation has been given of this remarkable exemption enjoyed by the Artillery and Lancers, while the disease in a most virulent form prevailed in the other regiments in the same cantonment. It is also worthy of note that while at Ajmere the native population suffered severely and the troops completely escaped, the native population at Nusseerabad is stated to have been affected to a very slight extent, while the disease was so fatal to a portion of the garrison.

The sickness and mortality in the different corps serving in the Presidency are shown in the following Table :

Mhow, 12 months.

Colaba, 11 months March, 1 month; De54-37tachment at Surat.

Kurrachee, 3 months.

Belgaum, 12 months; Detachment at Rairee.
Poona.

Total Infantry

6,905

12,401

139

97

155

1,796

22.45

* The Batteries to which four of these men belonged were not stated in the Returns.

This Table shows the sickness and mortality to have been highest in the Bombay. Artillery, and the mortality to have been lowest in the Infantry. The highest ratio of deaths in any corps, however, was in the 56th Regiment quartered at Colaba with a detachment at Surat. Next to it in this respect were the 6th Battery, 13th Brigade, Royal Artillery, stationed at Neemuch, and the 28th Regiment at Nusseerabad. The mortality was lowest in the 33rd Regiment at Deesa, and next to it in the 4th Regiment, of which one wing was at Aden and the other at Kurrachee.

The Artillery at Neemuch furnished the highest ratio of admissions into hospital, two-thirds of them being caused by intermittent fever. The lowest proportion of admissions was in the Royal Artillery, at Poona, and it was very nearly as low in the battery at Aden and Kurrachee; in the latter the mortality was only half as high as at Poona.

Section II.

On the extent of Invaliding.

The following summary of Abstract No. XXV. of Appendix, shows the number India. of men sent home for discharge from the service, and for change of climate from Madras and Bombay, with the classes of diseases which occasioned their being invalided. The same information cannot be given for the Bengal Presidency, in consequence of the annual returns not having been yet received.

India.

This Table shows rheumatism to have been the disease which gave rise to the largest number of men being sent home for discharge from the service, and diseases of the digestive system, with dysentery and diarrhoea, to have been the principal causes of invaliding for change of climate.

The number finally discharged the service as invalids during the year, is shown in the following Table.

It will be observed that the number finally discharged the service was higher from all the Presidencies than in 1860. The increase, probably, has been to some extent due to advantage being taken of the reduction of the force in India, after the suppression of the Mutiny, to get rid of men who, from organic disease or health impaired by previous illness, were not likely to prove efficient soldiers. The excess from Bombay may probably have been owing also to some of the Regiments which were employed in China having returned to that Presidency.

The Table shows rheumatism and eye diseases to have been the two most frequent causes of permanent inefficiency. Pulmonary diseases, chiefly consumption, also hold a very high place, and next to these, heart affections, mental diseases, dysentery, and hepatic disease.

Section III.

Mean Daily Sick.

The average number constantly sick in the Bengal Presidency, as stated in the quarterly returns, was 3,009; in Madras, as given in the annual return,

619, and in Bombay 647. These numbers furnish the following results, to India. which, for the sake of comparison, we have annexed those of the preceding year :

The general results as to the relative number constantly sick, and the duration of the cases in each of the Presidencies, correspond with those shown in last Report. There has, however, been an increase upon the results of 1860, except in the mean sick and average sick-time to each soldier in Madras, which have been slightly below the previous average. The duration of the cases, however, has been greater there, as well as in the other two Presidencies.

Section IV.

On the Influence of Age on the Mortality.

As the returns of the ages of the troops serving in the Bengal Presidency have not been received, the mortality by ages can be stated only for Madras and Bombay. In Abstracts Nos. XXVI. and XXVII. of Appendix, the numbers living, and the deaths at each age in the regiments serving in these two Presidencies, are stated, and the following Table shows the results :

These ratios show a very great increase in the mortality at 30 years of age and upwards, a result in accordance with the observations at almost all the tropical stations where British troops are employed.