412 The "Oriental Sore'' as observed in India. [part ii. 



the end of August 1873 it is reported that there were not then, and had not for 

 some time been, any cases of Delhi boils amongst them. 



In 1871 the 109th Kegiment gave a very high admission rate from abscess and 

 ulcer — the highest, in fact, given by any body of European Infantry in Delhi during 

 the entire ten years' period. The regiment arrived in the station from Mooltan in 

 that year ; in the year following it again furnished a high though diminished 

 admission rate, and only in the third year of residence did it come down to a low 

 figure. This is just the reverse of the phenomena which appear usually to occur 

 with regiments coming newly to Delhi. We have been unable to obtain any more 

 definite information regarding the nature of the cases causing the admissions, but 

 it is questionable how far they ought to be credited to Delhi. The regiment through- 

 out the entire period in which it appears in our tables was very unhealthy, and, 

 as we have seen, is the only body of European troops which furnished high admission 

 rates from abscess and ulcer in Mooltan. The admission rates given by both the 

 109th and the Artillery in 1873 are very low. In 1874 a wing of the 55th was 

 quartered at Delhi. The rate from abscess and ulcer furnished by it was low, but 

 that of the Artillery, a battery in its second year, was high. At the time of our 

 visit to Delhi in the early part of 1876, Delhi boil was, and had for some time been, 

 practically unknown among the European troops. 



Eeturning now to the native troops. During 1871 the 17th Native Infantry 

 continued to occupy the station. The water-supply remained unchanged. Twenty 

 cases of Delhi boil were admitted into hospital, "but that number represents only 

 a portion of the men who suffered " from the disease. The admission rate from abscess 

 and ulcer was again high, although very considerably lower than in the previous 

 year. In 1872 a fresh regiment^ — the 20th Native Infantry — came. The Medical 

 Officer reports that "the canal water was allowed to flow into two wells in the lines," 

 and "the mixed water used by the men for drinking purposes was well liked." Some 

 of the men, as usual, went to the river for drinking water, " but owing to its distance, 

 this was not common." The admission rate from abscess and ulcer was for native 

 troops in Delhi comparatively low. No cases of Delhi sore occurred, except in one 

 of the officers. During the following year six cases of Delhi sore were admitted from 

 the same regiment, but " a great many men who had them were quite able to attend 

 to their duties, and only presented themselves occasionally at hospital as out-patients." 

 The admission rate from abscess and ulcer is low. 



In 1874 the 20th Native Infantry remained in Delhi, and fifteen cases of Delhi 

 boil were admitted into hospital. The indifferent quality of the water-supply is again 

 complained of. The admission rate from abscess and ulcer was high, more than 

 40 per 1,000 higher than in the previous year. In January 1875 the 33rd Native 

 Infantry arrived in the station, and during that year remained free from Delhi sores. 

 The water-supply of the lines was, as usual, dependent on the canal and the wells, 

 until towards the close of the rains, when the canal became silted up in consequence 



