ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.

now-a-days held by every one as to these important aids to the health of congregated men.

In cooking means for the troops, improvements were effected this year at Cape Town and King William's Town; but at other stations they remained limited to the old boilers, camp-kettles, and the open fire-places.

In regard to the rations of the troops, the scale of regulated quantities remained unaltered, and quality of the articles was rarely a subject of complaint.

A properly organised system of military canteens throughout the Command continued to be very desirable. establishments exist, and the drinks otherwise obtainable are pronounced to be At few of the stations do these regulated of very inferior and deleterious quality.

Satisfaction was found with the clothing of the troops generally, and its wear was duly varied according to the season. Mounted Rifles was deemed unsuitable by the Surgeon, and his special objec The clothing of the Cape tions to it were represented to the local military authorities. The newlyestablished light clothing for the hot months had not yet been received.

The range of duties this year was of the very ordinary demand, and four or five nights a week in bed are given as the average to each soldier.

On the subject of the hospital accommodation generally, the InspectorGeneral observes that no over-crowding anywhere took place; but that at several of the stations marquees had been used on occasions in aid of the space in the permanent buildings. The long-represented want of proper hospital accommodation at the small station of Port Elizabeth was supplied by the transfer and erection there of one of the new wooden huts of the intended sanatorium at Wynberg, the preparatory works of which were given up on a decision of the authorities not to proceed with the establishment.

Adverting to the diseases during the year, Mr. Taylor represents ophthalmia as being the only one that could be called specially prevalent among the troops. Various causes for this condition were assigned by medical officers, but he was inclined to consider the affection (an extensively chronic one) to be of a landscorbutic nature, partly due to high temperature, and partly to the absence of a sufficient quantity and variety of vegetables and fruits of a fresh and succulent nature.*

Ambulance. The means of transport for sick and wounded had during the preceding year been under consideration, as a question of special supply to meet the exigencies of any future war in this colony, and in order that decision might be arrived at as to the best form and construction of an ambulance wagon designed to suit the peculiarities of frontier service, and adapted to the means of draught, and the general nature of the roads. eventually submitted to a Committee, assembled at King William's Town, for The question was report, when, after giving the subject the best consideration, the members recommended the adoption of the following propositions, in submitting their proceedings:

"That fittings be supplied, which could be fixed to the common wagons of "the country, to enable each to carry from four to eight men, according to the nature of their cases, the method being as follows:-Behind the fore-chest "(driver's seat) a seat to be suspended on springs across the wagon, and to be "divided into two compartments, similar to those of a first-class railway carriage, "with a foot-rest attached, supported on spiral springs; the seat and foot-rest to be connected by pieces of wood fixed together with elastic bands; behind "this, one or two cots to be suspended longitudinally, each to hold one man ; the "cot to be constructed of light wrought-iron, made as portable as possible, and "to be adapted for carrying wounded from the field, and to be placed and fixed "in the wagon without moving the man from it; the cot being suspended in "the wagon on C springs, and the lateral motion prevented by attaching spiral

66

*The scarcity and dearth of vegetables at many of the frontier stations induced Mr. Taylor to propose to the Military Authorities that their provision should be obtained by a Commissariat contract, and his recommendation was urged for favourable consideration by the Home Authorities, who have decided upon rations of preserved vegetables being supplied to the troops at those posts, according to necessities.

"either to the cot or to the side of the wagon, whichever may be found advis"able. A seat, similar to the one just mentioned, to be suspended at the back "of the wagon; the whole of the fittings to be constructed so as to be easily re"moved, as well as to be adapted to any circumstances; the cots to be supplied "with a good hair or coir mattress and pillow, and with a covering attached to "the pole to shelter the occupants from sun or rain; two air pillows, that can "be inflated at will, should also be kept with each wagon.

"The Board is, however, of opinion that the practicability of this proposi"tion should be tested, by one wagon being fitted up, the cost of which, it is "believed, would not exceed 207.

"The quantity of ambulance conveyance must, of course, depend upon the "number of troops, and nature of the circumstances in which they are placed; "but the Board would venture to recommend that, should the proposition before "made be found the most suitable, or best adapted for the service in this country, that fittings for twelve wagons be always kept ready for use. "ARTHUR HOME, Colonel and Lieut.-Colonel

(Signed)

2nd Battalion Light Infantry, President.

"J ARMSTRONG, Colonel Cape Mounted Riflemen,
"C. PORTGEITER, Assistant Commissariat-General,
"JOHN MOSTYN, Staff Surgeon,

"J. GRANTHAM, Captain Royal Engineers.

"King William's Town, 23rd March, 1861."

Members.

MAURITIUS.

Dr. Archibald Gordon, C.B., the Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals, pourtrays the health of the troops throughout the Command to have been, this year, highly satisfactory, indeed, to have equalled that enjoyed in any part of England, the deaths more directly ascribable to climate having been singularly few; yet the barrack accommodation is represented to be much too limited for the strength of troops, although a portion of the quarantine station had been given up by the civil government, to supplement the requirement on this score. This latter accommodation, however, it appears, cannot be depended on as a permanent one, but is subject at any time to be demanded for its more especial purpose; and this leads to Dr. Gordon's express opinion that the barrack accommodation, taking the troops at their present strength (an average of 1,921 this year), ought to be extended, a question which, he thinks, should meet with no delay, and, indeed, looking to the tropical character of the climate, in connexion with the generally inferior description of the barracks in modern sanitary estimate, the need of extension and improvement for the soldier's comfort, and greater security of health, is based on valid reason, for, in the rotation of years, one of epidemic visitation every now and then occurs, with deadly influence, to counterbalance the results of intermediate ones however healthy, comparatively, these may have been.

Adverting to the sanitary measures carried out, Dr. Gordon refers to what had been a long endured nuisance, the effluvium at the Military Hospital of Port Louis, arising from a drain leading into the sea, and which at low water was uncovered; this evil was thoroughly remedied by a sea wall having been completed over it, and which had the effect of counteracting the nuisance entirely. The hospital latrines, however, still required conversion to an improved system which had been recommended.

The Deputy Inspector-General considers the ventilation of the barracks and hospitals, generally, from their construction, to be sufficiently good; but, further, he deemed it advisable that the wooden "storm shutters" in the several barracks should be perforated, so as to obviate the evil effects arising from sleeping in the close and vitiated atmosphere of the rooms, when circumstances of weather compel to have those shutters closed.

With reference to the Military Hospital at Port Louis, finding but little prospect of the construction of a new one on a more appropriate site within

any early period, Dr. Gordon advises the addition of verandahs to the present one, to add comfort and convenience for the patients.

The means of cooking, generally, in the different barracks throughout the island, demand great improvement still, as nothing appears to have been done in course of the year to achieve variety in the preparation of the soldiers' dinners. But, on this subject, representations have since been urged, and satisfactory results may be anticipated. Meanwhile, procedure had been taken, and an estimate made for an improved kitchen apparatus to be furnished for the garrison hospital at Port Louis.

No change took place as to the quantity of the soldiers' ration, the articles composing it being pronounced as good as the island could produce. At several of the out stations, however, a scarcity of vegetables was found to prevail, and at one of them, Cannonier Point, it became requisite to issue for several months an allowance of sugar and lime juice to the men, in consequence of scurvy having shown itself amongst some of them.

The clothing of the troops was experienced to be quite suitable for the climate, with exception as to the Royal Artillery, who had not, up to the close of this year, been supplied with the appropriate light materials for the hot

season.

In regard to ablution means throughout the Command, behindhand as they may be inferred to be in regard to modern improved appliances, baths, &c., the Sanitary Report, in its general showing, represents that they may be considered sufficient upon the whole, as at most of the military posts there exists free access to the sea at all times.

As the meteorology of the island may afford a somewhat special interest, concentrated in that of the rotatory hurricanes which sweep this region of the ocean, the Table for the year is subjoined.

The observations in the following Table were made at the Civil Observatory, Port Louis, and, from it, furnished to the principal Medical Officer.

METEOROLOGICAL TABLE for the Year ending 31st December, 1861.

29 961

30 109

inches. inches. inches. inches. inches. inches. inches. inches.
29 905 29-666 29 946
29 945 29 589 29 887
30 011 29 986 30 083

30034 30 055

30 130

30 188

29 977

30056

30 112

30 116 30 110

inches. inches. inches. inches. inches.
30 189 30 199 30 115 30 020 29937 30.03
30 036

29 955 29 575 29.85

30 127

30 246

30 253

30 304

30 279

30 208

30076 30 018 30.14

29 544 29 050 29 282

29 897

29893

29 945

29 977

30 016

30 006

29 951

29 844 29 773 29.68

0.467

0.906

0.801

0.212

0 234

0.301

0.276

0.288

0.273

0.257

0.232

0.245

0.376

112 5 111.0 1060 108 5 107.0 97.0 96.0 98.0 102.0 110.0 110.0 111.0 106 0