that date and the 27th, there were 40 cases admitted, of which 24 died. On Mauritius. the 9th of December, a detachment of the 2nd Battalion 5th Regiment was sent from Port Louis to the rifle camp at Petite Rivière, a mile distant from Grand River. On the 22nd, a case of spasmodic cholera occurred in this detachment; on the 23rd, another case occurred; on the 24th, two cases, and on the 25th, one. Of these five cases four died. No more cases presented themselves before the end of the year, although diarrhoea was very prevalent in the detachment. The further history of the epidemic must be given in the Report for 1862.

The medical officers are disposed to attribute the diminished amount of sickness among the troops to the influence of two hurricanes in the early part of the year. The fall of rain in February, when these occurred, amounted to 46:57 inches, the total fall during the year being 66-60 inches.

VIOLENT DEATHS.-A private of the 24th Regiment was accidentally drowned at Port Louis. There were two deaths by suicide-one, of a sapper of the Royal Engineers, who shot himself, and the other, of a private of the 24th Regiment, who, while under treatment in hospital for mania, threw himself out of the window and fractured his skull; he lived only 21 hours after the receipt of the injury.

SECTION II.

On the Extent of Invaliding.

Only two men were sent home for change of climate, one on account of chronic rheumatism, and the other of palpitation of the heart. None were sent recommended for discharge.

Eight invalids from the Mauritius were finally discharged the service during the year, being in the ratio of 4.2 per 1,000 of the strength. The causes assigned for their discharge were

The average daily sick throughout the year was 49, or in the proportion of 25.5 per 1,000 of mean strength. The following Table shows the average sick time to each soldier and the average duration of the cases, compared with the results of the two preceding years.

This Table shows a very marked reduction in the average number constantly sick, and in the average sick time to each soldier, but an increase of nearly a day in the duration of the cases.

Mauritius.

SECTION IV.

On the Influence of Age on the Mortality.

The following Table shows the strength and deaths by ages in the Royal Artillery and Engineers and in the 2nd Battalion 24th Regiment. The return furnished by the Officer Commanding the 2nd Battalion 5th Regiment was so obviously incorrect, that we have been compelled to omit it.

The numbers under observation are too small to admit of positive deductions; but they are here recorded for future use.

IX.-ON THE HEALTH OF THE TROOPS SERVING IN THE
ISLAND OF CEYLON.

Ceylon.

SECTION I.

Sickness and Mortality.

The troops employed in 1861 were, as in the preceding year, a battery of the Royal Artillery, the Service Companies of the 50th Regiment, the Ceylon Rifle Regiment, and a corps of Gun Lascars.

I. WHITE TROOPS.

The average strength of the European troops was 907 men, among whom 1,305 admissions into hospital took place, and 15 deaths, of which two were out of hospital. In addition to these, three invalids died on the passage home or at the Invalid Depôt, making a total of 18 deaths. The ratio of admissions, therefore, was 1,440, and of deaths 1985 per 1,000 of mean strength, being considerably under the proportion in 1860.

The following Table shows the admissions and deaths by the different classes of diseases. The details for 1861 will be found in Abstract No. XX. of Appendix.

This Table shows a considerable reduction both in admissions and deaths compared with the average of the two preceding years. In the deaths, it has taken place in the class of miasmatic diseases, and in the admissions, chiefly in miasmatic diseases and those of the respiratory and integumentary systems. MIASMATIC DISEASES, when subdivided as usual, furnish the following results:

This shows a reduction in all these groups of diseases except ophthalmia, the admissions by which have been nearly double the average. The reduction has been most marked in continued fevers and in dysentery, diarrhoea, and cholera.

In the middle of March, several cases of spasmodic cholera occurred among the white troops in Colombo, three of which terminated fatally. The outbreak was attributed to the effluvia from the canal in the fort, which is little better than an open sewer and was at that time very low from long continued drought. The men occupying the barrack immediately over the canal were

1859-60.

Ceylon. removed.

Heavy rains set in shortly afterwards, filling the canal and flushing the drains, and the disease ceased. The total number of cases was 9, of which, as already stated, three died.

Ophthalmia was very prevalent in the 50th Regiment both at Kandy and Colombo; in an average strength of 163 men at the former, there were 46 cases, and in an average of 365 at the latter station, 63 were admitted. The artillery were not affected, only one case having occurred in an average strength of 113 men. Surgeon Fraser of the 50th Regiment considered the chief exciting causes of the disease to be the glare of the sun as reflected from the white sandy roads, exposure to the irritation of small particles of dust blown into the eyes, and exposure to cold by night or early in the morning.

DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS, although furnishing a smaller proportion of cases than formerly, are still a source of considerable inefficiency, the admissions having amounted in 1861 to 147, or 162.1 per 1,000 of mean strength. Upwards of two-thirds of these were from inflammation of the liver, a disease which has been shown in former reports to be very common in this island. In 1861 only two deaths occurred in 103 cases, being, comparatively, a low proportion.

ACCIDENTS AND VIOLENCE.-Under this head only one death is reported, that of a private of the 50th Regiment at Colombo by drowning.

II. BLACK TROOPS.

The average strength of the black troops in 1861 was 1,448; the admissions into hospital were 1,939 and the deaths 14, being in the ratio of 1,339 and 9-66 per 1,000 of the strength, the former about one-third higher, and the latter rather lower than the average of the two preceding years.

The following Table, compiled from Abstract No. XX, of Appendix and from previous Reports, shows the influence of the different classes of diseases in producing sickness and mortality among the black troops.

The great increase in the admissions into hospital has been caused by MIAS- Ceylon. MATIC DISEASES. These, when subdivided into groups, give the following results:

Eruptive Fevers.-There were 32 admissions for chicken-pox and 12 for measles, most of them at Colombo.

Paroxysmal Fevers have been the cause of the great incrcase in the amount of miasmatic diseases. Their excessive prevalence, however, was confined to Trincomalee, where 649 cases of intermittent fever occurred in a detachment of the average strength of 223 men, so that the admissions were nearly in the proportion of three to each man of the force.

The prevalence of ague is attributed to the marshy nature of the soil in the vicinity of the station, which is almost surrounded by paddy fields and cocoa-nut gardens. Only one case of cholera occurred among the black troops. Ophthalmia, which, as already pointed out, was so prevalent among the white troops, was, among the black troops, under the average of the two preceding years.

VIOLENT DEATHS.-One death by suicide occurred, which was committed in an extraordinary manner. A private of the Ceylon Rifles, while under treatment for an attack of remittent fever, inflicted two deep wounds in his neck and three in his abdomen with a broken piece of a glass quart-bottle which contained his medicine. The abdominal cavity was laid open, and there was considerable hoemorrhage from all the wounds. He died from exhaustion about forty-six hours after the infliction of the wounds.

SECTION II.

On the extent of Invaliding.

There were 14 men sent to England during the year, recommended for discharge as invalids, and 31 for change of climate, amounting together to 19.6 per 1,000 of mean strength. The diseases for which they were invalided were as follows: