MANUAL OP THE NILAGIRI DISTRICT. /O 



changes of temperature avoided. Convulsions are common ; CHAP, iv, 



whooping-cough and mumps are frequent ; measles and ophthal- PART III. 



mia have been epidemic ; scarlet fever known, and small-pox Wellington. 



also has been prevalent. Medical 



. . Report on 



Ihe greatest care is necessary, however, to avoid attacks of Climate, &c. 



bowel-complaint, to which children, particularly at this depot, 

 are liable either from teething, chill, irregularity of diet, 

 exposure to the sun, or imperfect clothing, and to avoid which 

 latter a flannel roller should be always worn. Those above 

 four or five years of age thrive well ; their physical condition and 

 mental development under most circumstances improve- The 

 chances of sickness among children will now, no doubt, be much 

 decreased by the late general order directing officers command- 

 ing regiments to observe particularly that women and children 

 sent to Wellington for change should be provided with clothing 

 suitable for the climate. 



The barracks consist of six blocks of double-storied masonry Barracks, 

 buildings enclosing a parallelogram. They are all alike, except the 

 one to the east, which is occupied by Staff Sergeants, Staff Ofl&ce, 

 and Court-martial room upstairs ; Sergeants' mess, the coffee 

 shop (at present utilised as a Roman Catholic Chapel), guard- 

 room with lock-up room for prisoners off it. Quartermaster's 

 store. Barrack store, and Carpenter's workshop on the lower 

 story. 



The square is entered by an arch in the centre of this barrack, 

 which faces east and west. The remaining barracks are divided 

 into open verandahs on each story, inside verandahs which 

 are used for dining in, and long sleeping rooms which accommo- 

 date 35 men each, with rooms for two non-commissioned officers 

 at either end, and the cook-houses are in the lower story of each 

 building. The ventilation is good, although the flooring of the 

 lower story is only 18 inches from the ground ; but a free 

 current of air passes under it through holes above the ground 

 on either side, underneath the verandah. It is in consequence 

 dry, and sickness cannot be attributed to dampness. There are 

 fire-places at either end, and several small holes near the floor and 

 ceiling, with open arches leading into the back verandahs 

 connected with doors, which afford ample ventilation. The upper 

 stories are lofty with pent roof, very freely ventilated by swinging 

 windows ; they afford the same accommodation as the lower story, 

 viz., 35 in the large rooms and four non-commissioned officers' 

 rooms. One of these large rooms in the upper story is used for a 

 ; Church of England, and, as it is one of the best situated, ventilated, 

 ,and airy barracks, the misappropriation should, if possible, be 

 prevented. The question that arises is, where can the church be 

 ; put ? A site has been selected for it on the rising ground to 



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